GEELONG CATS vs HAWTHORN HAWKS
Round 22 - 7:40PM Saturday, August 23 @ MCG

A match between Geelong and Hawthorn is normally a main event, especially in a Saturday night showdown at the MCG. With the two teams almost certain to clash in just two weeks time, it is shaping as more of a matinee performance. The penultimate round of the home and away season is the second last opportunity for Chris Scott and Alastair Clarkson to experiment with their team and tactics. They will, however, hold their cards close to their chest in the knowledge that finals are just a fortnight away. The stakes are never higher than in September and both coaches will want an ace up their sleeve to play when it counts.

KEY MATCH-UP
HAMISH McINTOSH vs DAVID HALE
Hamish McIntosh spent an entire season waiting patiently on the sidelines before making his debut in the blue and white hoops in round one this year. The recurring injuries that restricted him to just seven games in three seasons have not been an issue for the former Kangaroo. McIntosh has played 17 of a possible 20 games and secured the number one role in a ruck combination that has varied considerably during the season. He is the fifth ranked ruckman for possessions, averaging 14 per game, and can also be threatening as a forward. Against the Hawks in round five McIntosh started the match in the goal square, stretching the undersized Hawthorn defence.

David Hale was once a teammate and support ruckman for McIntosh at North Melbourne. He joined the Hawks in 2010 and has played a similar role, rotating between the ruck and forward line. Retired ruckman Max Bailey was the most consistently substituted player at Hawthorn, regularly donning the red vest at three quarter time and relinquishing the ruck responsibilities to Hale. Ben McEvoy was brought in this year as Bailey’s replacement, but the emergence of Jonathon Ceglar has created genuine competition among the big men at Hawthorn. Hale’s ability to score sets him apart. He has kicked 14 goals this year, ranking second in the AFL among regular ruckmen, and scored his career best tally of eight goals against Geelong back in 2008. As one of three ruckmen fighting for two spots in September, Hale will want to cause the Cats headaches again on Saturday.

LAST TIME THEY MET
Round 5 - Monday April 21 @ MCG
Geelong 15.16 (106)
Hawthorn 12.15 (87)

Easter Monday has fast become a traditional fixture that the entire football would awaits with great anticipation. Following the five point preliminary final ending Kennet’s curse in 2013, the round five match between Geelong and Hawthorn met all expectations. The margin did not exceed three goals in the first three quarters and just eight points separated the sides at the final break. The Hawks kicked two goals to lead the game five minutes into the final term before Tom Hawkins single-handedly turned the contest on its head. He kicked three goals in a run of four for the Cats, taking his tally to five majors for the match. Steven Johnson gathered a game-high 34 disposals and put the result beyond doubt when he kicked his third goal in the closing minutes of the game.

DID YOU KNOW?
The Cats are making the most of their nine lives, having won eight games this season by 13 points or less. The ability to clinch close games has helped Geelong win the 14 matches they have played in Victoria this season. They are the only team in the competition with an unbeaten record in their home state.