Thanks Hawthorn and Geelong

[kickazz]

The last quarter was great but it was like every single player on the ground was so terrified of losing that they just couldn't perform basic actions. So many terrible handballs, fumbles, mis-kicks, missed easy set shots etc. It was crazy.

Do not underestimate the fatigue factor here. Been said before, but had Varcoe levelled it at the end, wow, extra time would have destroyed them!


That is what finals is about in a nutshell for me:

YOU WILL be under a lot of pressure.
YOU WILL be buggered by the end of it.
YOU WILL make mistakes.

WILL YOU have what it takes to front up for the next contest, and the next, and fight the game out?


It was a cracker of a game no doubt. I think some people are being a little harsh on the quality of the first half, I thought there were some interesting tactics to observe.

Hawthorn concentrated on hitting up th 40m out target as I suggested they needed to. I'm not one for dwelling on goals v behinds as it can be misleading - defences can force wide / rushed shots; but the Hawks did miss some sitters. The Geelong defence was stretched early, no good match up for Hale.

What I liked about Geelong's forward entries was that they had guys at the ground to support the contest. If Geelong didn't get the mark it didn't rebound out easily as has been the case often this year. Probably could have done with one or two more marks there, but at least the contests were good.

Geelong competed well in the contested footy as well. You have to against Hawthorn, they are too hard to get the ball off if you don't. Perhaps Chris Scott missed a trick by not playing someone defensively on Sam Mitchell though. He rarely wastes it.

But it was a real finals type game. As they have often this year, Geelong just ran out of legs in the end and had trouble creating options. I liked that the youngsters seemed to handle the occasion well - will hold them in good stead in coming years.

Good win by the Hawks, this game may have taken a bit out of them physically but I recon that iss more than made up for mentally with an overdue win over the Cats.

 

[Desi Van_83]

Just listened to Chris Scott on SEN. Don't usually rate his carrying on about this, that, and the other. But credit where its due. He's a pragmatic bloke and spoke very well in spite of what would have been a bitterly disappointing loss. One of the better coaches going around IMO.

 

[Flukey!]

That game just gave Fremantle the Premiership.

Really? Based on what?
Freo play a day later than Hawthorn and have to travel.
I think the GF is far from decided.

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

Great game .Means the GF will be a fizzer.

 

[La Vache]

The crowd at the end there. Never seen anything like it. I just sat there in shock really and absorbed the pandemonium.

People hugging, crying, falling over seats, tumbling down the isles, just shouting at nothing or everything.

Tortured souls everywhere you looked, letting it all out.

 

[JackFlash]

Really? Based on what?
Freo play a day later than Hawthorn and have to travel.
I think the GF is far from decided.

Based on my belief Hawthorn are overrated and Fremantle will benefit from an easier game, they have the game plan to nullify Hawthorn's big guns and the fact that the Hawks barely got over the line against a weakened, battle weary Geelong side who simply ran out of legs in the finish. (You gotta love that week off) Geelong had their chance and blew it.
Fremantle by about 30 points

 

[Kummerspeck]

Any chance of you showing some grace in defeat you spud?

Holy shit you have to be kidding me.

 

[ThatsjustDappa]

Based on my belief Hawthorn are overrated and Fremantle will benefit from an easier game, they have the game plan to nullify Hawthorn's big guns and the fact that the Hawks barely got over the line against a weakened, battle weary Geelong side who simply ran out of legs in the finish. (You gotta love that week off) Geelong had their chance and blew it.
Fremantle by about 30 points

Yeah....nah, 2007 Collingwood gave it to Geelong right to the end and the next week Geelong scored a record win in a Grand Final. Anything can happen in a week....

 

[bigfarter]

Was a great game. I really thought we had it in the last quarter. Didn't even get upset that we lost, was just stunned. Thankfully had some really good Hawthorn supporters beside me who were incredibly gracious when it looked like they'd lose and then again when they won. It's great to go to the footy and be reminded that many fans aren't like the petulant trolls who patrol these boards daily.

