Geelong’s attacking ace Tom Hawkins has kicked 4 targets and produced a game-busting burst in a spirited 19-point away win over Adelaide.
Hawkins slotted three targets in a dozen minutes after the Crows briefly hit the entrance within the third quarter of Geelong’s 14.12 (96) to 11.11 (77) victory at Adelaide Oval on Friday evening.
The 35-year-old’s match-turning feats have been decisive in Geelong banking consecutive wins to open their season.
Adelaide now have two losses forward of a testing journey to Fremantle subsequent weekend.
Hawkins, in his 349th AFL sport, was dominant whereas Tom Stewart (28 disposals, 11 marks) was very good in his a hundred and fiftieth.
Gryan Miers was one other stand-out with three targets and 26 possessions, Jeremy Cameron kicked two targets, skipper Patrick Dangerfield collected 23 disposals towards his former membership and Max Holmes (24 touches) was inventive from halfback.
Adelaide’s Darcy Fogarty, Izak Rankine, Taylor Walker and Chris Burgess kicked two targets apiece.
The sport got here to a standstill briefly within the third quarter when a pitch invader ran onto the sphere and into a gaggle of gamers contesting the ball. Adelaide gamers Matt Crouch and Ben Keays confronted the person earlier than safety took him off the bottom.
Midfielder Matt Crouch gathered a match-high 38 disposals and Rory Laird (29 touches) was additionally busy, however the Crows have been at all times enjoying catch-up after being jumped by Geelong within the opening quarter.
Look again at how the motion unfolded in our dwell weblog.
Key occasions
Last rating
That’ll do us from Friday evening footy
evening for Geelong, and a dream begin to the season for the Cats. One other robust one for Adelaide to take, with a tricky journey to face Freo awaiting the Crows. They’re definitely on discover already early within the yr.
That is it from me for tonight! I will be again with Andrew McGarry tomorrow to steer you thru Saturday footy, so be sure you head again to the weblog then. Till then, have a beautiful evening.
Tom Stewart dominates his a hundred and fiftieth sport
One other shout out for Tom Stewart, who was completely excellent tonight in his milestone sport.
He completed with 11 marks — 10 of these intercepting — 28 disposals, 15 intercept possessions and 7 rating involvements. He marshalled Geelong’s defence superbly and was the impassable brick wall Adelaide bumped into time and time once more.
Seems in fine condition to assert a sixth All Australian this yr. He spoke to Channel Seven after the sport:
“I am actually happy with the boys. We knew we have been most likely towards it over right here. So, so happy with this group and so grateful to the Geelong Soccer Membership to be part of it.
“I am getting a bit emotional now. Like, it is one thing I actually cherish, to have the ability to have a good time with my greatest mates and my children and my spouse and my mum tonight, my sister. I’ll actually get pleasure from this one. They imply a lot to me.”
Tomahawk makes his mark
Subsequent week will likely be Tom Hawkins’s 350th sport, on Easter Monday towards Hawthorn, however the large Cat began celebrating a bit early.
4 targets all up, and three in a vital third-quarter burst, is an enormous evening for the famous person veteran. Jeremy Cameron might have matched his tally if not for a wayward closing time period.
The Crows could not deal with Geelong’s twin towers, who each look in ominous early season type.
FT: Cats full 19-point win to depart Crows reeling at 0-2
Geelong is likely to be again.
Wins over St Kilda and Adelaide away to begin the season is a severe assertion for a membership scarred by a disappointing 2023. The way of their victory tonight — skilled, mature, meticulous — will likely be notably pleasing for Chris Scott and the Cats. They stood as much as one of many league’s highest-scoring groups and utterly shut them down, silencing the group and grinding out the win.
Tom Stewart, in his a hundred and fiftieth sport, was one thing else. Greatest afield by a mile in my books. The Crows’ midfielders had busy nights, however Stewart’s defensive presence and intercepting capability was simply concerning the distinction within the sport.
Issues for Adelaide? The backline was the massive fear coming into the season and people deficiencies have been highlighted tonight. The Cats are going to be robust to interrupt down all yr, however there was a scarcity of run and dare in Adelaide tonight that’s in contrast to them. Loads of time for Matthew Nicks to work issues out, however 0-2 is an uncomfortable spot for the Crows to be in.
