This game was titled as the re match of the 1989 grand final and although the umpires did their best to ruin the physicality of the match (the last 30 seconds of the third quarter for example), we saw players play through injury (Harley, Croad, Young, Bateman etc) and with Geelong down by 3 goals at three quarter time it was always hard for them. The last time a team came back from behind after 3/4 time was 24 odd years ago and the Hawks ensured that it wont happen in 2008.
Wrap up of Hawthorn Hawks
Ladson and Mitchell kicked 3 goals between them and for the whole year they did not even kick 10 goals, this was a huge difference with Buddy and Roughead only kicking four between them. Mitchell played like a goose by being clamped by ‘Ranger Ling’ but his physical presence was important, while he will have a few weeks off at the start of next year, the premiership will be worth it!
Clarkson had a good game at coaching unlike Thompson who is in the mold of Craig and other stiff coaches. His mid season move of C Brown to the forward line and Hodge to the backline helped in todays game and through the season.
Hawks built this team from the ground up with high draft picks but also very good smart recruiting of S Dew who was awesome in the 3rd quarter and also Rioli who was needed to provide forward line pressure.
Wrap up of Geelong Cats
Geelongs forward line was non existent with Geelong kicking 3 goals 11 behinds at one stage which at the same time saw the Hawks kick 10 odd goals. You cannot win a game through bad kicking.
Varcoe, Kelly, Johnson, Lonagen, Mooney, Ottens and Stokes were very poor and I would expect a few of them to NOT be on the list at the start of next year. D.Wojcinski missing imo was a very poor decision as they needed his run and spark.
Essendon of 1999 to 2001 won 50 odd out of 56 games but only one premiership. Geelong have won 40 odd out of 45 or so and again have only won ONE premiership. Thompson was hailed as a great coach but in looking at the game, what moves did he do to shake up Hawthorns game plan? He did not isolate Ottens, Johnson or even Ablett at full forward to provide a spark.
imo the umpiring was CRAP. The decision to give Geelong a free kick at goal at the end of the 3rd quarter was rubbish (but it gave the game some interest) and some of the other ’soft’ free kicks was bumuzing as it did not allow the game to flow freely.
Overall the game was good, especially the 2nd and 3rd quarter which saw some great clashes.
Congratulations Hawthorn and Luke Hodge for the Norm Smith. (which Kick2Kick perdicted)
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September 30th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
No doubting your comments re bad kicking. I thought the Cats had the edge in the first half. The turning point IMO was Rioli’s defensive tackles on the Members’ wing in the third quarter. I thought Hawthorn looked galvanised by his intensity and poise. The Cats didn’t look like winning from that point on.
Given his job on Ablett and effectiveness himself, I was surprised Bateman didn’t figure in Norm Smith voting at all.
Much musing on the GF over at auusierulesblog!
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October 2nd, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Yeah even though G Ablett and S Johnson got about 70 possessions between themselves I thought they were both soundly ineffective in the game.
Will go over and read your posts (prob wont be until sat as im extremely busy this week). and thanks for your continual support and comments hear
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