Geelong will be desperate to pick up their first win of the season on Easter Monday against Hawthorn after becoming the first premiers since North Melbourne in 1975 to start their premiership defence 0-3.
With losses to Collingwood, Carlton and Gold Coast behind them, Geelong will be hopping to get more out of their star veterans who have struggled after interrupted pre-seasons.
SEN’s David King is going to keep a close eye on both Tom Hawkins and Patrick Dangerfield in the big clash as the superstar pair have failed to capture their best footy so far in 2023.
“All eyes for me go on their two stars, Dangerfield and Hawkins,” King told SEN The Picks.
“I just want to see their health, Hawkins looks like he can’t get into a gallop at the moment.
“All players have got alibis, there’s very few that are running out at 100 per cent after a few weeks of footy.
“We’re not overly critical of them, we just want to see if they can bounce and gather again when their team needs them the most.
“You would think the Cats can say, ‘We just need to find a way, any which way we can’.”
With the likes of Hawkins and Dangerfield below their best, King says Geelong’s middle-rung of players must begin to step up as they did last year to get the side rolling this campaign.
“I’m looking at the next rung of players,” King said.
(Jack) Bowes … I want to see if (Tyson) Stengle can return to form.
“Otherwise you’re relying on names that are just another year older than last year.
"It’s up to the Cats to make a bit of a statement, the Hawks are well coached and organised.
“You just think you think the Cats say, ‘We cannot afford to give Hawthorn a sniff here’, and try to put it to bed as early as they can."
While they’re currently struggling at 0-3, SEN’s Sam Edmund believes the alarm bells will truly start ringing if the Cats drop this game to the Hawks, a team that’s clearly rebuilding and considered many a wooden spoon chance this season.
“They’ve just been so off their tucker, it’s amazing,” Edmund said.
“We’re just trying to find signs of life at Geelong.
“If they slip to 0-4, there’ll be all kinds of alarm bells and that’ll be the story this week.”
The Easter Monday clash to wrap up Round 4 at the MCG begins at 3:20 pm.