Izak Rankine kicks a fairly miraculous objective
Properly that is fairly outrageous. The warmth has very a lot gone out of the sport, however there was nonetheless simply sufficient time for Rankine to fit one from as near the boundary line as is feasible.
A spotlight for Crows followers to go residence with.
Brad Shut provides one other! Share boosters for Geelong
I feel Brad Shut was making an attempt to move that to a number one ahead, but it surely missed everybody by sufficient that it was capable of trickle right through.
The lead is out to 26 factors, and the Cats will really feel that’s consultant of their total management of the sport.
Gryan Miers kicks the sealer! Geelong will win in Adelaide!
With all of the Adelaide numbers pushed up the bottom, it was solely going to take one good break for Geelong to threaten the targets.
Henry, Shut, Stengle and Miers mixed to get it out the again, and that objective shuts the door on Adelaide.
In the meantime, Patrick Dangerfield is on the bench trying slightly involved about his hamstring. One to look at after this one wraps up.
Two minutes to play
I feel Geelong have accomplished sufficient. They have not kicked a objective on this final quarter, however they’ve stored Adelaide to simply two to this point.
Three minutes to play
The Cats are hanging on a bit now, however Adelaide want to seek out three targets in 3:30. Geelong have numbers again, however it may be an Adelaide avalanche to see out this sport.
Fogarty hits the put up! He is missed an open objective! From 10 metres!
Tougher to overlook than kick the objective from there. Darcy Fogarty was out the again, streaming into an open objective. The group was able to erupt.
He shanked it into the put up. How pricey will that be for Adelaide?
Six minutes to play.
Reilly O’Brien targets for Adelaide! One thing from nothing!
It is again to 16 factors! The massive Crows ruck pinched it from Blicavs, threw it on the boot and watched it sail by way of.
The Cats have given Adelaide an opportunity. Are they ok to take it?
Clock is ticking for Adelaide
Extra misses for the Cats, however regardless that they have not killed the sport off they’ve managed to burn loads of clock.
There’s solely eight minutes left to play on this one. Crows want 4 targets.
Cameron misses some probabilities to ice this one
Jeremy Cameron has now kicked three consecutive behinds for Geelong. None of them have been straightforward, however all three have been kickable for a participant of his high quality.
Stengle is the newest to overlook an opportunity. The Cats had been so correct in entrance of objective for 3 quarters, however these misses are retaining the door ajar for the Crows.
Tex Walker strikes! First blood Adelaide!
The Crows needed to be methodical, however they have been nonetheless courageous with their ball use by way of the center of the bottom. The upshot was a one-on-one battle between Walker and the a lot smaller Jack Henry.
After one more rating evaluate, Walker’s objective is confirmed. It is a 19-point sport, 15:57 on the clock.
Last quarter is underway
What do these Crows have left within the tank? An 0-2 begin would elevate some uncomfortable questions for a group anticipated to take the subsequent step this yr.
1 / 4 left to vary the narrative.
3QT: Hawkins leads Cats to 24-point lead over surprised Crows
That was so skilled from Geelong. Ruthless, exact. They stood as much as Adelaide once they have been working at their peak and systematically shut them again down once more.
Tom Hawkins was the beneficiary within the ahead line, however the work was accomplished everywhere in the floor. Patrick Dangerfield lifted in that time period to assist flip the midfield tide, and Tom Stewart is in line for Brownlow votes in his a hundred and fiftieth.
The blueprint is there for Adelaide, they usually’ve come again from this type of place as soon as earlier than on this sport. But it surely’ll take one thing particular from right here, towards a Cats facet that’s trying way more just like the 2022 model than its 2023 cousin.
Tom Stewart simply dropped a automotive
Or no matter it’s you get for mark of the yr today. You have to be holding on to these Tom, for all of our sakes.
Hawkins has 4! Cats on a large cost now!
Geelong have began successful clearances, and — susceptible to repeating myself — the Crows defence is powerless to cease fast Geelong entries.
Dangerfield discovered Dempsey, who hit up Hawkins by hand, who snapped his fourth of the evening and third of the quarter.
Ollie Henry makes it three in a row for Geelong
When Adelaide kicked these two fast ones to begin the quarter, after which Izak Rankine gave them a lead, you questioned if they’d begin to overrun the Cats on this quarter.
Not the case. Geelong have regathered themselves, held their nerve and swung momentum again their means. They usually have crucially taken their probabilities in entrance of objective, establishing one other 18-point lead. Six minutes to play within the third.