RoastedLinuxThe Cats pounced on Hawthorn, then let go
September 28th 2008 02:46
Many say the third quarter in an AFL grand final is the premiership quarter.
But for the Geelong Cats, it came in the second quarter and their inaccuracies in front of goal cost them back to back premierships.
The Cats were finally dominating the Hawthorn Hawks.
The pressure they applied to each Hawks man on the footy was unparalleled and Geelong were playing the game in Hawks territory.
But time and time again, they either went one pass too long, one kick too wide or one shot at goal too inaccurate.
Cats forward Cameron Mooney in particular missed a sitter right in front of the posts to hand Geelong the lead.
In the end, it cost them dearly and it allowed the Hawks to seep in a new lease of life late in the second term.
Hawthorn scored two late goals to lead the game by three points heading into the main break.
Indeed it was the break the Hawks needed to have after the Cats appeared to breaking through the barriers for another Grand final victory.
In the third quarter however, the Hawks flew high for the first time in 17 years to proclaim themselves worthy AFL champions after dismantling the Cats.
The Hawks at one stage led by 30 points in the third term and were never headed, despite two late goals by Geelong.
In the end, it was left to Lance 'Buddy' Franklin to seal the deal with two goals that proclaimed his status as probably the AFL's most marketable player.
His kicking ability is unmatched. He seemingly has the ball on a string no matter what the occasion.
Despite the added attention of Cats defender Matthew Scarlett, Franklin played well without being brilliant.
But in a Grand final, Franklin did what was required of him.
In fact, all of Hawthorn's players did what was required of them.
They destroyed the structure of the AFL's most dominant team in recent seasons.
The Hawks disrupted a style of footy played by the cats that had won them 42 of their past 44 games.
Unfortunately for the Cats, they failed to display their A game when it counted.
Although the match played by Gary Ablett deserves an honourable mention, he was constantly the one picking up the pieces of Geelong's inept ability to put Hawthorn to the sword.
And that's why it's just so damn hard to win back to back premierships.
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