The five moments that stole the spotlight as Geelong claims 10th flag

It was emotional, it was intense, and it was Geelong claiming their first flag since 2011 after going oh so close on oh so many occasions.

The oldest team to ever take the field in an AFL match put it all on the line and proved that there was no such thing as too old and too slow at Kardinia Park.

From Tom Hawkins getting things off to the perfect start, to his good mate Joel Selwood adding the perfect exclamation mark, these are the five moments that stole the spotlight.

1. Hawkins hawks it

If you’ve had the pleasure of watching a Geelong game this season, you’ll have noted there’s a few things the commentators love.

They love Sam de Koning being a young defender on the rise, they love that Mark Blicavs can play any position (and was once a steeplechaser), and they really bloody love that Tom Hawkins rucks in the forward 50.

So it was almost unbridled joy that they called kicking the first goal of the game after snagging it from — you guessed it — the ruck.

Pushing Tom McCartin away as if he were a toddler refusing a bowl of mushed broccoli, Hawkins grabbed, snapped and kicked the opener.

Then he only went and did it again, this time pushing Tom Hickey away to kick the second of the match.

The Cats were away.

2. Pluck of the Irish

While we’re not entirely sure exactly what time Mark O’Connor was told he was stepping into the team for the desperately unlucky Max Holmes, what we do know is that he was more than ready to play.

With the Swans on a rare foray forward with seven minutes left in the first quarter, James Rowbottom had space, time, and options open inside the forward 50 as he tip-toed through the middle of the field.

The other thing he had was a feisty Irishman chasing him from behind.

And Rowbottom didn’t know it.

As he prepared to drop the ball to his foot, County Kerry’s finest dived at the pacey Swan and took him down.

Tom Papley was a few metres away yelling “kick it!”

The Cats crowd was in the stands yelling “ball!”

The Swans fans were back in Sydney yelling “he did kick it!”

And this writer was in his living room yelling “yes!”, because until that point Geelong had been clinical without being spectacular and without huge footy moments.

This was a huge footy moment.

3. Under pressure

What’s better than a holding-the-ball decision that causes a crucial turnover?

A holding-the-ball decision that leads directly to a goal, that’s what.

Despite being 36-points up at half-time, Cats fans — still haunted by comebacks that happened 16 odd years ago — were still nervous about what was coming.

With Geelong winning the ball out of the centre to start the third quarter, the Swans won a contested ball in the goal square and got the pill to Tom McCartin, who looked for an option down field.

But there weren’t any.

Mitch Duncan snuck up on the Swan like cricket season after the final game of the footy, and brought him to the turf. The Cats veteran converted, and set the tone for the rest of the quarter.

A minute and a half later, Brad Close cut off a McCartin kick to snag another, and six minutes after that a moment of brilliant pressure from Patrick Dangerfield forced another turnover, leading to a Cam Guthrie goal.

The pressure gauge was turned up to what ever the maximum number is on a pressure gauge, and the Swans were feeling every bash, crash and bingle.

4. Parfitt for a king

It was party time for the Cats when Brandan Parfitt was subbed on for Cameron Guthrie in the final quarter.

Just hours earlier, the midfielder likely thought his premiership dream was over despite being one of Geelong’s top players for the past few seasons.

Coach Chris Scott had spoken about balance in his team, and how players he rated as the best in the squad couldn’t get a game, and Parfitt one was firmly one of those.

But when Guthrie came off with an injury that was most likely related to him being a good bloke and knowing Parfitt would get a chance to play, the midfielder took his shot.

With the ball pinging around Geelong’s forward pocket via fast handballs, the Sherrin eventually landed with an open Parfitt, who converted the goal after just 30 seconds on the field.

Comparably reserved throughout the rest of the game, coach Scott unleashed a momentus celebration in the box.

5. The captain’s call

It was 11 years ago that Geelong played in an epic against Collingwood in the grand final, where retiring captain Cameron Ling kicked the final goal of the game.

This time, with Ling on the sidelines preparing to hand over the cup, it was Joel Selwood who got his moment.

Ferocious at the ball all day, the player who has now played the most finals in VFL/AFL history collected the Sherrin and threw it onto his boot from about 40m.

Hitting it perfectly to banana it back towards goal, the ball sailed through the middle of the posts as Cats fans lifted in the stands to cheer one of the greatest players to ever pull on the hoops.

Swamped by his teammates, an emotional Selwood celebrated a moment few from Sleepy Holow will forget soon, as his family wiped away tears.

It was the perfect moment in a perfect game for the entire Geelong Football Club community.

Source: AFL NEWS ABC