Cats star knocked out by Hawk’s swinging arm; Smith apologies as Hawks go down in a thriller

Geelong have won a thrilling Easter Monday clash by just seven points after Shaun Mannagh pounced on a Josh Weddle turnover to kick a goal with less than three minutes remaining in front of a record home and away crowd between the two teams.

The margin was fitting as Geelong led for all but three minutes of the game, but the Hawks kept coming and drew level in the final quarter but could not put their noses in front.

Geelong stars Patrick Dangerfield and Bailey Smith stood up, while Mannagh kicked three goals. Tyson Stengle was instrumental in the win with an outstanding last quarter after the Cats lost Gryan Miers to concussion in the third quarter.

Hawthorn battled hard, but they were inaccurate in front of goal with late misses to Nick Watson and James Sicily summing up the game.

Geelong jumped to an early lead with Smith and Max Holmes breaking even in the middle and the Cats taking their chances in front of goal.

Dangerfield was ominous inside 50 and Miers was devastating with his piercing kicks inside 50 finding teammates in slivers of space.

By contrast, Hawthorn could not take their chances in front of goal. Premiership veteran Jack Gunston – who was playing his 25th match against the Cats – was uncharacteristically inaccurate.

The difference at either end allowed the Cats to open up a 23-point lead, but it was never going to last long as Hawthorn have restored their well-earned reputation as fighters under Sam Mitchell.

The game was tough but the moments that going into the memory banks were less so. Smith made a strange decision to shove the ball in Jarman Impey’s face, making him the villain in front of 88,746, the largest crowd Smith, who grew up barracking for Hawthorn, had strutted his stuff in front of.

That was a bit weird, but no damage was done. Conor Nash, meanwhile, threw a coathanger at Miers at a stoppage in the third quarter as the small forward grabbed the ball, and knocked him out. It had an impact on the contest as Miers is such a damaging link-man.

They lifted their intensity in the second half of the second quarter and won 11 centre clearances in a row to drag the margin back to 11 points at the long break. It never moved far beyond that range, but the Hawks could not stick their noses in front.

The moment came, however, 13 minutes into the final quarter when Connor McDonald levelled the scores. From half-time, the match became like two champion racehorses settling in to battle out the finish down the straight, and when scores became level, the whips were pulled. It took a brilliant Mannagh goal to give the Cats enough breathing space to hang on.

Geelong have won a thrilling Easter Monday clash by just seven points after Shaun Mannagh pounced on a Josh Weddle turnover to kick a goal with less than three minutes remaining in front of a record home and away crowd between the two teams.

The margin was fitting as Geelong led for all but three minutes of the game, but the Hawks kept coming and drew level in the final quarter but could not put their noses in front.

Geelong stars Patrick Dangerfield and Bailey Smith stood up, while Mannagh kicked three goals. Tyson Stengle was instrumental in the win with an outstanding last quarter after the Cats lost Gryan Miers to concussion in the third quarter.

Hawthorn battled hard, but they were inaccurate in front of goal with late misses to Nick Watson and James Sicily summing up the game.

Geelong jumped to an early lead with Smith and Max Holmes breaking even in the middle and the Cats taking their chances in front of goal.

Dangerfield was ominous inside 50 and Miers was devastating with his piercing kicks inside 50 finding teammates in slivers of space.

By contrast, Hawthorn could not take their chances in front of goal. Premiership veteran Jack Gunston – who was playing his 25th match against the Cats – was uncharacteristically inaccurate.

The difference at either end allowed the Cats to open up a 23-point lead, but it was never going to last long as Hawthorn have restored their well-earned reputation as fighters under Sam Mitchell.

The game was tough but the moments that going into the memory banks were less so. Smith made a strange decision to shove the ball in Jarman Impey’s face, making him the villain in front of 88,746, the largest crowd Smith, who grew up barracking for Hawthorn, had strutted his stuff in front of.

That was a bit weird, but no damage was done. Conor Nash, meanwhile, threw a coathanger at Miers at a stoppage in the third quarter as the small forward grabbed the ball, and knocked him out. It had an impact on the contest as Miers is such a damaging link-man.

They lifted their intensity in the second half of the second quarter and won 11 centre clearances in a row to drag the margin back to 11 points at the long break. It never moved far beyond that range, but the Hawks could not stick their noses in front.

The moment came, however, 13 minutes into the final quarter when Connor McDonald levelled the scores. From half-time, the match became like two champion racehorses settling in to battle out the finish down the straight, and when scores became level, the whips were pulled. It took a brilliant Mannagh goal to give the Cats enough breathing space to hang on.