Opinion
Game 2 of Round 2 is not as I predicted (based on the original fixture), which was Geelong versus Gold Coast, but instead Geelong versus Hawthorn.
These two teams have turned on some classic matches in the 166 times they have met, with Geelong having a 15-game advantage across the board, but with Hawthorn holding a two-game advantage in the club’s ten meetings in finals. Two years after their first premiership (1961) the Hawks came up against the Cats in two finals and were soundly beaten in both, including the grand final.
Since then, however, the Hawks have won six of their eight finals encounters. Four of those six were by single-digit margins, as was one of Geelong’s two wins. That was at their last finals meeting in 2016, so non-aligned footy fans will be hoping for a close game when the two teams meet in Geelong on 12th June.
In the coach versus coach matchup, Chris Scott holds a significant advantage (as he does against every current coach except Nathan Buckley) but again his finals record against Alastair Clarkson is 2-2.
Patrick Dangerfield will bring up the traditional milestone of 250 AFL games. Dangerfield started his league career at Adelaide in 2008 before moving to Geelong in 2012. He won the Best and Fairest at Adelaide and has repeated the feat three times since being at Geelong. He also has won the Brownlow Medal and been All-Australian seven times.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Joel Selwood will continue his move up the AFL elite top 100 game-players, joining Lenny Hayes and Wayne Campbell in 91st position. Ironically, Hayes’ great-grandfather Vin Maguire played for the Cats during the first world war years. Recruited from New South Wales, Hayes won three Best and Fairests at St Kilda and was placed in the top-three on another five occasions.
A Norm Smith medallist, he captained the Saints and was named All-Australian four times during his career which ended in 2014, just three games short of 300. Campbell’s career at Richmond was similar to Hayes’ in that he captained his club and finished high in the Best and Fairest on eight occasions including four wins and was All-Australian twice.
Also playing for Geelong is one of the greatest players of all-time, Gary Ablett Jr. Ablett will move into outright 17th position on the AFL all-time top 100 greatest game-players list, passing the recently retired Luke Hodge and moving to within three games of the 350-game milestone.
Ablett’s career so far includes six Best and Fairest (including the first three ever at the Gold Coast Suns), two Brownlow Medals, two premierships, eight All-Australian, three club leading goal scorers and six years as captain of the Gold Coast Suns.
“The Little Master” also appears in the AFL top 100 goalkickers along with teammate Tom Hawkins. Hawkins is in 46th position, but is breathing down the necks of Brad Johnson (Western Bulldogs) and Paul Salmon (Essendon and Hawthorn). Ablett holds the very respectable 85th position and – if he maintains his goal kicking ability – could also rise up the ranks.
They are joined in the AFL top 100 goalkicking ranks by Hawthorn’s Luke Breust, who currently sits in the “hot seat” in equal 100th position with former Fitzroy player Mick Conlan. Conlan – now aged 62 – was a “barrel-chested” half forward who played for Fitzroy between 1977 and 1989. Even one goal to Breust will see Conlan tumble out of the elite group of goalscorers.
(Photo by Will Russell/AFL Media/Getty Images)
At a club level for Hawthorn top 100 game-players Isaac Smith, Paul Puopulo, Ben Stratton and Jack Gunston will all move up the Hawks’ list if they are chosen to play against Geelong.
For Geelong, only Cameron Guthrie and Mark Blicavs will advance.
Goalkicking wise, one goal would see Mitch Duncan move up the Cats’ list and similarly at Hawthorn for Shaun Burgoyne and Liam Shiels.
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