Review Geelong defeat Hawks "when it matters" by 6 goals to make another Grand Final

[Reg Hickey]

Reality is that they've got a few players who have become known for trying to milk frees and sucking the umpire in. So the benefit of the doubt probably goes against them.

I do remember one where Ginnivan probably was legitimately caught high, but he's done so much ducking and diving in the past that you can't blame the umps letting it go.

How many high free kicks did Moore get last night?

I'm not saying they weren't there, but I am saying he dropped his knees every time a Cat came near him. If you're going to play like that then I think the umpires should be well within their rights to stop rewarding it.

 

[allrighty]

Code Sports player write ups from tonight's match

O'Sullivan - 5
Big moment early getting Newcombe holding the ball, but Mitch Lewis got the better of him at times.

SDK - 7
Started well with eight disposals and five contested possessions in the first term, standing tall with Jack Henry off. Defended strongly from thereon.

Henry - 4
Looked like he’d been shot by a sniper on level three when he collapsed to the ground with an ankle injury. Showed serious guts coming back on and playing out the game, however he had the turning circle of a truck at times on Jack Gunston and was well beaten.

O'Connor - 8
Turned Josh Weddle into Joe Webble – as he is affectionately called by Massimo D’Ambrosio’s nonno. Restricted him to two touches in their 44 minutes matched up in the first half.

Stewart - 4
Was Geelong’s best player in the one-sided first quarter before he was dumped in a tackle and concussed. Grand final heartbreak for the vice-captain who bleeds Geelong.

Guthrie - 7
With Stewart off, Guthrie stepped up to the plate with 10 disposals and four intercepts in the second quarter alone.

Bowes - 5
Doesn’t stand out on the stats sheet, but plays an important role. Had a couple of deft kicks inside 50 to find

Holmes - 8
Had broken down in two preliminary finals in 2022 and 2024. And after he was unsighted in the first quarter with two touches, he responded strongly. Like last week, he shone in the premiership quarter with nine disposals and a goal.

Dempsey - 5.5
Didn’t get a heap of the ball, but more than half of his disposals led to scores – none better than his goal assist handball over his head.

Stengle - 7.5
Stengle did his best Nick Watson impression as he put a spell on the Hawks defence either side of halftime, slotting two lovely snaps and proved untackleable. Belted one neatly into the bottom corner to seal the game late in the piece.

Mannagh - 7
The matchwinner the last time these two sides played, Mannagh couldn’t hit the side of a barn door early until he blew out the cobwebs with a coolly taken set shot from range. Made up for those early blemishes with a staggering goal from the boundary.

Close - 6
It’s never about the stat sheet for the relentless runner. Missed a gettable snap on the stroke of quarter time but had some key touches.

Neale - 4
His goal song is ‘Tequila’ because his mum takes a shot of the liquor each time he goals. She has been stone-cold sober in his two preliminary finals, with one Neale goal in those two games. But his presence in the air was important on Friday night. Took a great pack marks – his first touch of the footy – but Patrick Dangerfield got the free kick instead.

Jezza - 7.5
After having the better of Josh Battle in their last match-up, Cameron struggled early until a contested mark and long launch in the second term kicked him into gear. Two big goals in the third quarter.

Dangerfield - 10
This was prime Danger, sending the Hawks up Moggs Creek without a paddle. Back in the midfield, Dangerfield wound back the clock winning crucial clearances, kicking important goals – the first when the Cats were lifeless – and flying for everything in the air. Contracted until the end of 2026, you wouldn’t blame the Cats for adding another year or two to his deal based on this unforgettable display.

Blicavs - 8
The glue that holds this side together. Worked Lloyd Meek around the ground and fought hard at the contest. May be needed in defence next week, and you know he’ll do whatever is required.

Smith - 9
Dominated the headlines in the lead-up after an expletive-laden tirade to a News Corp photographer, and Hawthorn fans gave him similar verbal treatment when he got the ball in space. They were left hoarse by the end as he amassed possessions at will, icing the win with a ripper on the run.

Atkins - 9
Celebrated his 30th birthday this week in style, blanketing finals specialist Jai Newcombe while having a huge impact himself. Football’s octopus: he always has ten-tackles.

Humphries - 4
Was subdued but a big holding the ball tackle had the crowd roaring in the third term.

