Hawks defeat Cats in AFL finals opener

Wow can you read the future? Why is it so many ppl including professional commentators think it adds any value predicting the future. Ok I may be unfairly having a dig at you. But no one cares or even remembers ppls predictions. Are we even going to bother referring to an archive of this transcript in a years time? Even if you are right on this occasion how many times will you make the wrong prediction? Of course the new players arent as good as the legends they are replacing. We are talking about collectively the greatest players this club has ever produced. You think hawthorn replaced their legends of the 80's? They nearly folded 10 years on. brisbane triple premiership heroes? Carlton still havent found another sos 20 years on. I wonder if you could go into your archives and tell me what you thought of the cats after they got pumelled by the pies in the 2010 prelim? I reckon on all accounts that game was 100 times worse.

Lol

They weren't just sooking, they were playing dirty. Late in Q3 I saw at least 5 cheap shots at us in about 60 seconds. That was when I realized we had the game in the bag- Geelong knew they couldn't beat us by playing footy. I wouldn't mind betting North beat them next week. Especially if they start well. 2nd-half football at Geelong is nonexistent.

Jacques your brain is just tuned into cats free kicks. Its like buying a new red car and then seeing many of the same red car on the road. Selwood will have a brownlow to go with his 3 flags. He will join bartel in the elite category. These guys are legends of the club.

He was awful and cost the cats goals at crucial times. Full credit to the hawks. They played 4 qtrs of footy. However there were so many cats players down on form. The cats forward pressure was woeful. Hawks killed them on the fast break. Cats needed to keep the ball in their forward line which they couldn't.

The idea that Geelong would be a threat was a bit ridiculous. Their run to the finals showed they were scraping along, only just getting over some teams they should and would have pounded a year ago. They have some awesome players who the team rely way to much on and who are aging. They have enough young talent not to bottom out but without a doubt on the way out. Hawks played with them.

Geelong boys who what ever the reason is… seem to get far to many questionable frees in goal scoring range. Its fact otherwise people would not continue to bring it up. Its fact is it.... unfortunately Champion Data stats from early in August show that Geelong had the lowest number of goals from frees of ALL CLUBS. 15 to the Cats was the bottom of the table and 34 to Port was the top..............unless we got 19 in the last 4 or 5 rounds and Port got none I'm not so sure about your fact. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/marc-murphy-joel-selwood-the-afl-umpires-favourites-but-magpies-dockers-in-the-doghouse/story-fni5f22o-1227014258710

Gee Bosk your hammering Geelong everywhere they are mentioned. Gene you have to come out,face the music and stick up for your cats. The way there getting hammered here,they need your support.

Thought Geelong fumbled a huge amount and the hawks were very clean. Two captains were awesome!

It seems that Gene has gone walkabout mate. Probably drowning his sorrows in a bottle of JD while fondling a revolver in one hand and wiping his tears away from a signed photo of the 2007 premiership team in the other. :)

Gene, where are you? Gene? Gene? Are you still relaxed? Are you still confident that Chris Scott achieved his goal for the team a couple of weeks ago? Do you still believe you are a premiership chance? For what it's worth, I believe you are a chance. Just a very small one. The length of your comments will probably reflect the chance the Cats have of winning the flag... See you next year, even if it is in short-hand.

Hey Maf you know I agree with you the free kick awarded to Ruff was a joke...however don't compare ruff to most of the Geelong boys who what ever the reason is... seem to get far to many questionable frees in goal scoring range. Its fact otherwise people would not continue to bring it up. Its like Pendulbary or Swan why don't people accuse them of anything...because they don't dive or whinge, or flail their arms or sook like the Geelong boys and Goodes.

How the hell do the players lose respect with "every contentious decision"? Are they umpiring the game themselves? Selwood had as much of the footy as anyone and he gets his own ball so when you put your head over it like he does if the player tackling him fails to get low he is going to give away a free kick - can't lose respect for a bloke that constantly sticks his head over the ball. I cannot believe the comments on this site that constantly bag Geelong and the free kicks they get I have no doubt the Hawkins one was a terrible decision and shouldn't have been paid but dis him for dropping the mark not for getting the free kick. Does any one want to mention the free kick to Roughead right in front when Rivers had eyes only for the ball - big bloke like Roughead shouldn't get pushed over that easily should he - does he lose respect for decisions like that? Umpires make mistakes just like players - deal with it but don't try and tell me the players lose respect because of it. And another thing - it's Bartel - not Bartels..................

Any thoughts that the Cats could still be a consistent force against the Game's elite teams were dispelled last night. They have a wealth of experience, a Club structure envied by many and genuine superstars but those superstars have aged and the youth coming through, whilst highly skilled, are not the equal of those they replace. Geelong will experience more of a genteel slide into middle tier than a bottoming out but, unless they strike gold at the drafting table, will be position 6 - 10 in season 2015, with fourth this year the best they can aim for.

I would adore watching hit happen and poor Gene would probably off himself as a result, but the Handbaggers have so much more finals experience than Norf I just can't see it playing out. At Etihad maybe, but at the MCG it'll be a huge ask.

I still reckon the AFL $wans are the team to beat, they've had such a cushy run this year pretty much everything that could have gone their way has. They can go around throwing elbows and hip & shoulders knowing the MRP will look the other way which is a huge advantage, wouldn't surprise me at all to see Goodes go all Barry Hall on someone knowing he's a protected species. I'll be barracking hard for the Dockers today but I don't think they have enough firepower to get the job done.

You're still the master of staging and soccer slide tackles Goodsey! So do you plan to point out any 13 year olds to security this week mate? Maybe do it when the opposition gets a run on to halt their momentum!

If the Bloods win today, which they should, this would be my Flag tote 50% Bloods 45% Hawks 5% Freo If Freo, miraculously wins, this would be my tote 55% Hawks 30% Bloods 15% Freo- Still think they are long shots to win the Flag, without Johnson, and a crocked McPharlin

I have a feeling Geelong may go out in straight sets. No stevie j, hawkins may cop something. Makes an interesting game next week.

It's like they're a protected species, so many soft frees. Selwood, Hawkins, Bartels. They lose a bit of respect with every contentious decision