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AFL 2016 ROUND 1 EASTER MONDAY: GEELONG
V HAWTHORN MATCH PREVIEW & FINAL TEAMS 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. As expected Lachie Henderson, Zac Smith and a bloke named Patrick Dangerfield will make their Geelong debuts. As with round one last year a big decision was who to go with in the ruck. Besides Mitch Clark all rucks were fit, with Rhys Stanley and Zac Smith set to take centre-square duties. Nathan Vardy lost out to Shane Kersten for the final tall forward position, his chances hurt by the presence of Stanley and Smith; the Cats not needing another ruck option. Along with Vardy the others to miss out were Josh Cowan and Daniel Menzel. Kersten and 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. Smith has been named in the ruck with Rhys Stanley at centre half forward and Nathan Vardy on the bench- with three to be omitted. Also on the bench is Jake Kolodjashnij who may miss out on a key defender role to Lachie Henderson. Shane Kersten is another on the bench set to miss with plenty of tall timber in the squad already, and having not necessarily taken advantage of his opportunities last season to replicate his VFL form in front of goal. Twenty-five man squads were announced Thursday night with the three emergencies not having to be named until Saturday. For the Hawks Kaiden Brand and Blake Hardwick were named in the initial squad to play their first AFL games, but were named emergencies today. Brand has spent the last three seasons on the Hawks' list but having a wretched run with injury while Hardwick is a 19 year old after last November. 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. 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.
UMPIRES TBC TIP: Cats by 12 points
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AFL 2016 ROUND 1 GEELONG CATS V HAWTHORN HAWKS EASTER MONDAY 28 MARCH 2016 15:20 AEST MCG
GREAT FOOTY WEBSITE - FOOTYALMANAC.COM.AU Melbourne Seven / Fox Footy (LIVE
- 15:00) AFL RADIO COVERAGE (LOCAL TIMES) Melbourne
KROCK,
MMM, 3AW, SEN, ABC |
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Updated 23/3/2016 Mitch Clark Calf TBC * On long term injury list |
HAWKS INJURY LIST Updated 23/3/2016 Grant Birchall Ankle Available |
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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
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 GOALS BEST INJURIES SUBSTITUTES CHANGES UMPIRES Rosebury, Hosking, Meredith TIP: Cats by 17 points CROWD: 55,802 at Melbourne Cricket Ground
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