After every game since his junior footy days Tom Hawkins’ phone lights up on cue with some advice from former Cat, and grandfather on his Mum Jennie’s side, Fred Le Duex.
According to Hawkins, it’s usually something about having given up too many goals to others, Fred’s advice can be of the old school variety, but he always ends with the same message.
His catchphrase: Head down, arse up.
It’s how Hawkins, who’ll play his 30th career final this weekend, and Geelong will be approaching the week ahead of their Qualifying Final on Saturday against the Magpies. But it’s not all business, with the prospect of playing in front of a packed MCG still sprinkling its magic dust on the 2022 All-Australian captain.
“I can't wait,” he said this week.
“I know there's been a lot of talk about the first final and the fact that we finished on top and where we'd host it but purely from a player's point of view if you strip everything right back as an individual I can't wait.
“We're going to get, 80,000, it was a sell-out within 24 hours it seems so it's huge."
Like the rest of the footy world, Hawkins spent the Sunday before last watching Collingwood and Carlton battle it out in front of a packed house and it's wet his appetite for that unique finals feel that only the MCG can bring.
"There's certainly a lot of excitement amongst the group about getting back on the MCG," he said.
The Cats finished on top of the League ladder this season after reeling off 13 wins in a row – the last loss coming back in round 9 against St.Kilda, but for Hawkins, it may be a cliché, he’ll continue to take it one week at a time.
"As a player I know how hard premierships are to win so we keep fronting up, we do the work to get ourselves in the position, and we give ourselves another opportunity and that's what we're excited about,” Hawkins said.
"There's ultimately going to be one winner in about five weeks and we hope that's us and we believe that our best football is certainly well and truly good enough but there's three, potentially four games to worry about before then so we're at the starting line and let's see where we can go with it."
One thing’s for certain, down at Kardinia Park, Grandpa Fred’s advice is the way of the week.
