Autopsy 2025 Preliminary Final: Hawks get rolled

[Sizzlesilk]

He’s a bit of a vanilla player. Doubt we’re losing much.

Thought you said this wasnt a thread to pi55 on our own?

 

[Tony Barber]

Can you handle losing one though? Its worse than losing a prelim. Im still scarred about 2012.

I'm ok with being beaten.

 

[DearJai]

A lot of folks commenting without recognizing we'd just played two interstate finals on the trot, and were on a quick turnaround the whole way through.

You can't entirely judge our players on a game where they went in without much in the tank.

We were all over them, until the run stopped before half time. If it had been week 1, it's a different match.

Geelong are a great team of disciplined scrappers, with some cream in there (albeit fading cream).

Reverse the roles, and we would have thumped them by a lot more than 30.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

We have no midfield leg speed for those CBAs where it spills out. Need some explosive athletes or at least guys who can anticipate or hold off. Felt like every time it spilled out there were 3 cats and one hawk

Need guys with speed but also a bit of size to burst through the tackles.

I can't remember a game where we were so badly beaten in the centre bounce clearances, it was a total annihilation.

 

[QuietB]

20-5 centre clearances is dire.

Dropped marks are also dire.

Cats too good. I thought the Hawks defence actually help up ok - cats did not get too many cheap goals over the back. Weight of numbers on clearances and inside 50’s for the cats were too much.

We know the weakness - fix it.

 

[Cursed Cat]

Don't wanna come across as patrionising, but great season from the Hawks minus Will Day & Calsher Dear for large chunks

 

[Franko Armani]

He plays in a position we are over stocked in, I reckon even scrimshaw is one extra of that type of player we seem to get away with playing but we got killed on the ground in forward 50 tonight, need another Hardwick or two. Not 5 Sicily, battle, scrimshaw, serong even barrass type interceptors that are useless when the ball is on the ground.

And Amon is the worst of them all when having to defend, especially when it’s on the ground. May as well be your Grandma giving you welcoming hug and a biscuit.

 

[grumbleguts]

Not my intent to troll. But that was an an insane game tonight. You guys were incredible. Look forward to future games

I don't.

Until Dangerfield is umpired like the rest of the league, I don't want to see the cotton on franchise farmland flogs ever again.

 

[passionate81]

I’ll take Merrett or Petracca or both… but given the choice a beast like Petracca would be far more valuable

We also need a quality accumulator. Someone that can run around all night and rack up 30 disposals each week.

 

[SSSSSS]

Sicily played his worst half since his injury which was unfortunate.

Looked like he had trouble with his shoulder but his hand balling and kicking were poor.

 

[Franko Armani]

C

20-5 centre clearances is dire.

Dropped marks are also dire.

Cats too good. I thought the Hawks defence actually help up ok - cats did not get too many cheap goals over the back. Weight of numbers on clearances and inside 50’s for the cats were too much.

Weight know the weakness - fix it.

Crapped ourselves too often when easy marks were there for the taking.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

We also need a quality accumulator. Someone that can run around all night and rack up 30 disposals each week.

Prime Tom Mitchell would have been very handy tonight.

 

[Yardie]

Absolutely nothing in it.

Chol didn’t drive him into the ground, Stewart was already moving forward.

His arm was just caught under the tackle in the wrong place.

 

[Lotus]

Still on the train home from the prelim… absolutely gutted with the result. We started strong, loved that first quarter, but it just wasn’t our day. Disappointed with some of the umpiring, but credit to the boys for the fight and grit all season. I honestly believe we're a chance to catch them .

From a semi-final last year to a prelim this year… we’re getting closer. Let’s hope it’s a premiership next year.

And yeah, call me a sore loser, but I can’t lie, I won’t be at peace if Geelong wins the flag

 

[DearJai]

We have no midfield leg speed for those CBAs where it spills out. Need some explosive athletes or at least guys who can anticipate or hold off. Felt like every time it spilled out there were 3 cats and one hawk

Nobody runs ahead of the ball more and harder than Geelong. It's in their DNA.

The difference in this game was, we were out on our feet before half time.

We have midfield leg speed. It's Ward, Butler and Mackenzie when he comes good. Wiz when he's in there too.

Just couldn't contend with the finals travel three weeks in a row, after that first game we won at Engie in particular.

Still were in ten points of them halfway through the 3rd.

Don't underestimate the benefit of fresh legs against a team that's done it hard on the road in the first two weeks of finals. Newcombe, Worpel and Ward were well down in this game.

 

[hr_23]

Come again? Worpel was what??

Second best for Geelong.. after the Umps

 

[Franko Armani]

Don't wanna come across as patrionising, but great season from the Hawks minus Will Day & Calsher Dear for large chunks

Nah thanks mate. Begrudgingly massive respect for you guys. Unbelievable football club, had us completely covered tonight. Had a plan and executed with precision.

We keep waiting for the Cats to fall off the cliff but ……… perennial contenders. Well done.

 

[Dont_be_a_Plonka]

Too many passengers and our midfield totally outclassed. I wish I could be proud right now but at the moment just bitterly disappointed, I'm so sick of losing to Geelong and having Dangerfield ream us once again.

Also can we finally put to bed "We beat them when it counts?". It's pure copium to gloss over the wood they've had over us over the years. We seriously need a line in the sand against this mob.

1989 and 2008
We beat them when it really counts

 

[onthemoney]

Disappointed for the loss, proud of the season. Dangerfield does get umpired by a different set of rules, but he also has the ability to turn the momentum of a game on its head he's that good. Will be interesting to see what Sammy and the support staff do this trade period as the murmurings of his arrogance won't go away if he thinks we can go again with the list as.

He sounded pretty headstrong about improving the list in the post game press conference.

The arrogance jibes around selection this year might be warranted but not sure that extends to the off season, where we have been aggressive.

I think the ‘play it safe’ selection this year can largely be attributed to where we were at ladder wise for the bulk of the season. Shows the importance of needing to get early wins on the board to allow for some more experimental selection

 

[seysearles]

I'm ok with being beaten.

Me too ... with you being beaten. Us getting beaten kind of sucked though.

 

[Bedi]

Can you handle losing one though? Its worse than losing a prelim. Im still scarred about 2012.

Just a tad. I've already moved on from tonight, but will forever be traumatised from 1984, 2012 etc.

 

[edster]

Great career move for Worpel next year as he won’t get called so many HTB because he is so indecisive… that’s if he can get a game in Cats senior side…

 

[seysearles]

 

[bigmaxi]

Geez the quality of questions at Sam's presser, ssshhheeshh who are these people!!! Numbnuts the lot of them.

 

[BigMick2]

At the ground the momentum swing half through the 2nd after the free against Gunston changed the whole complexion of the game , we then just couldn’t turn it around .

Battled it out , pity Danger got a hold of us ( a tough watch) ….

Bring on 2026 !