The result

Hawthorn 4.3   8.9   10.10    12.14   (86)
Geelong 1.5   5.7   10.12    13.15   (93)                 

Goals
Hawthorn: Franklin 2, Breust 2, Savage 2, Lewis, Guerra, Hale, Rioli, Smith, Roughead
Geelong: Hawkins 2, Smedts 2, Podsiadly 2, Duncan 2, Chapman, Varcoe, Selwood, Mackie, Christensen

Best
Hawthorn: Mitchell, Sewell, Birchall, Lewis, Schoenmakers, Rioli
Geelong: Selwood, Chapman, Mackie, Taylor, Smedts, Stokes, Enright

Official crowd: 76,300 at the MCG

The build up to the blockbuster Easter Monday was big and the game delivered as Hawthorn and Geelong played another classic in front of a big crowd at the MCG.

Unfortunately for Hawthorn though, the result was one all too familiar, defeated by the Cats for the 10^th straight time.

It was a game of two halves, as the Hawks dominated the opening two quarters and seemingly were en route to a comfortable win as they looked in control through great pressure and execution of skill around the ground.

After the long break, however, it was almost as if the two sides swapped jumpers at half time, as the Cats outpressured and outhunted the Hawks in a blistering third quarter.

While the margin was seven points at the final siren, the Cats were in control in the final term, and the Hawks never looked likely to steal a victory in the dying moments.

Players were fatigued – it was hard enough playing Round 1 but when the game is played at such a high intensity so early in the season, it’s always hard to steal a last-minute victory.

The signs were positive early for Alastair Clarkson’s men though, attacking the opening game of the season with intensity, hunger and belief. The Hawks played like a team desperate to kick-off 2013 with a bang, and to defeat their rivals in the process.

The game was played at a frenetic pace, and the pressure around the ground befitting of a final. The footy was hot, but it was the Hawks who settled first party due to the immense pressure the Cats found themselves under.
 

Hawthorn's pressure

The Hawks had done their homework on Geelong, identifying their half backline as one of their biggest weapons. The Hawthorn forward line combined with the pressure in the midfield worked overtime to ensure the Cats couldn’t find space to hurt the Hawks on the counterattack, with Andrew Mackie and Corey Enright in particular unable to find space.

Despite the tackle count sitting at 17-16 at quarter time in favour of the Hawks, it was where the Hawthorn tackles were laid that was important. Luke Breust , Paul Puopolo, Cyril Rioli, Lance Franklin and even Jarryd Roughead made their presence felt, laying bone crunching tackles whenever a Cat gathered possession.

The tackling pressure inside 50 and, forward of centre for Hawthorn forced Geelong into a number of errors that costed them the ability to alleviate the pressure by entering their forward arc. The Hawks had double the inside 50s at quarter time, 22-11 – a reflection on the swarm mentality of the Hawthorn pressure.
 

The second quarter

Inaccuracy in front of goal in the second term cost Hawthorn a healthier lead at the long break, but it was a complete domination out of the centre that gave Hawthorn a barrage of opportunities up forward.

The Hawks dominated the clearances in the second quarter 13-4, and were led of course by gun midfielder, Sam Mitchell who finished the day as Hawthorn’s best player with 37 disposals and seven inside 50s.

But, it was two late goals to the Cats in time on of the quarter that kept them in the game and proved important in the context of what was about to occur in the second half.
 

How Geelong came back

Led by Joel Selwood, Paul Chapman, Travis Varcoe and a damaging Billie Smedts who kicked two crucial goals (one in the first and one in the last), the Hawthorn's five-goal lead was evaporated quickly, and the Cats had the momentum and the advantage by two points at three quarter time.

Selwood provided the spark the Cats needed to get back into the game, as his hardness and attack on the footy provided the impetus for Geelong players to stick their tackles and attack the ball and the man with ferocity.

That intensity at the contest enabled the Cats to win their fair share of contested ball – levelling up that stat 119-108 at three quarter timer and, breaking even at the clearances, 8-10 for the term.

Winning the ball in close gave the Cats the opportunity to feed it out to their runners in Varcoe, Mackie, Steven Motlop, Allen Christensen and Mitch Duncan who found space to work in through the middle and on the wing as their Hawks counterparts got sucked in to the footy in the contested situation.

Costly too for Hawthorn was their forward set up that struggled after half time. Franklin, Roughead, David Hale and Jack Gunston failed to have an impact as the Cats defence reigned supreme – resulting in just four Hawthorn goals after half time.

Bradley Hill’s blistering first quarter caught the eye of many, gathering 10 touches at 91 per cent efficiency – but the youngster faded in the second half before being subbed out mid-way through the third term. He finished with 14 possessions – his four possessions after quarter time almost summing up Hawthorn’s performance on the day – red hot early, but faded in the second half.

What the coaches said:
Hawthorn’s Alastair Clarkson – "Young 'Hilly' (Bradley Hill) was probably the best example. He was near best on ground in the first half, but halfway through the second quarter he was nearly cooked the poor lad, so it sort of symbolised our lack of run, particularly in the third quarter.”

Geelong’s Chris Scott – “When something needed to happen, our experienced players stood up, as you'd expect them to. But the young guys aren't afraid to impose themselves on the game as well."