Let's flashback to Round 17, 10 years ago, with the precursor to the Hawks’ famous 2008 premiership win...
After starting the season with nine straight wins, the Hawks sit in third place coming up against ladder-leaders Geelong and are desperate to bounce back after a trying 30-point defeat at the hands of St Kilda last week.
Hawthorn have made just the one change for the battle of the competition’s two heavy weights with Cameron Stokes coming into the side for Jarryd Morton.
The Cats meanwhile have only suffered the single defeat so far at the hands of Collingwood, and are missing star midfielder Gary Ablett.
QT: The Hawks got on the board after Mark Williams hit Lance Franklin lace out on a long lead in front of opponent Andrew Mackie, with Franklin going back from 45 metres out to slot his 74th goal for the season.
Chance Bateman also made the Cats pay with a running goal from just inside 50 after they failed to man the mark, before Geelong piled on four goals in a row.
But clever work saw Cyril Rioli spot Williams running towards goal, who kicked truly to cut the deficit to 19 points at quarter time.
HT: Key forward Jarryd Roughead got the Hawks off to an ideal start to the term, roosting a long goal from outside 50, while a shift to the forward line for Campbell Brown started to pay dividends, with the regular defender catching Cats midfielder Joel Corey holding the ball before cutting the margin to seven points.
An arm-wrestle of a quarter, Franklin nabbed his second as the Hawks went into the main break 17 points down.
3QT: Much like the second, the third term again started with a pair of goals to Jarryd Roughead and Campbell Brown, as the Hawks closed to within five points.
Sam Mitchell continued to be prolific through the midfield, as did Jordan Lewis, with the Hawks getting on top to contain the Cats to just the single goal for the quarter.
Franklin also continued to run rampant with three shots on goal, but it was only the third that he was able to convert, as the side went into the final stage only four points behind.
FT: It took forward Mark Williams only 35 seconds to steal the lead for the Hawks, after the likes of Luke Hodge and Mitchell worked the ball forward from the first centre bounce.
Despite conceding the next two goals to Geelong, the Hawks weren’t giving in, as some scintillating defensive pressure from Cyril Rioli saw the Cats cough up the ball and hand Franklin his fourth as he ran into an open goal to put the Hawks just two points down with over six minutes remaining.
But a critical turn-over late in the quarter through the middle of the ground from Luke Hodge saw the Cats capitalise and stretch their lead and eventually hold on for an 11-point victory.
Geelong 6.3 8.10 9.12 12.16 (88)
Hawthorn 3.2 6.5 9.8 11.11 (77)
GOALS
Geelong: S.Johnson 3, Chapman 2, Bartel 2, Stokes, Mooney, Gamble, Rooke, Enright
Hawthorn: Franklin 4, Roughead 2, Williams 2, Brown 2, Bateman
BEST
Geelong: Bartel, Enright, Corey, Chapman, Stokes, Selwood, Gamble, D. Johnson, Ottens
Hawthorn: Mitchell, Williams, Bateman, Croad, Rioli, Franklin, Lewis
INJURIES
Hawthorn: Osborne (corked buttock)
Geelong: Chapman (hamstring), Milburn (virus) replaced in selected side by D. Johnson
Reports: Nil
Umpires: McBurney, Rosebury, Schmitt
Official crowd: 86,179 at the MCG