Well done, Hawks. I hope you smash Freo next week. Or lose to Sydney! See you all again in Round 1 for another heart attack.

 

[The Casey Cat]

Bloody good game. Disappointed to lose but not shattered. Hawks had so much more of the play and are just in better nick at the moment.

One thing I will say about the Hawks they MUST convert better next week. Poor conversion has nearly cost you two prelims and probably one GF. Don't mean to sound like a troll or bitter but do that again next week and Freo WILL beat you and that would be a shame given you've done everything else so well.

 

[Jaeger]

Bloody good game. Disappointed to lose but not shattered. Hawks had so much more of the play and are just in better nick at the moment.

One thing I will say about the Hawks they MUST convert better next week. Poor conversion has nearly cost you two prelims and probably one GF. Don't mean to sound like a troll or bitter but do that again next week and Freo WILL beat you and that would be a shame given you've done everything else so well.

You're 100% right. Our goal kicking is still a massive concern and it almost cost us again.

Freo & Sydney are usually very accurate.

Can it be fixed though? It's mostly between the ears.

 

[The Casey Cat]

You're 100% right. Our goal kicking is still a massive concern and it almost cost us again.

Freo & Sydney are usually very accurate.

Can it be fixed though? It's mostly between the ears.

Usually a game by game thing. Geelong's conversion was woeful 3 weeks in a row then pretty good last night. One way or another the trend must change next week for the Hawks. Kicks more behinds than goals again and you will give a very good opponent a very big opportunity.

 

[blackhead&boil]

it's between the ears for bruest at the moment. you can see how tense he is lining up, so full of self doubt. don't know if he's spotted the pattern, but he keeps missing to the left, so perhaps he could line up aiming a little more towards the right. just a suggestion. then again, perhaps he could just drop the ball a little more to his right and follow through straighter...

 

[Roddy]

Bloody good game. Disappointed to lose but not shattered. Hawks had so much more of the play and are just in better nick at the moment.

One thing I will say about the Hawks they MUST convert better next week. Poor conversion has nearly cost you two prelims and probably one GF. Don't mean to sound like a troll or bitter but do that again next week and Freo WILL beat you and that would be a shame given you've done everything else so well.

That ain't no troll mate, that's just statement of fact.

 

[MinerBoy]

Bloody good game. Disappointed to lose but not shattered. Hawks had so much more of the play and are just in better nick at the moment.

One thing I will say about the Hawks they MUST convert better next week. Poor conversion has nearly cost you two prelims and probably one GF. Don't mean to sound like a troll or bitter but do that again next week and Freo WILL beat you and that would be a shame given you've done everything else so well.

Ignore tha fact we may not even play Freo, but...... The thing with Freo is if they keep the game a tight dour affair we'll always be in it, no matter how many misses we have. Unless they really put scoreboard pressure on us as well then we will never be far from this match and what we can do, even when kicking badly, is put on a burst that just finishes the game.

 

[hk89]

Based on my belief Hawthorn are overrated

Doesn't say much for the rest of the competition given we've been minor premiers two years in a row now, and just made our second GF in a row.

and Fremantle will benefit from an easier game

Sydney may be wounded and out of form, but I don't see how anyone can say they dish up "easier games" in terms of physicality.

they have the game plan to nullify Hawthorn's big guns

Rioli, Franklin and Roughead did very well at nullifying themselves last night. Doubt those 3 will play that poorly two weeks in a row (and normally I'd give credit for the Geelong defenders as they've been great on all 3 in the past, but I really think last night those 3 had genuine howlers independent of their opponents).

and the fact that the Hawks barely got over the line against a weakened, battle weary Geelong side who simply ran out of legs in the finish.

You were well beaten in most aspects of the game, yes bad kicking is bad football etc etc, but that doesn't take away from the fact that our deplorable set shots kept you in it the whole game. Also, these were not on-the-run shots by a player under pressure from an opponent, or shots from out on the boundary because of being forced wide by good defence. 35-40 metres out, nearly right in front, miss after miss. Geelong's play doesn't get credit for that.