Martin - 4
Was MIA in the first half, his first disposal a behind in the second quarter. But he was in the right spot at the right time after a freakish snap pass from Dangerfield in the third term.

Clark - 6
Consigned to the subs vest and the fringes, this promising showing can kickstart Clark’s rise. Plenty of effort as always and a brilliant handball to set up Mannagh’s stunner showed why he was touted so highly as a junior.

Miers - 8
Conor Nash knocked him out cold last time the two sides played. This time he was clinical, hardly missing a target after his early rushed shot at goal. Summed up his class with a sell of candy and finish in the last that put the nail in the coffin.

Mullin - 8.5
Most expected Mullin to go to Newcombe. Instead, he put the invisibility cloak on the Wizard. Nick Watson’s only effective disposal in the first half was his blinder of a goal. In the end, Watson was sent into defence, a true sign he had been Mulli-fied.

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Stengle doing a Wizard? Spare me.

 

[Reppie]

Gonna be a fun week Go Cats.

 

[No Quarter]

Watching replay.

4mins to go before HT.. Ollie Dempsey with the blind handball over his head to Stengle goal.

 

[Mr Meow]

Only the Western Bulldogs Ed Richards (35) has more goal assists in 2025 than Brad Close's 30.

While it's a shame Close has massive yips kicking for goal lately, his work around the ground and ball use otherwise has been great in this finals series. People aren't talking about it because of those missed shots.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Haven't read the threat as yet, BUT **** YES I LOVE THIS ****ING CLUB AND I TOLD YOU WE HAD THEM COVERED!!
My daughter and I were surrounded by great, passionate Cats fans and next to a bay of feral hawks, couldn't have scripted the game better in the end.
Dangers game was goated, as good a final as you'll see, absolutely brutal and brilliant.
I thought, and those around me all thought the same, that Clark had multiple VERY important moments, especially during the third when we really put the foot down. Took some big hits, kept his head over the ball and contested very well. His high gather and hands to Mannagh who goaled was awesome, and I feel he took a MASSIVE step toward fulfilling his promise and potential, 1 poor turnover aside.
Stewart out is brutal and I hate it, BUT silver lining is we cover it pretty well, Stanley in, Blicavs and SDK more back and we use Zuthrie or Henry as that floating interceptor.
I have zero worries about our list or our form or our system. This time yesterday I felt we had 1 foot in the GF, right now I feel we have 1 hand on the Cup.

I never forget 2008. It's not over till its over but Go Cats!

 

[Reg Hickey]

Trying to enjoy the moment and rejoice in the fact we follow a great club.

Hard not to cast an eye to next week and wonder about the giant hole left with Stewart being out. Henry will surely be sore and go into next week less than 100%. A lot of pressure suddenly on SDK and COS.

In - Stanley
Out - Stewart
Blicavs to resume roaming duties and go down back if needed.

Cats V Pies I reckon

I was saying Stanley for Stewart last night too.

But after sleeping on it, it occurs to me that both the Lions and the Pies play pretty short forward lines. Hipwood out for the Lions means they have Morris and Gallup as tall forwards, while McStay being left out for the Pies leaves Mihocek and maybe Mason Cox up forward for them. I think both of those sides rely much more on their small-medium forwards, which could mean that replacing Stewart with Stanley makes us a little tall.

At the end of the day I think Stanley will probably be the option taken, but I would gives Bews a lot of consideration to do a job on Schultz / Hill / Elliott / Cameron / Lohmann / Bailey / Ah Chee.

 

[giggler99]

Awesome atmosphere last night by all Cats fans,
Patrick farrking Dangerfield tore Hawthorn a new one. was everywhere and everything last night.
Pity Tommy Stewart will miss the Grand Final he'll be a big lose

 

[Footy Smarts]

Hands up - who else said "we're f***ed" when we were down 21-1, fumbling all over the place, with Stewart and Henry injured?

Never in doubt!

I was getting flash backs to the 2016-17 prelims. They were good but we were beating ourselves. It says a bit that we can have 20-30 minutes of horror football, lose one of our best players and still give a decent team a pretty solid thumping in the end.

This team might be a fair bit better than I thought a month or two ago.

 

[Finknottle]

Just home from the G.
We had a great night.
Thank you Geelong.

I was there too. Incredible game and atmosphere. A lot of long faces on the train back to Hawthorn. I had to curb my enthusiasm.

