Geelong fail at tribunal to free Tom Hawkins for Richmond clash

Geelong will be without Tom Hawkins for their preliminary final against Richmond.

Geelong forward Tom Hawkins speaks to the media after his hearing at the AFL tribunal. Picture: Getty Images

Geelong have suffered a significant blow ahead of Friday’s preliminary final against Richmond after the AFL tribunal ratified a one-match ban for star forward Tom Hawkins.

The Cats failed in their bid to downgrade the severity of the strike in order to earn the spearhead a reprieve for the sudden-death final, arguing the “round arm” blow was careless and not ­intentional.

The 31-year-old told the hearing he did not deliberately strike Eagles defender Will Schofield.

“I was trying to fight for best position to get back to the football, or where the football was coming from,” Hawkins said. “I was restricted in the fact I was being held. I was just trying to get best position on my direct opponent.”

A medical report on Schofield provided by the Eagles said the ­defender had moderate pain in his temple but required no ongoing treatment. But the tribunal was not convinced by the Cats’ argument, thus robbing Geelong of a key player in terms of performance and team structure for the sudden-death final.

“I’m really disappointed that I’m not going to be there with my teammates on Friday night, however my job now is supporting them as best that I can, and (to) lend a hand where I can, and prepare myself to play next week,” Hawkins said.

Hawkins has booted 56.32 for the season and, after a lull, was a strong performer in the 20-point semi-final win over West Coast, kicking four goals. His absence places enormous pressure on emerging forward Esava Ratugolea for the clash against the 2017 premiers on Friday night.

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Geelong coach Chris Scott will also be forced to gamble on a forward line partner for Ratugolea. Gary Rohan missed last week with injury and shapes as a possible ­replacement should the Cats look at a smaller option. Darcy Fort, Wylie Buzza and Zac Smith shape as taller possibilities, while Geelong have deployed Brownlow Medal favourite Patrick Dangerfield in attack with success in the past.

“To go in without one of your best players against the premiership favourite makes it that much harder. Everyone’s disappointed, but not more disappointed than him,” Scott told Fox Footy’s AFL 360.

“We all make mistakes across the season. He’s paying a far bigger price than most.

“I think if anything, the overwhelming sense of his teammates will be, we have got to get it done this Friday night to give him a chance to play next week. I think that can be as galvanising as anything.”

The Cats forward line is based around a method where either Hawkins or Ratugolea fly for a mark and, at worst, bring the football to the ground to give smaller forwards like Gary Ablett a chance to pounce.

Ablett, meanwhile, has reiterated he will not make a ­decision on whether to continue on into 2020 until this season is done. The two-time Brownlow Medal winner is the last player ­remaining from the “super draft” of 2001, after Hawthorn and Brisbane legend Luke Hodge retired following the Lions’ semi-final loss to the Giants on Saturday.

“I’ve been very blessed to be in the game as long as I have,” Ablett said. “I’ve always said when I first came into the system my goal was to play one AFL game. You fast forward 18 years and 340-odd games, it’s been a good part of my life and I know I’m blessed to be doing what I love. I feel like I’ve had a pretty good year.”

The 35-year-old has kicked 33 goals from 23 matches in 2019, though he was held goalless in the Cats’ opening two finals against Collingwood and West Coast.

“It has been an interesting one. Teams have played me tightly, that’s for sure,” Ablett said. “My role as a forward is not necessarily touching the ball 20-25 times. I had some really good opportunities to kick goals that I didn’t make the most of. If I have 15 touches and kick two or three goals, that’s playing my role for the team.”

Former Western Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy recently told The Australian he believed Ablett had returned to Geelong pursuing a fairytale. Ablett, an eight-time All Australian, confirmed the pursuit of success was the catalyst for his decision to leave the Gold Coast and return to the club where he was a premiership performer in 2007 and 2009.