GROWING PAINS
Hawkins says Jez partnership will work out fine
CHAMPION forward Tom Hawkins concedes there will be some teething issues with his new partner in attack, Jeremy Cameron, but says he expects the Geelong duo to complement each other after their first hitout last week.
Cameron scored the first goal of the practice game against Collingwood last Friday but lost amid the celebrations was Hawkins almost stopping his new teammate from taking the mark that brought the goal on in the first place.
The two-time premiership player (pictured) has not given much thought to how long it will take for him and Cameron to find their groove but said he was confident they will get it right.
“I haven’t really thought about it too much, but I expect us to both be able to fit in and play well together,” Hawkins said.
“It may take time getting used to slight variations with how we play, but honestly, my opinion is we play pretty different.
“There will be some growing pains initially for us and our first inside-50 (against Collingwood) I was in the skinny space, Pat (Dangerfield) took the mark and I went back and got in Jeremy’s way, but he managed to mark the footy still.
“So there will be a few teething issues like there is with any forward line at the start of the year but I expect we will be OK.”
As well as Hawkins and Cameron, the Cats also had their first look some other additions to last year’s team in Shaun Higgins,
Sam De Koning and Francis Evans. Hawkins said as exciting as it was to be playing alongside the former Greater Western Sydney star, he was just as enthused by the growth in his younger teammates.
“We (Hawkins and Cameron) were both probably pretty scratchy, but the first quarter was really good and we seemed to be able to move the ball up the field really well,” he said.
“I thought our forward six as a collective was really dynamic. There is obviously going to be a lot of speculation on Jeremy and the other two recruits in Isaac (Smith) and Shaun, and I look forward to playing with another quality player in our forward line.
“But to be frank, I was really impressed with some of the growth in some of our younger players from last year.
“Gryan Miers, I thought, was outstanding and was really composed in front of goal when he got the chance.
“Frank Evans showed some really good signs coming off a somewhat limited pre-season, Sam De Koning I got to play with, Shannon Neale for the first time, so that was probably as exciting as anything.
“I’m not playing down my excitement levels of playing with a star in Jeremy, but I was really impressed with the forward line as a collective.”