AFL 2016 ROUND 1 EASTER MONDAY: GEELONG V HAWTHORN MATCH PREVIEW
Ben Jensen 23 March 2016

AFL ROUND 1 2016: GEELONG CATS V HAWTHORN HAWKS Easter Monday kicks off a mini-new era for the Cats, the first of hopefully many games featuring a partnership of Joel Selwood and Patrick Dangerfield on the ball. The season seems to be kicking off earlier than last year; this same article last year was written on 4 April, this year we're tapping out the keyboard on 23 March so we're not just imagining it. This is the only match against Hawthorn this home and away season, a departure from recent years.

Teams will be announced Thursday night but will be a squad of 25, the three emergencies not having to be named until Saturday. A big change this season is the sub being consigned to history; after coming in for the 2011 season the AFL has scrapped the rule in favour of strict limits on rotations. Just 90 rotations a match will be allowed, which will hopefully not be as big a farce as the new Formula One qualifying proved to be on Sunday's Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park.

As with round one last year a big decision is who to go with in the ruck. Besides Mitch Clark all rucks are fit, with Rhys Stanley and Zac Smith set to take centre-square duties. Nathan Vardy completes the tall trio but should spend all of his time up forward, and along with a few others has been given the task by coach Chris Scott of performing by taking some of the pressure to kick goals away from Tom Hawkins who's been a lone gun too often the last year or two. Unfortunately recruit Scott Selwood won't be taking part in the match, like brother Joel having missed most of the pre-season. There is yet to be an estimated return for Scott while Joel is expected to play.

Triple reigning premiers Hawthorn will also be sporting a newish look lineup with several retirements from last season and a few injuries more recently. Gone is key defender Brian Lake along with handy ruckman-forward David Hale. Grant Birchall has had an ankle injury but has been deemed available while Taylor Duryea and Jordan Lewis are touch and go. Jarryd Roughead (knee; 8-12 weeks) and Liam Shiels (wrist, 3-6) will definitely miss.

Being a Geelong home game there's a fair few tickets available but best to get in before the weekend for the better seats.

JUMP TO FULL TEAM LISTINGS

LAST GAME DETAILS

UMPIRES

TBC

TIP: Cats by 12 points

CATS INJURY LIST

Updated 23/3/2016

Mitch Clark Calf TBC
Cam Delaney Hamstring TBC
Sam Menegola Knee 2-4 weeks
Scott Selwood Foot TBC
Billie Smedts Shoulder 3-5 weeks
Jackson Thurlow* Knee Season

* On long term injury list

LATEST LIST

HAWKS INJURY LIST

Updated 23/3/2016

Grant Birchall Ankle Available
Taylor Duryea Hip/groin Test
Jack Fitzpatrick Knee TBC
Billy Hartung Knee Available
Bradley Hill Wrist TBC
Jordan Lewis Calf Test
Jarryd Roughead Knee 8-12 weeks
Liam Shiels Wrist 3-6 weeks
Matt Spangher Calf TBC
Zac Webster Quad 3 weeks

LAST TIME

AFL 2015 ROUND 20

GEELONG CATS V HAWTHORN HAWKS

SATURDAY 15 AUGUST 2015 19:20 AEST

MCG

17 AUGUST 2015 CATS NOT UP TO SCRATCH AGAINST HAWKS

13 AUGUST 2015 AFL 2015 ROUND 20: GEELONG CATS V HAWTHORN HAWKS MATCH PREVIEW

CATS NOT UP TO SCRATCH AGAINST HAWKS
Ben Jensen 17 August 2015

AFL ROUND 20 2015: HAWTHORN HAWKS V GEELONG CATS GEELONG lost to Hawthorn by six goals on Saturday night. A seven goal to three opening term by the Hawks threatened to make the game a fizzer but the Cats fought back hard in the second and third quarters before fading away towards three-quarter time.

Cyril Rioli and Luke Hodge were deadly in front of goal and along with Cameron Guthrie put on a bit of a goal-kicking show. Steve Johnson in his 250th game put on a fair old show himself but will be disappointed at the result, the Cats not very efficient in front of goal compared to the more frugal Hawks. It wasn't good news for the VFL side either, again copping a big loss this week to Hawthorn affiliate Box Hill.

Making the finals is no certainty from here on, the Cats needing to win each game a win well, with their chief rival the Adelaide Crows giving the Bombers an absolute belting on Saturday precipitating the resignation of Essendon James Hird today. Should the Crows drop a home game against second-placed West Coast the equation is skewed more in the Cats' favour.

Next up is St Kilda on Saturday night in an away fixture at Etihad Stadium. Just don't expect to see Dan Menzel, coach Chris Scott making it clear he is not going to be rushed back. We do agree with Scott's assessment, not so much for fear of any recurrence of a knee injury but after years out of the game he'll need a while to get back up to the pace of the game.

HAWTHORN: 7.2, 9.4, 15.7, 19.7 (121) DEFEATED
GEELONG: 3.2, 6.7, 10.8, 12.13 (85)

GOALS
HAWTHORN: Rioli 6, Hodge 4, Breust 3, Roughead 2, Shiels, Gunston, Smith, Puopolo
GEELONG: Guthrie 3, Hawkins 2, Johnson 2, Selwood, Lang, Cockatoo, Lang, Walker

BEST
HAWTHORN: Rioli, Hodge, Mitchell, Shiels, Breust, Birchall, McEvoy, Puopolo
GEELONG: Guthrie, Selwood, Enright, Johnson, Hawkins, Lang

INJURIES
HAWTHORN: Nil reported
GEELONG: Tom Lonergan (illness) replaced in selected side by Jared Rivers, James Kelly (ankle)

SUBSTITUTES
HAWTHORN: Daniel Howe who replaced David Hale in the fourth quarter
GEELONG: Nakia Cockatoo who replaced James Kelly (ankle) in the third quarter

CHANGES
HAWTHORN: NIL
GEELONG: Andrew Mackie (quad tightness) replaced in the selected side by Billie Smedts.

UMPIRES

Rosebury, Hosking, Meredith

TIP: Cats by 17 points

CROWD: 55,802 at Melbourne Cricket Ground

VFL