Careless': There's more than one way to spin a Cat's intentJake Niall
The Age
15 September 2019No Geelong player posed a greater threat to Richmond than Tom Hawkins, whose provisional one-match ban for high contact on Will Schofield shapes as the most consequential match review case in finals since Trent Cotchin escaped suspension for the bump that concussed Dylan Shiel in the 2017 preliminary final.
For Hawkins and the QC Geelong engages to put his case at the tribunal, there appears to be only one avenue for challenging the suspension.
Michael Christian's grading of high contact and low impact can't be reversed. Clearly, the only grounds for freeing Hawkins will be the question of intent, with Hawkins having to argue that his swipe at Schofield was careless conduct rather than intentional, as Christian has graded it.
So, the case will be quite narrow.
Geelong will be looking at the behind-the-goals footage, hoping that they can show Schofield impeded Hawkins and that, therefore, the forward's strike was driven by an attempt to free himself from the defender and thus a careless, not intentional blow.
While Hawkins at first contacted the Eagle in the neck, not the head, this doesn't matter because any blow above the shoulders is deemed as high.
The fundamental problem for Hawkins is that the incident took place off the ball, not in play. If the ball was thereabouts, he wouldn't be facing suspension, given that the blow wasn't forceful.
It would be a fine at worst and while the Cats would still enter the preliminary final as clear underdogs - Richmond's form and cohesion mark the 2017 premiers as superior - Hawkins is one of the only Geelong players for whom the Tigers don't have a suitable match-up.
David Astbury has been superb this season during Alex Rance's absence, but he's not well-equipped for those weight-trading one-out contests that the powerful Tomahawk won decisively against West Coast.
Geelong people were, not surprisingly, grumbling about the recent escapes of Toby Greene. Marcus Bontempelli and Nic Naitanui before Hawkins had even been given a week.
As a shrewd and practical club, they'll leave Tomahawk in the hands of their preferred QC and hope sharp lawyerly work - perhaps in concert with a biomechanist and/or video expert - can persuade the tribunal, while planning on the basis that Hawkins will be replaced.
Assuming Hawkins is out, then Chris Scott, who cops more unwarranted criticism than any other premiership coach (blamed for losses, seldom credited for victories like other coaches), will need to conjure something special to overcome Richmond.
There are several options for replacing Hawkins and re-modelling the forward line:
1. Bring back Lachie Henderson and push Harry Taylor forward.Taylor booted four goals in the round 21 clash against the Tigers in 2017 when Hawkins was suspended, surprisingly out-pointing an off-key Rance. But that game was played at the Cattery - an alternate universe, compared with the Tigers at the MCG. Taylor, too, has slowed further and won't get much space on the lead.
2. Push Taylor forward and bring in someone else who's not (very) tall.It's arguable that, if Mark Blicavs plays back, he can take Tom Lynch, Tom Stewart could stand Jack Riewoldt and that there's no need for an additional Geelong tall. Esava Ratugolea played probably his best game yet for the Cats on Friday night - he could be the sole legitimate tall in a mobile forward line alongside Gary Ablett, Luke Dalhaus, Gryan Miers and Quinton Narkle, with one medium-tall option.
Gary Rohan, obviously, is an option to play in attack - he can provide a target, if he's cleared fit after a knee injury against the Pies.
3. Play Patrick Dangerfield forward more, and bring in a midfielder, eg Scott Selwood or Charlie Constable.To throw Dangerfield forward for most of the game would be audacious, in view of what the Cats would lose on the ball. Dangerfield had a low possession game and quiet first half against West Coast, but his second half was critical in the Geelong reversal of West Coast's momentum.
Dangerfield's marking is exceptional for a 189cm midfielder - some of his plucks on Friday night were redolent of Royce Hart. Dangerfield, though, would likely get manned by Richmond's premier defender Dylan Grimes, whose pace and height makes him the ideal blanket for this type of opponent.
Selwood's inclusion contains a further subplot. He could be used to tag - or at least attempt to tag - the AFL's most destructive on-field weapon, Dustin Martin.
4. Throw Jack Henry forward, pick a midfielder or flanker.The 191cm Henry has been used forward on occasion. He can mark, but doesn't appeal as a major scoring threat. His value would the contest he would provide and his willingness to fight to keep the ball in Geelong's attacking territory, while he could occupy Grimes at times.
A content and focused Richmond, meanwhile, can sit back, hope that Hawkins stays suspended and plan for the various outcomes. The last meeting of the clubs in round 12 - when the Cats thrashed an under-strength Tiger team - will be as irrelevant as that game at Geelong in 2017.
With or without Hawkins, the Cats will need to produce an exceptional performance against an unwavering and rested Richmond. If the Hawkins' case will be decided by the question of "intent,'' they'll need far more than fierce intent on Friday.
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/geelong-s-only-hope-for-hawkins-and-options-without-him-20190914-p52rc0.html
