PRIME TIME CATS

First Richmond, then Carlton ... now Cook wants Hawks at KP AFL ROUND 10

GEELONG hopes Hawthorn will be the next “big” Melbourne club to play at GMHBA Stadium as Carlton prepares for its first match at the venue in 21 years this weekend.

The Cats are preparing for a crowd of about 32,000 on Saturday night when Carlton takes on Geelong at Kardinia Park for the first time since Round 20, 1997.

About 1500 tickets scattered through the stadium remained on sale last night.

The 32,000-strong estimate is in line with the nearcapacity 32,266 who turned up for Geelong’s Round 21 clash against eventual premier Richmond at Kardinia Park last year.

“I think it’s really important (to play the wellsupported Melbourne clubs), because the AFL have been indicating they’ll play more games down here this season with a hamstring injury.

Cook said the Cats needed to respond against the Blues after a poor performance against Essendon last week that left Geelong clinging to eighth spot.

“We need to come back and play ‘the Geelong way’ again, that was a hiccup, no doubt about that,” he said.

The Hawks have only played at Kardinia Park twice this century, a 65point loss against the Cats in Round 22, 2004, and a 52point win in Round 3, 2006.

Carlton’s most recent visit to Geelong was in August 1997, when 23,007 saw Brad Sholl and John Barnes jump the Blues on a miserable afternoon before winning 13.17 (95) to 9.13 (67).

Stephen Silvagni, Anthony Koutoufides, Andrew McKay and Brett Ratten were among the Blues playing that day. THE DAY BARNESY CARVED BLUES: PAGE 52