 

[GlenMiddlemissed]

How would Worpel compare to Isaac Smith?

Isaac added a tall, fast wingman who could reliably kick the ball 60m into our fwd line, and sneak in for a goal or two. Worpel is slow and a poor kick who adds nothing we don't already have or can develop better.

 

[BotsMaster]

Clark >>> Newcomb.

 

[Strange Cat]

Clark >>> Newcomb.

He played very well last night you can start to see what the club sees in him

 

[Romeoh1]

GEEELONG. GEEELONG


Has the volume of crowd support gone up.

Having watched both finals on TV … I get the feeling our crowd is starting to show the benifit of 20 years of finals participation and a good level of success.

The Geelong chant seemed very strong at times last night. To the point of the post goal sonegs almost being inaudible..

Anyone at the ground conform that

Can confirm - we have made more noise this finals series than I can recall. ( and I’ve been going to watch the cats for a long time)

 

[catters_28]

In the end we won, so it doesn't matter and this is honestly quite petty. But I do have to say this:

It was our home game yes?

So why did the Hawks enter the ground with a grand fireworks entry?

Why, after Hawthorn kicked a goal, was the screens around the ground lit up in Hawks colours with their "make a noise" rubbish or whatever it was?

Pisses me off.

 

[catempire]

Hard selection choice regarding Stewart. Popular choice seems Stanley in and Blicavs into the backline. That seems the best way to put experienced and proven players into the right spots, but I've actually really liked Blicavs returning to star as our primary ruckman in the finals. Plays like an extra midfielder, and his ability to play basically every position means he can do that while rucking. Stanley's had a good year too, though.

It’s true. But having Stanley just gives us so many more options with Blicavs. Actually think he will go back to that tall forward role which was very effective late in the year. They’ll shuffle midfielders back to play Stewart’s role.

 

[Commando]

While it's devastating for Stew to miss,
It's probably a role we can cover structurally against pies/lions

 

[Finknottle]

Isaac added a tall, fast wingman who could reliably kick the ball 60m into our fwd line, and sneak in for a goal or two. Worpel is slow and a poor kick who adds nothing we don't already have or can develop better.

Isaac Smith was a gun, Worpel is nowhere near him.

 

[thecatattack]

How would Worpel compare to Isaac Smith?

Smith will probably be an AFL Hall of Famer, Worpel will play VFL for us.

That's how they compare.

 

[Mr Meow]

I was getting flash backs to the 2016-17 prelims. They were good but we were beating ourselves. It says a bit that we can have 20-30 minutes of horror football, lose one of our best players and still give a decent team a pretty solid thumping in the end.

This team might be a fair bit better than I thought a month or two ago.

Yep, you even had no Stewart like 2016 and then Henry was moving at the same speed as some of our slower veteran KPDs of that era. I was really worried about our depleted defense's ability to repel chaos balls and hit up leads.

Luckily we limited supply and upped our pressure. Then you started to see all the signs that this team are much better suited to finals than those older ones. More agility, run, dare and creativity. Plus a stack of weapons up forward that gives us super scoring ability.

However with only 1 point on the board and everything going wrong it was hard not to get flashbacks of those shocking finals.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Since I know you have been his earliest devotee, I would have told him.
Instead I said - stop celebrating so hard, you'll poke someone's effin eye out.
Haha.

Haha is that what you told him after the game? That's gold

 

[Play it Sam]

If it came from a player, fine.

But from a coach? No. They need to be better than that. And I say that acknowledging that he wasn't talking directly about Stewart, he was talking about the bye.

Appalling bad grace, there are a hundred responses other than the sour and classless I couldn't give a shit. For a confusing moment moment I thought he meant Stewart, as there are no subtitles on the journalist questions.
You have Mc Rae and Co swearing on screen, and this little turd showing a direct lack of empathy in reply. Yet everyone holds the spotlight up to Bailey's immaturity with language.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Smith will probably be an AFL Hall of Famer, Worpel will play VFL for us.

That's how they compare.

Worpel wont be playing vfl for us.

 

[Finknottle]

View attachment 2431363

Their so called stars, Newcombe, Weddle and Watson failed dismally on the big stage. The hype around Newcombe was ridiculous. One good game and they're calling him the second coming. The trouble is the Hawthorn fans believed it.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

The Richmond forum is an absolute disgrace. Openly salivating and revelling in Stewart's injury.