Hawks get better of the Cats in Easter Monday epic

Ben Jensen 2 April 2018, AFL 2018 ROUND 2: GEELONG CATS V HAWTHORN HAWKS HAWTHORN got the better of Geelong in their Easter Monday clash at the MCG today, winning by one point. After a very even first term the Hawks took a 24 point advantage into half time. The Cats pegged it back by one goal to three quarter time but the Hawks looked set to run on with it when skipper Jarryd Roughead booted the first goal of the final term. They went goal for goal until the Cats finally had a run of goals – five in all starting with Dan Menzel’s fourth. Tom Hawkins, James Parsons, Sam Menegola and finally Brandan Parfitt completed the comeback that levelled scores with a bit over two minutes to go. But it wasn’t to be for the Cats, Roughead taking a mark deep in a forward pocket on the right side for his left boot. Although Roughead missed it was enough to win the match.
The Cats did a lot right but weren’t quite there and taking into account last week’s match with Melbourne to be one win, one loss, seems about right. Menzel again kicked four goals and now has a goal in each quarter of the season. Gary Ablett hasn’t missed a beat since leaving, Joel Selwood and Patrick Dangerfield predictably also performed while they missed Mitch Duncan who was a late change with injury, as was Esava Ratugolea. Nakia Cockatoo and Mark O’Connor were the replacements. The Hawks also made one change with James Frawley out, replaced by Kaiden Brand. As noted previously the ruck division remains a mystery, Rhys Stanley kicked two good goals but whether he did enough in the ruck we’ll have to wait and see next selection night.
The Cats travel to Perth to play the West Coast Eagles next Sunday, flying over on a charter service as revealed by K-Rock Footy some weeks ago.



HAWTHORN: 5.3 11.8 14.13 17.16 (118) DEFEATED
GEELONG: 5.1 8.2 12.7 18.9 (117)

GOALS
HAWTHORN: Henderson 2, Smith 2, Impey 2, Gunston 2, Mitchell 2, Roughead 2, O’Meara, Shiels, Puopolo, McEvoy, Howe
GEELONG: Menzel 4, Stanley 2, Dangerfield 2, Parsons 2, Selwood, Ablett, Kelly, Fogarty, Gregson, Hawkins, Menegola, Parfitt

BEST
HAWTHORN: Mitchell, McEvoy, Impey, Smith, O’Meara, Henderson, Brand
GEELONG: Ablett, Selwood, Dangerfield, Kelly, Menzel, Tuohy

INJURIES
HAWTHORN: Burgoyne (left hamstring)
GEELONG: Henry (concussion

CHANGES
HAWTHORN: Frawley (foot sprain) replaced in selection side by Brand
GEELONG: Duncan (hamstring tightness) replaced in selected side by Cockatoo; Ratugolea (hip flexor) replaced in selected side by O’Connor

REPORTS
HAWTHORN: Nil
GEELONG: Nil

UMPIRES: FIELD: O’GORMAN, CHAMBERLAIN, BILLY PANNELL EM: MOLLISON
BOUNDARY: RAYNER, ANDREWS, MATHER, GORDON
GOAL: DERVAN, CRAIG EM: WOJCIK

CROWD: 73,189 at MCG, Melbourne


TEAMS

GEELONG CATS

HAWTHORN HAWKS

IN: Patrick Dangerfield, Jack Henry, Rhys Stanley
OUT: Harry Taylor (foot), Jordan Murdoch (omitted), Zac Smith (omitted)

NEW: Jack Henry

IN: –
OUT: –

B: Z Tuohy, J Kolodjashnij, T Stewart
HB: J Bews, M Blicavs, Z Guthrie
C: T Kelly, J Selwood, M Duncan
HF: J Parsons, E Ratugolea, S Menegola
F: B Parfitt, T Hawkins, D Menzel
FOLL: R Stanley, P Dangerfield, G Ablett
INT: L Fogarty, C Gregson, C Guthrie, J Henry
EMER: N Cockatoo, J Murdoch, M O’Connor, Z Smith
B: James Frawley, Ben Stratton, Tim O’Brien
HB: Blake Hardwick, James Sicily, Ryan Burton
C: Ricky Henderson, Jaeger O’Meara, Isaac Smith
HF: Jack Gunston, Ryan Schoenmakers, Shaun Burgoyne
F: Paul Puopolo, Jarryd Roughead, Luke Breust
R: Ben McEvoy, Tom Mitchell, Jarman Impey
INT: Taylor Duryea, Liam Shiels, Daniel Howe, Cyril Rioli
EMER: Kaiden Brand, Harry Morrison, Marc Pittonet, Conor Glass