In a Tweet

The Rundown

On paper, this match-up seemed a reasonably simple tip.

The Cats, third on the ladder and half a game from top spot, were shaping as one of the season’s true premiership threats.

While the Hawks were 13th on the ladder and had endured a testing season to date with few positive storylines.

But the Hawks were slowly turning it around, with a win over Collingwood at the MCG, a win over Adelaide in Adelaide and a draw with GWS the previous round making up their last three weeks.

Had it not been for a Herculean effort from reigning Brownlow Medallist Patrick Dangerfield, this result could have marked the completion of an outstanding, unbeaten month for the brown and gold.

Read: Who's in the mix for Round 2?


The Star

Undoubtedly the defining figure on the match was Dangerfield.

After a seemingly serious foot injury forced the Cat champ from the ground in the opening quarter, the midfielder returned only to be deployed deep in the Geelong forward line.

For the next three quarters, Dangerfield tortured the Hawks backline, kicking five goals and six behinds.

If not for some wild inaccuracy at goal, Dangerfield could have ensured this performance was one of the most outstanding individual efforts in recent memory.

The Moment

This game boiled down to the last kick of the game.

With 22 seconds left, Luke Hodge, in his 300th game, gave the Hawks an unlikely chance when he slotted through a goal on his right boot to put his side within four points of the archrivals.

The ensuing centre bounce saw a Tom Mitchell clearance find its way into the hands of Jack Gunston.

Gunston quickly turned on a dime to find a teammate inside forward 50.

That man was Isaac Smith who took the mark before opting to play on and slide his shot at goal slightly right.

The siren followed seconds later but it had taken right up until that moment for the game’s result to be decided.

The Coach

"We played with great spirit and tried hard, but Geelong were just a little bit more polished with the ball than what we were”.

-Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson 

 

GEELONG          3.3    6.7    11.9    13.10 (88)
HAWTHORN      3.2    7.6    9.10    12.13 (85) 

GOALS

Geelong: Dangerfield 5, Menzel 3, Stanley, Parfitt, Simpson, Tuohy, Selwood
Hawthorn: Mitchell 2, Schoenmakers 2, Shiels, O'Brien, Breust, Smith, Burgoyne, Gunston, Langford, Hodge 

BEST 

Geelong: Dangerfield, Henderson, Selwood, Menzel, Taylor, Duncan
Hawthorn: Mitchell, Shiels, Gunston, Hodge, Henderson, Hartung

INJURIES 

Geelong: Dangerfield (left leg), C.Guthrie (head)
Hawthorn: Sicily (ankle), Burgoyne (thumb)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Chamberlain, Meredith, Fleer 

Official crowd: 70,345 at the MCG