As the Hawks prepare to take on the Cats in a finals-shaping encounter on Saturday, hawthornfc.com.au takes a look at some of the two sides’ most recent tight finishes.
Round 2, 2018
Geelong 18.9 (117) def by Hawthorn 17.16 (118)
The Hawks looked set to cause an upset over the Cats, leading for most of the day after kicking three of the opening four goals. Tom Mitchell was ominous through the middle of the ground for the Hawks picking up 40 disposals and kicking two goals, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Cats from making a late charge. Down by 25 points in the final term, Geelong levelled the scores late before Hawks skipper Jarryd Roughead kicked the match winning point with little more than a minute remaining.
Round 17, 2017
Geelong 13.10 (88) def Hawthorn 12.13 (85)
Celebrating former skipper Luke Hodge’s 300th game the Hawks’ chances looked to have been given a boost as Brownlow medalist Patrick Dangerfield left the field off with an apparent foot injury. However the star midfielder made a dramatic return to the ground, positioned solely up forward, where he finished with 5.6. The Cats looked to be in the box seat – up by 17 in the final term – before the Hawks clamoured their way back to within a goal late in the piece, with Isaac Smith sending wide a chance to steal the win in the dying stages.
Qualifying final, 2016
Geelong 12.13 (85) def Hawthorn 12.11 (83)
A see-sawing affair saw the Cats prevail in yet another tight-tussle. The lead changed four times in the final term with the Cats appearing to be home after Josh Caddy put his side in front late in the piece, but the Hawks would have one last chance to book themselves a preliminary final spot. With the ball worked the ball forward from defence, Luke Breust spotted Isaac Smith in space, 40 metres out from goal, with just seven seconds remaining. Kicking after the siren, Smith’s shot at goal drifted to the right, with the Cats escaping with a two-point win.
Preliminary final, 2013
Hawthorn 14.18 (102) def Geelong 15.7 (97)
A seven-goal-to-three third quarter set the Cats up with a 20-point lead heading into the final change, but unsurprisingly a fighting Hawks side clawed their back. Led by Sam Mitchell (38 disposals) the Hawks managed to hit the front with five minutes remaining thanks to a close-range goal from Shaun Burgoyne. The Cats missed a chance to level the scores in the final minute as Hawthorn held on to win a spot in the 2013 Grand Final and break an 11-game losing streak against Geelong.
Round 19, 2012
Geelong 18.10 (118) def Hawthorn 17.14 (116)
Signs didn’t look good for the Hawks early in the piece as the Cats raced to a 51-point lead in the second term. But in typical fashion the Hawks mounted an almighty come back to hit the front in the final quarter. The Cats were down by four points in the dying stages as they sent the ball forward from defence for one last forward foray, with skipper Joel Selwood spotting Tom Hawkins 50 metres out from goal. Hawkins went back and launched a goal that broke the hearts of Hawks fans, as the Cats prevailed by two points in the epic encounter.
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