Let’s go Hawk hunting
IT’S ON! Cats to face arch rival Hawthorn in qualifying final
GEELONG’S passionate football rivalry with Hawthorn has been reignited once more as the city prepares for another tantalising finals clash.
The Hawks booked their qualifying final spot against the second-placed Cats with a thrilling one-point win over Collingwood at the MCG yesterday — the victory lifting them into third position above Greater Western Sydney on the ladder.
It will be the Cats’ and Hawks’ first September clash since the 2014 qualifying final and Geelong patron Frank Costa said the rivalry was “alive and well.”
“With Hawthorn there is a special rivalry, that little bit of extra (motivation),” he said.
“Most of the last 10 years they have been in finals, so that factor alone keeps them competing against each other.”
Costa said the clubs’ fierce competitive streak extended as far back as the 1989 decider, when Gary Ablett Sr booted nine goals in a heartbreaking six-point loss for the Cats.
It was then further sparked by former Hawks president Jeff Kennett after Geelong’s 26-point loss in the 2008 Grand Final, with Kennett later commenting that his players’ “psychological drive” was superior to that of the opposition.
Eleven consecutive wins followed for the Cats in a peri- od attributed to the “Kennett curse”, though nine of those matches were decided by 10 points or less.
Cats No. 1 ticket holder Rebecca Maddern said, while the hype was justified for some, others — such as new recruits Patrick Dangerfield and Zac Smith — would be looking past the history to make their own mark.
“I think the romantic side of supporters like to focus on that but I think it’s probably a new ball game altogether,” she said.
“(The rivalry) is more intense now because you’ve got two teams that are really full of champions and so many individuals in each team are so decorated — it’s really the true champions of the game going into battle against each other.”
AFL Fans Association president Gerry Eeman said the Hawks would be “desperate to prove themselves” against the Cats in just under two weeks’ time.
“Hawthorn is a bit like Muhammad Ali, who lost a fight but still has all his tricks and now wants his title back — he wants to show he’s still top dog,” he said.
Last night the AFL website said competitng club members could get tickets from 10am tomorrow until 10am this Wednesday.
AFL members can get tickets from 9am that day and the general public can get tickets from noon Wednesday.