And breathe.
Another Easter Monday, another Hawthorn-Geelong classic at the MCG. In fact, one of the best yet.
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A frantic, last-second rushed behind from star veteran Jack Gunston has delivered Hawthorn the most remarkable one-point win, capping off the latest ridiculous Hawks-Cats classic.
In a feverish finish to a finals-like game with scores level, the Hawks bombed the ball deep inside 50, leading to a rapid passage of play where the Hawks tried to surge the ball over their goalline and the Cats defended for their lives in an attempt to conjure a draw.
But the ball spilt free to Gunston – who had earlier sent a scare through the camp with a sore hamstring – where he got boot to ball in the final 20 seconds and hit the post to put the Hawks in front.
“Gunston! Like Jimmy Bartel all those years ago, is that the winning point?” Kayo Sports’ Anthony Hudson said on Fox Footy’s coverage, referencing Bartel’s famous behind from a Hawks-Cats 2009 clash.
Gunston threw his hands to his head, thinking he had given the Cats a chance to seal the game with an end-to-end play. But his soccer was enough to earn victory.
The Cats attempted to move the ball quickly down the field, but Nick Watson and Josh Battle brought down Geelong’s Shannon Neale to win a holding the ball free kick and seal a famous Hawthorn win, 13.14 (92) to 14.7 (91).
“Gunston with a famous poster … There’s been so many classics between these two sides, but this is right up there!” Kayo Sports’ Mark Howard said.
Gunston told Fox Footy post-game: “I’m normally dirty on myself for kicking points, so nice to get a little toepoke then!”
Oliver Dempsey of the Cats looks dejected after a loss. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
It was the seventh time since just 2012 (excluding the Covid-affected 2020) the Easter Monday bout had been decided by 12 points or less.
“That was an amazing game, one of the great games of AFL footy,” Kayo Sports’ David King said.
“Two heavyweights just throwing blow after blow. Fantastic!”
The Cats kicked away during the second quarter — one of the best 30 minutes of the season — to enter the main break with a healthy lead.
But true to the script, the Hawks responded and, through a goal after the siren from Jack Ginnivan, took a lead into the final change.
The Cats built a buffer with the first three goals of the last before the Hawks clawed back with two quick goals of their own.
Jeremy Cameron, who’d endured a relatively quiet afternoon, kicked one of the Cats’ early goals and levelled the scores deep into red-time with a minor score.
The Cats looked home when Neale put them up by six points with 94 seconds left, but a strong mark and goal from Mitch Lewis tied scores once again before Gunston’s moment.
Hawthorn has now moved into the top six and set up a mouthwatering Gather Round clash with the undefeated Western Bulldogs.
THE 3-2-1 …
3. STAR DOES ‘THE BARTEL’ TO WIN IT IN DYING SECONDS
It’s the game everyone was hoping for on Easter Monday.
An absolute thriller between two teams who rolled the dice at every opportunity.
And by full time it was Hawthorn by just a single point.
Hawthorn’s game plan was obvious from the opening bounce – run the ball at the Cats and get the job done with their speed.
And early stages, the ploy looked genius.
“This kick back into the middle … when they come through the corridor, they’ve got Geelong’s defensive 50 covered,” two-time premiership winner David King said.
“When they play same line and static football and allow the Geelong defence to get set, they are in trouble.”
The Cats cottoned on quickly to make the necessary adjustments.
“They’ve stopped the handball chains – they’ve been able to harass and force them into a kicking game,” King said.
“They’ve still got through on occasion Hawthorn – they’re a good side, they’re going to – but it hasn’t been at the speed that it was early.”
Any time the Hawks got space, they looked threatening with their run game while for Geelong it was their precision both in front of goal and inside 50 that kept them in the contest.
Shannon Neale of the Cats celebrates kicking a goal. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
Shannon Neale was getting it done against star Tom Barrass, kicking four goals from his four shots.
Both teams were going at a pressure rating of 190 or more heading into the final quarter where the match hit its thrilling crescendo.
The Cats got out to a 14-point buffer midway through the last term but the Hawks came out swinging.
