Tom Hawkins may have taken the Geelong game plan for Friday’s 20-point victory over West Coast a little too literally, with the veteran forward likely to be charged for making high contact with Will Schofield.
The Cats superstar kicked four goals in a standout performance as the Cats outclassed the reigning AFL premiers at the MCG.
But his swinging arm to the head of Eagles defender Schofield in the third quarter was the big talking point ahead of next Friday’s preliminary final against Richmond.
Speaking after the game Hawkins wasn’t asked about the incident that had some pundits predicting he is facing at least a one-match suspension but revealed the Cats’ aggressive mindset heading into the must-win clash.
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“We wanted to go out and throw the first punch,” Hawkins told Channel 7 in an on-ground interview.
“That’s been our motto for the week and we came out and started well and that was fantastic.
“We wanted to play ballsy football and I think we did.”
Hawkins asked Schofield, who lay motionless on the MCG turf for several seconds, if he was OK immediately after the incident.
He embraced the Eagles defender after the final siren but Schofield was in no mood to chat with his rival as he quickly exited the scene.
Cats coach Chris Scott said when asked what he made of the incident at his post-match press conference: “Nothing, and in part because I didn’t want to talk about it tonight.
“I haven’t looked at it, so I’ve just got nothing to add unfortunately.
“Unlike me, isn’t it?”
AFL pundit Garry Lyon declared Hawkins won’t play again in 2019 but the majority of fans who took to social media predicted the star Cat will get favourable treatment from the match review officer.
Garry, do you realise it’s Tom Hawkins. He’ll get nothing. The AFL love him and Geelong. Hawkins, Dangerfield, Ablett and Selwood are lucky to give away a free kick let alone get suspended. https://t.co/DmZ16fV3Jw
— Alan Macdonald (@amacka1) September 13, 2019
Odds on the #Geelong thug Tom Hawkins gets off because that's the way The @afl want it. Would b different if it was an Interstate player. #matchinfluencing is alive & kicking in the corrupt #AFL #AFLCatsEagles
— Phil McGee (@philmcgee) September 13, 2019
Will Thug Tommy Hawkins get rubbed out
He’s Tom Hawkins. Of Geelong. They’ll roll out the red carpet, apologise for wasting his time, bitterly ask why Ablett never called after last time, coyly ask him if Ablett ever talks about them anyways and then send him on his merry way.
— 👀 (@sad_jimjam) September 13, 2019
