Luke Hodge of Hawthorn flies for a mark during the AFL Round 15 match between the Geelong Cats and the Hawthorn Hawks at the MCG, Melbourne. Slattery Media
For any AFL tragic the Hawthorn and Geelong match was a dream come true. Not only was it a traditional Saturday afternoon fixture between two Victorian teams at the MCG, but this was another classic contest between probably the game’s fiercest modern rivals.
Again the margin was less than a goal, and again the match was befitting a final.
It made me marvel at just how tough and courageous the gladiators of the AFL truly are, fighting to the death inside the colosseum of sport, putting on a spectacle like no other in Australia.
In the heat of battle AFL players must show the most intense and incredible courage and mental toughness. There are numerous acts of fearlessness and personal sacrifice that cause fans, coaches and players to wince with anticipation and sometimes even grave concern.
Campbell Brown is the best example, he only had six possessions but his second efforts are something to behold.
This is what makes our game great.
Nothing could separate the two teams all day, each and every piece of play as important as the last, every contest crucial in the context of the game.
You never really knew what was around the corner, who was going to step up when it mattered most or which team was going to leave the ground with their noses in front.
Both teams though can hold their heads high.
Effort after effort, grind after grind, challenge after challenge, there is no doubt in my mind that AFL football is the most entertaining and gruelling sport in Australia.
The speed of the game and angles of collisions are a true testament to the brutality.
A huge force can come from any direction and flatten you cold. In some instances the players are left helpless and at the mercy of the Gods.
But this is what makes the game so compelling, often a match becomes an intense war of attrition, as well as one of skill and precision.
Name another sport that has such high demands on its athletes in such a physically demanding environment.
In this one, the Cats won the battle by 2 points over the Hawks, but who will win the war this season when it comes to September is still very much the great unknown.
Geelong coach Mark Thompson says his warriors can still improve and with a number of players to return to the line up only a brave man would disagree.
After the match Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson was far from waving the white flag though, instead he said his side is already planning its next attack on the Cats and even said he hoped the two teams would meet again in the finals.
Well Clarko, if recent history is anything to go by, I think we all hope that happens too.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Not sure if you realised but for the past 4 weeks there's been the biggest sporting competition in the world taking place in a time-zone that doesn't co-ordinate well with normal sleep patterns associated with AEST. So, yup, like so many other real Football fans living in Australia, from 10 June to 11 July I tried my best to arrange my life around the South African Time Zone and "nanna naps" are an integral part of the pre-match routine for Aussie Football fans, who are used to living in "The Twilight Zone".
DB
Guest
Do you normally have nanna naps?
Michael Filosi
Roar Guru
Very disappointing to not get coverage of Hawks versus Cats in Adelaide.
Michael Filosi
Roar Guru
Great game, but Hawthorn versus Bulldogs just recently was in my mind the game of the year so far. Unbelievable.
Ian
Guest
As a rabid Hawthorn supporter of 40 + years - for me the sporting event of the weekend was the All Blacks V Spring Boks - deaspite teh scoreline - the game was fast, brutal, clinically executed by the AB's and a real spectacle - and I watchded it after the Hawks and Cats
st penguin
Guest
"In some instances the players are left helpless and at the mercy of the Gods." What about magic spray? Surely the afl uses magic spray? In this day and age we shouldn't be relying on divine intervention to treat injured players.
TheHawk
Guest
We had the same thing in Canberra in Round 10, both Channel 7 & Fox showed Sydney v Essendon, no one showed Hawthorn v Port Adelaide. Despite these games weren't of the same quality as Hawthorn v Geelong it was annoying to not be able to see one game at all
B.C Queenslander
Guest
So you missed all but 5 minutes. That makes you qualified to comment? Go back to the soffcoccer threads.
Aka
Guest
I don't doubt you have seen every game on the planet, otherwise you wouldn't feel qualified to make that call.
AustralianFootball
Guest
Great game. Epic, tough, nerve-racking, intense.
Forgetmenot
Guest
How can they comment, they havent seen the game.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
What exactly did I miss? I knew for sure - 100% certain - that the winning goal would not come until the last quarter (i.e. last 20-25 minutes of the game), so surely there was no point watching prior to then. This morning the winning goal could have come at any stage during the 120 minutes.
Realfootball
Guest
Yeah, except that there's 6 billion other people who don't agree. This is obviously the myopic self congratulation department. Short man's global code complex.
Footy Legend
Roar Rookie
I hope they fix this up in the next TV deal, with live viewings of all games nationally (except maybe delay Friday night footy an hour in Perth so people coming home from work can watch) with a mix of 4 games on FTA and the rest on Fox Sports.
Footy Legend
Roar Rookie
You missed possibly the greatest game of the year
Forgetmenot
Guest
... bit of an understatement.
Forgetmenot
Guest
So basically you are a sheep?
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
I totally disagree. I watched the 1st quarter of Hawthorn v Geelong and then put the alarm to wake up during the final quarter. The final 5 minutes was tense because of the close score, but, even though I'd missed the majority of the match, I don't reckon I actually missed anything? Perhaps, it's just me but, knowing that 6 billion other people - from every race, socio-economic background and religion - were experiencing the same emotions as I during the 120 minutes this morning added to the magnitude of the enjoyment.
Forgetmenot
Guest
Superb
Mega
Guest
And Adelaide missed it. Channel 10 showed the Fox Sports game - Crows V West Coast. Far enough too to televise Crows to Adelaide, but is there a way around this so Fox Sports could have shown the Channel 10 game - Cats V Hawks?