Geelong had their chance and blew it.

They did, but in the end, they were simply not good enough, and the stats backed that up.

Fremantle by about 30 points

Fremantle are in great form, and next week will not be easy if they make it. Sydney seem shot, but if they can beat Freo in Perth, who knows what is possible for them...

 

[awaremind]

Nah, have the feeling they'll win in a canter next week. This was the monkey they needed to get off their back.

You suck!

 

[frednirk]

Hawks should have won by 10 goals.

Didn't kick accurately.
Geelong were so lucky to be so near.

 

[Lunchlady Doris]

What a team Geelong is ...

After all these years I am going to fess up ...

Just too ruddy good ... Finally with armour efforts this season and a bit of luck we manages to just pip them ... What a team... Absolutely massive respect and for all the close games are my second favourite team ...

Go the Hawks win it for the honour now...

Wow. That's big.


Always knew anyway it H2F

 

[Skerret]

Just listened to Chris Scott on SEN. Don't usually rate his carrying on about this, that, and the other. But credit where its due. He's a pragmatic bloke and spoke very well in spite of what would have been a bitterly disappointing loss. One of the better coaches going around IMO.

When you say carrying on, you mean in the box? Because outside of it, he's as you describe (pragmatic, well spoken) every single week. Watch his pressers throughout the year; he gives more than most coaches and is respectful of almost every question (bar the really dumb ones) asked of him. He is indeed one of the better coaches going around and arguably the best presented; I would not want anyone else coaching Geelong.

 

[Desi Van_83]

When you say carrying on, you mean in the box? Because outside of it, he's as you describe (pragmatic, well spoken) every single week. Watch his pressers throughout the year; he gives more than most coaches and is respectful of almost every question (bar the really dumb ones) asked of him. He is indeed one of the better coaches going around and arguably the best presented; I would not want anyone else coaching Geelong.

Yeah in the box. He carries on like a goose. But he's got a lot to say about a lot of things, like his brother. Some wouldst say they whinge. Like I said though, a good coach.

 

[Desi Van_83]

When you say carrying on, you mean in the box? Because outside of it, he's as you describe (pragmatic, well spoken) every single week. Watch his pressers throughout the year; he gives more than most coaches and is respectful of almost every question (bar the really dumb ones) asked of him. He is indeed one of the better coaches going around and arguably the best presented; I would not want anyone else coaching Geelong.

Yeah in the box. He carries on like a goose. But he's got a lot to say about a lot of things, like his brother. Some wouldst say they whinge. Like I said though, a good coach.

 

[Mr Smiff]

Jesus christ.
Was that not one of the greatest finishes to a 5 year long saga?
Greatest sport on the planet.

I'd say, that the game in July, this year, was far better. It was one of the best I have seen and it was close, all night, for all 4 quarters.

 

[OneEyedHawk]

The crowd at the end there. Never seen anything like it. I just sat there in shock really and absorbed the pandemonium.

People hugging, crying, falling over seats, tumbling down the isles, just shouting at nothing or everything.

Tortured souls everywhere you looked, letting it all out.

This. I still can't believe the raw emotion and passion that was on display at the end. I think it'll be Wednesday-ish before i'm able to speak properly again, and have never hugged (and kissed) so many strangers in my life.

As with every single Hawks/Cats game in the past 5 years, i walked out thinking it's lucky that Geelong supporters (in real life) are on the whole a pretty good mob. Given the incredibly close finishes and emotional intensity of these games, I'd often think it was lucky we weren't playing Collingwood or Richmond or things could quite possibly get really ugly and spill over into some 'unpleasantness'. But the Cats fans at these games seem a really magnanimous lot, and always seem to celebrate with a degree of humility that you wouldn't see with some of the abovementioned clubs. This is the polar opposite of how I experience Cats fans on BF, where I genuinely find the majority of their supporters to be a very average bunch, but in real-life at the G they have been (and were again last night) great.