Challenging times for Cats, but Hawkins praises ‘outstanding’ strategy

GEELONG players and staff landing in Victoria yesterday didn’t face any extra quarantine measures returning home.

Due to COVID-19, the team flew in a chartered plane with the Melbourne AFLW team before boarding a bus back to GMHBA Stadium.

The Cats flew out from Sydney as Prime Minister Scott

Morrison advised all non-essential travel should cease as the government continues to fight coronavirus. Hours later, the AFL announced the season would be postponed until at least May 31.

Cats forward Tom Hawkins said players wouldn’t be impacted by any isolation measures.

“We’ll just have to seek information where we can and the club will keep up updated on our schedule and what’s happening and any protocol that we need to take,” Hawkins said.

“Everyone has been fantastic in their own individual way in the last two weeks.

“The club, from my point of view and the players’ point of view, has been outstanding in the way they have looked after us.”

Hawkins said the week leading up to Saturday night’s match against Greater Western Sydney had been “really challenging” mentally.

“It’s been a hectic week in terms of what’s happened in the world with the virus and even adapting day by day, hour by hour to regulations,” he said. “Mentally it’s been a really challenging week, but in terms of pulling up from the game I feel OK, I’m a little bit sore like everyone usually is after their first game.”

The Cats were left to bemoan missed opportunities as a slicker Giants side ran away to a 32-point win on Saturday night, and Hawkins — who missed a relatively simple set shot in the first quarter before booting two goals — said Geelong just couldn’t convert as well as its opponent.

“They were a bit more polished going forward, certainly they took their chances,” he said.

“From a players point of view I thought we were right in the game but we just couldn’t convert, the inside-50s and scoring shots were pretty similar but they were just able to kick straighter. We had our opportunities but we just probably didn’t quite take them.”