Cats flex their muscles as Tom Hawkins hits six against Power
Any doubts over Geelong’s premiership credentials have been dismissed after Tom Hawkins inspired the Cats’ thrashing of Port Adelaide.
Any doubts over Geelong’s premiership credentials have been dismissed after Tom Hawkins inspired the Cats’ 60-point upset over ladder leaders Port Adelaide in Friday night’s AFL blockbuster at Metricon Stadium.
After Geelong flexed their muscles to thrash St Kilda by 59 last round, the Cats showed no signs of fatigue in their fifth game in 19 days as Hawkins ran amok with six goals in their 14.7 (91) to 4.7 (31) thrashing – their third straight win.
Coleman Medal leader Hawkins proved the difference in a sometimes scrappy clash as Geelong put the competition on notice by snapping Port’s three-game winning run and leapfrogging Brisbane into second spot.
The Cats now appear worthy contenders after extending their remarkable record against Port, winning 14 of 17 games since destroying the Power in the 2007 grand final.
Port Adelaide will rue its slow start against the Cats after a chance to all but lock up a top-two finish went begging.
A lethargic Power looked like they were the team playing their fifth game in 19 days after they were ambushed by a Cats outfit recovering from a four-day turnaround, only getting on the board in the opening term thanks to a rushed behind.
It would’ve been just the second time in the last 30 years the team on top of the ladder had been kept scoreless in the first quarter.
They didn’t recover as Geelong kicked seven fourth-term goals as Port fell to their first loss in five games this year at Metricon Stadium.
Adding further insult, Port’s percentage dropped from 142 to 127, giving second-placed Brisbane a sniff of claiming the ladder lead if they win by 53 points or more against North Melbourne on Saturday.
Port’s ladder-leading form had been hard to criticise but there was one question: would Port struggle to dominate if in-form forward Charlie Dixon did not have his usual influence? The answer was provided on Friday night.
It was always going to be a challenge for Dixon to add to his 21 season goals against the AFL’s tightest defence. But few would have predicted how much he struggled, restricted to just one hit-out for the entire first half after being well held by Harry Taylor.
Dixon was still restricted despite Taylor appearing to be hobbled by a second-quarter collision with teammate Jake Kolodjashnij, finishing with three disposals with not one shot on goal.
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