SUNS TOO BRIGHT FOR CATS
GEELONG is confident Mitch Clark can form a powerful combination with Tom Hawkins after the key forward’s encouraging return to footy last night against Gold Coast.
Clark, playing his first match in nearly two years, was almost the match-winner after putting the Cats in front midway through the final quarter after back-toback goals.
But the Suns steadied and hung on for a 0.10.19 (79) to 1.9.8 (71) victory in hot, humid and greasy conditions in Townsville.
“It’s going to be really exciting,” assistant coach Blake Caracella said last night.
“Mitch has played well at training. Hawk’s a little bit of a different player. Hawk is a big, strong focus, who takes contested marks, whereas Mitch is a bit more mobile running around the ground.
“It’s going to give us a little bit of variety. ( Shane Kersten) has played down there a bit as well. But (Hawkins and Clark) are two quality, All-Australian players in the forward line.
“If we get the ball down there it’s going to hold us in good stead.”
Clark got better with every quarter and stayed on the park longer than the predicated 50 per cent game time.
He regularly made good position but was rusty in the air, not helped by the greasy conditions that made life difficult for players old and new. If anything, he had more poise at ground level once the ball hit the deck.
Hawkins also kicked two goals, both in the first quarter, and showed off his improved tank on a number of searching runs up the ground.
Despite trailing at every change against a Gold Coast side also missing a batch of quality players, Caracella said the Cats got out of the match what they wanted.
“It was a solid performance, coming up against a team that’s really improving over the last couple of years,” Caracella said.
“I thought our young kids were really good. Darcy Lang, Cory Gregson, Nakia Cockatoo, (Jake) Kolodjashnij – they all played really good games.
“It’s really exciting for the football club to see those guys play. A few of those guys are playing their first season of footy, so all looks good for the future.” MATCH REPORT, SCORES: Page 38 TOMORROW: One-onone with Darcy Lang