Down by two, two behinds in less than two minutes to Mabior Chol levelled scores.
Mark Blicavs couldn’t score with his snap down the other end. Then Neale dropped it in the square off Jeremy Cameron’s set shot from outside 50 with just over three minutes to play.
But when the ball somehow got through to Neale at the back of the pack with just over two minutes to play – the Cats were up by six.
Enter Mitch Lewis.
His mark and goal ensured scores were once again tied before Gunston’s poster with less than 20 seconds remaining was enough for the four points.
2. STAR’S SCARE AFTER EPIC GOAL DENIED
Gunston has been the Hawks’ most important forward since his return to the club in 2024.
But he sent a massive scare through the Hawks camp on Monday when he pulled up short late in the third term.
Vision from behind the goals showed Gunston grab immediately at his hamstring – and he ended up heading down into the rooms a short time later.
“Gunston grabbing his right hamstring as he took off from the square … hasn’t moved 40 from goal,” Fox Footy’s David King said.
“You just wonder if they’d take any risks with him right now.”
In great signs for the 34-year-old, he was able to return to the contest to start the fourth term.
“He’s been down with the doctors and physios for the rest of the term,” Cam Mooney said from the boundary.
“He’s getting a lot of work on that hamstring.
“There’s no doubt if they were concerned they wouldn’t be playing him.
Mitch Lewis (left) and Jack Gunston of the Hawks celebrate. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
“They’ve given him the OK.”
And in the end, it was Gunston who delivered that final match-winning point.
“He is defying logic with what he’s been able to do – he’s been everything for them in the forward half,” King praised.
Gunston had looked the most dangerous in attack before that injury scare, with his 3.3 – including what was almost goal of the year.
Gunston had snapped from the boundary with Mooney describing it live as “one of the best goals I have seen”.
But then the goal review came – and Gunston was denied by a slight snick on the inside of the goalpost.
“Gee it’s incredibly skilful to get this even to a challenge,” King said.
“It does take the wind out of a potential goal of the year,” Mark Howard added.
“Just the faintest of edges!”
“Cigarette paper (edge),” Anthony Hudson said.
1. WHO DARES WINS IN CRUCIAL MATCH UP
Both coaches were playing games from the box – Sam Mitchell sending Josh Weddle to Ollie Dempsey while Chris Scott matched star defender Tom Stewart on debutant Jack Dalton.
But it was Mitchell who Fox Footy’s commentators believed got the early match up win.
“It’s a massive tick for Sam Mitchell,” triple premiership winner Cam Mooney said.
“He was absolutely outstanding, particularly early, Weddle.
“His run and carry through the middle really put the pressure on Dempsey … (who) couldn’t go with him.
“He’s someone who can match him in the air and on the ground and make him actually run the other way.”
Mooney said Weddle’s damaging run now put the question to the star Cat – “Has he got the ability to actually defend?”
“That’s the question Weddle is asking, particularly in the first quarter to set up a few goals for Hawthorn.”
Josh Weddle of the Hawks celebrates a goal. Picture: James Wiltshire/AFL Photos via Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
The move was made at quarter time to shift Dempsey, who Mark Howard likened to Eagles premiership great Peter Matera, from the wing to half forward.
And that’s where Dempsey stood up for the Cats.
He nailed a ripping goal from outside 50 – a rare feat given stats show of his 64 goals in the last four years, it’s his first goal from that distance.
Stewart meantime did as he pleased until late in the contest when Jack Gunston made the switch to put a stop to the star Cat’s “sweeper role”.
And again it was points to Mitchell in the coach’s box.
“(The run game) renders Tom Stewart useless, they’ve been brilliant,” David King praised.
“At the start it was, gee they aren’t having a plan for Tom Stewart,” Leigh Montagna said.
“But what they are doing, the way they are moving the ball is their plan for Tom Stewart.
“I thought they looked really sharp.”
Weddle post-game said he enjoyed the match-up.
“I just knew we’re pretty like for like,” he told Fox Footy.
“It’s a good match up for me. He went to the same school as me! We get along quite well … I was looking forward to the match up all week.”
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