Cats v Hawks: A Ripper

There's been a 17 week build up to tonight's game between Geelong and Hawthorn and the result lived up to the hype and expectation; it was a thriller, an arm wrestle, a packed house at the MCG, a struggle for supremacy, and the good news is the good guys won. The Cats got up by 11 points.

Late in the 3rd quarter and early in the last the momentum was with the Hawks and they briefly hit the front, but the Cats refused to surrender and fought back, led by the brilliance of Joel Selwood and Jimmy Bartel.

Considering Geelong were without Gary Ablett, Cameron Ling, Darren Milburn, David Wojinski, and lost Paul Chapman to a hamstring injury before half time, it was an even more impressive victory against the team in third place and who are widely tipped to be in the Grand Final.

I broke my usual rule regarding the footy when Geelong are playing. Normally I avoid the radio, the news, the net, or any other source of info that might reveal the result and ruin the game for me until I can watch it on the telly. But with so much riding on this game I just had to listen to it on the ABC, or the first quarter at least. At 1/4 time I decided to leave the radio on until 1/2 time! Similarly at the long break I couldn't bring myself to stop listening and then when it was only 4 points the diff at 3/4 time I just had to know what would happen. I had to put up with the open bias of Parkin and Schwab in the commentary, both Hawthorn men through and through, and their constant complaints and criticism. Gerard Whately is a devout Geelong fan yet his commentating was unbiased and enthusiastic and an example to the rest of how it should be done.

Sport Boy and I were greatly relieved and pleased when the final siren sounded and the Cats had won.

I then went round to Dave's and watched it all over again! It was much more relaxing and enjoyable knowing we would win!