Coleman Medallist Tom Hawkins among Cats to spend 100 days in hub life

Geelong has now been on the road for 100 days after departing Victoria in July in the hope of completing the coronavirus riddled 2020 season.

Geelong spearhead Tom Hawkins during a training session at Mantra Southport Sharks on the Gold Coast

Coleman Medallist Tom Hawkins could never have imagined he would hit a ton in 2020.

But it wasn’t the 100-goal mark he reached, it was the amount of days the Cats have spent in a hub.

When Geelong left Victoria in July, there were significant doubts about the AFL’s ability to complete an interrupted season as COVID-19 closed off their home state and then NSW to football games.

But the AFL is now within three games of completing an extraordinary season, with Geelong reaching 100 consecutive days on the road on Tuesday.

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But the toil has been worth it. The Cats are among the four clubs left vying for a premiership decided on October 24 and will play Brisbane in the preliminary finals at the Gabba on Saturday night.

“We know how unique the season has been but, if I cast my mind back to the day before we left and we were contemplating being away from our family and our homes for 32 days, it is quite remarkable how well everyone has band together to play out the season,” Hawkins said.

“We have just seen the NBA finish their season and how every one of those players, right across the board, from the NBA administrators to the players (were applauded), and I think we can say the same thing in terms of the way we have managed to get through our season.

“We are not there yet, but it has been quite remarkable and an amazing experience.”

After Geelong trounced Collingwood in the semi-finals on Saturday, Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said there was no doubt the challenges of 2020 had hindered some players, including star ruckman Brodie Grundy.

West Coast, for example, struggled initially when based in southeast Queensland during the early stages of the season restart in a stint that arguably came at the cost of a double-chance in the finals.

“Brodes is a guy who loves the game and loves footy, but he also loves to get away from it, and when you’re in a hub, it’s been a little difficult for him to do that,” Buckley said.

“He’s one of plenty of blokes across the competition who will have struggled at times through this and he is not on his own. I want to make that clear. It is not just Brodie Grundy.”

Tom Hawkins has enjoyed his time in the hub. Picture: Michael Klein

Hawkins is among those who have found the experience fascinating, but he had the support of family.

The 31-year-old, whose farm near Geelong is currently being looked after by siblings, was joined in Queensland by his wife Emma and their two daughters Arabella and Primrose.

“I am lucky,” he said. “I have got my family up here and we do have a sense of freedom, albeit very limited, but it has been great.

“I have learnt some great things about myself and about other people and it is an experience we certainly won’t forget.”

The ultra-consistent forward played in Geelong’s 2009 and 2011 premierships and is adamant the desire to claim another is as strong as ever.

Arriving at Geelong at a time where the club was enjoying a golden run of success, he said recent years had sharpened his appetite for another flag.

The Cats have now reached preliminary finals in four of the past five seasons but last played in a grand final in 2011.

“That has evolved over the last six to eight years in terms of how lucky I was then and how lucky I am now to still be playing in a preliminary final,” he said.

“I get the opportunity to almost get there again. My hunger is as strong as ever and that is because I am 32 now and I know my career is at the latter stages and, who knows, nothing is given in football.

“You have to make the most of your opportunities, because they don’t come around very often.”