Modern-day great dealt cruellest AFL blow imaginable… but ‘simple selection solution’ looms for Cats

It will be the longest week of Tom Stewart’s career, a test of his leadership credentials and a chance to further his reputation.

The Geelong vice-captain will become the first AFL player to miss a Grand Final next Saturday through the AFL’s concussion edict that dictates a player must have at least 12 days to recover following a head injury.

While the courageous Cats are celebrating a 30-point victory over Hawthorn in front of 99,597 fans at the MCG, the certain absence of the defensive talisman is heartbreaking for him. But as shown by their win, it is not a death knock for them.

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The Stewart blow will further the spotlight on the timing of the late-season bye, with the merits of its current slot preceding the finals under examination from a competition pondering whether it might be better suited ahead of the Grand Final.

It is a massive story and one that will draw all manner of viewpoints in coming days. But as significant as this moment is for a sport grappling with the perils of concussion, Stewart and Geelong will be narrowing their focus on winning the premiership.

When the defender’s head clears — and hopefully he is symptom-free rapidly after being crunched by Hawthorn forward Mabior Chol late in the first term — he will be working as hard as any Cat to ensure his club adds to its silverware cabinet.

A calm-headed defender, expect Stewart to be pragmatic about his situation and to throw his organising smarts behind his teammates to ensure they are as well prepared as possible to stymie either the Lions or Collingwood forwards.

There is much to play out, but a simple selection solution appears at hand. With ruckman Rhys Stanley an emergency against Hawthorn, he appeals as a logical inclusion, which would enable the brilliantly versatile Mark Blicavs to return to defence.

It is an opportunity kept alive by an astonishing recovery, for Geelong was on the canvas deep in the first quarter with Stewart ruled out, fellow key defender Jack Henry under a cloud and their arch-rivals Hawthorn looking in far sharper touch.

In the infancy the contrast between the patience of Hawthorn and the sloppiness of Geelong was stark, with the Cats looking like a side that had played just one match in a month as they repeatedly coughed up possession while letting tackles slide.

Superstars Jeremy Cameron and Bailey Smith were among the offenders as the Hawks, who chipped the ball around until finding a target, booted the first three goals of a match in which Mitch Lewis shaped as a man standing up to the moment.

Enter Patrick Dangerfield. Even in the golden dotage of his career, the Geelong captain is capable of awe-inspiring football and his determination to stand against the tide proved critical as the Cats fought to establish a toehold in the preliminary final.

Late in the first term he kicked the Cats first goal when edged out of a contest by James Sicily. It proved a settling moment. But it was just the start for the Brownlow Medallist, who led all-comers in score involvements by half-time and kicked a critical goal early in the second half as Geelong wrested the momentum firmly their way, before another in the final term.

Captain Braveheart finished with three goals and 32 disposals in a best afield performance and shapes as a critical figure in next Saturday’s Grand Final.

As important was the ability of Jack Henry to return to the fray at quarter-time after he had to be assisted from the field early in the first quarter when unable to put any weight whatsoever on his left ankle after landing awkwardly in a marking contest.

Veteran Hawk Jack Gunston is a clever man. He immediately put Henry to the test, making a searching lead from one half-forward flank to the other early in the second term, before charging right back to the other side to take another strong mark.

But Henry plugged away. And while Gunston continued his fine season and kicked a superb goal to give the Hawks a heartbeat at the start of the final term, Henry’s return ensured the Cats defence was not entirely decimated.

As the momentum waxed and waned for much of the second term, with Sam De Koning, Zach Guthrie and Connor O’Sullivan reorganising themselves in the absence of Stewart, Geelong began to win the arm wrestle across the ground.

Tom Atkins does not get the limelight of some of his teammates, but he limited the influence of Hawk Jai Newcombe, who had been magnificent in Hawthorn’s two fine victories to reach the preliminary final from eighth.

Smith was able to sharpen up from quarter-time and kicked a late goal when finishing with a game high 36 disposals, while fellow ‘Dash Brother’ Max Holmes was influential.

After the misfortune of 2022, the star midfielder’s time has arrived. Expect the pair to go helter-skelter next Saturday.

As Hawthorn tried to hold Geelong at bay in the second term, the Coleman Medallist Cameron flexed his superstar muscles. A superb long-range goal from a set shot indicated the Cats had regained their rhythm and he will be even sharper for the run.

Importantly, the smaller Geelong forwards began to shine as well, with Tyson Stengle in particular deadly when given half a chance as the Cats blew the match apart with a seven goal to three third term. But they had contributors across the board.

As brilliant as Geelong are, and they are blessed with highly-skilled talent from defence to attack, the fortitude they displayed under fire and the ability to absorb Hawthorn’s initial frenzy and ultimately outpoint a worthy rival was impressive.

It will take an almighty performance from the winner of Saturday’s clash between Brisbane and Collingwood to seize premiership favouritism from the Cats, even in the absence of Stewart.

Hawthorn has fallen short of a fairytale flag and they will rue their inability to put Geelong under even more pressure when in control of the match in the first term and also when holding steady for much of the second.

A soft free kick paid against Gunston on the goal line late in the term could have been pivotal, for it would have enabled him to extend the Hawks lead to 15 points just moments before Nick Watson snapped a goal of wizardry from near the boundary.

But that would be clutching at straws. Even without their star defender, Geelong proved the stronger side once into rhythm.

Coach Sam Mitchell was part of a Hawthorn team that lost a preliminary final in 2011 and a heartbreaking grand final in 2012 before pulling off the phenomenal three-peat of premierships.

It is an experience that will stand them in good stead for the future. But that will be of no consolation for them this weekend.