The only game on Monday for AFL Round 5 is between Geelong Cats and Hawthorn Hawks. The match is to be played at MCG with the opening bounce set to commence at 3.20pm with away team Hawthorn Hawks currently holding favouritism in the market. View our AFL live scores, odds and results for the game between Geelong Cats and Hawthorn Hawks.

Round: Round 5, Monday, April 21, 3.20pm
Stadium: MCG
Weather: 21° Shower or two.

Preview:
The last match of Round 5 is the best, with the Cats taking on the Hawks on Easter Monday, 3.20PM at the MCG. This is a 1st plays 2nd encounter, with one of these teams set to lose their perfect 4-0 record. While the Hawks are favourites to win this game, this one really could go either way. Geelong’s Steve Johnson will play a big role, with the star player averaging 31.25 possessions per game.

While Geelong have won 11 of their past 13 clashes with Hawthorn, the Cats will be desperate to avenge their five-point loss in last year’s preliminary final, not to mention the 2008 Grand Final. No matter who your barracking for, however, fans of either team can get ready to enjoy what is one of the biggest rivalries in the AFL.

Teams:

Geelong Cats:

B: A.Mackie, T.Lonergan, C.Guthrie

HB: J.Rivers, H.Taylor, T.Hunt

C: J.Kelly, S.Johnson, M.Stokes

HF: M.Duncan, M.Blicavs, J.Murdoch

F: T.Varcoe, T.Hawkins, G.Burbury

Foll: H.McIntosh, J.Bartel, J.Selwood

I/C (from): J.Sheringham, J.Schroder, C.Enright, G.Horlin-Smith, D.Simpson, J.Walker, J.Thurlow

IN: J.Sheringham, J.Schroder, J.Walker, J.Thurlow

OUT: J.Caddy

Hawthorn Hawks:

B: K.Cheney, J.Gibson, B.Stratton

HB: M.Suckling, L.Hodge, G.Birchall

C: B.Hill, S.Mitchell, I.Smith

HF: J.Simpkin, J.Gunston, C.Rioli

F: L.Breust, J.Roughead, P.Puopolo

Foll: D.Hale, J.Lewis, S.Burgoyne

I/C (from): W.Langford, B.McEvoy, M.Hallahan, T.Duryea, J.Ceglar, J.Anderson, B.Lake

IN: B.Lake, B.McEvoy, B.Stratton, M.Hallahan, J.Anderson

OUT: M.Spangher, L.Shiels

News:

There are big games and there are really big games, and Geelong-Hawthorn clashes fit into the second category.

On Easter Monday the defending premiers Hawthorn will face Geelong, who’ve defeated the Hawks in 11 of their past 12 AFL meetings.

Both sides are unbeaten after four rounds, with Hawthorn sitting on top of the bookies’ markets for the flag.

“It’s always a little bit different for the really big games,” Geelong coach Chris Scott told reporters on Tuesday.

“Most good clubs pride themselves on their consistency of process, and we’re not different to that, to an extent.

“But we do embrace the big occasions. We really value players who stand up on the big stage against the best opposition, and this will be a big stage and they will be very good opposition.

“We’re all just so proud to be part of this era and this rivalry.

“I can’t imagine a better time to be a Geelong or a Hawthorn supporter. I think we will all look back on this era and recognise it as one of the great times in football history.

“It’s a stand-alone game on Easter Monday at the MCG. I can’t imagine wanting for a bigger occasion to come and see two good teams go hard at each other.”

In the past decade Geelong have won premierships in 2007, 2009 and 2011, while the Hawks have claimed flags in 2008 and 2013.

The two clubs clashed in one of the great grand finals of the game’s history in 1989. However their recent rivalry kicked off when Hawthorn beat the Cats in the 2008 grand final.

In round one of 2009, the Cats began an 11-match winning run against Hawthorn that was broken in last year’s preliminary final.

The preliminary-final margin was five points and no doubt it sits heavily on the hearts of some of Geelong’s star players.

“We’ll be trying absolutely as hard as we can in this game, and previous results don’t influence that too much,” Scott said.

“But if it means something for some of our players, and we can use that as a positive, then I’m not going to work against it.”

Scott says the Hawks are playing great footy.

“They probably looked at their fixture and saw they played Essendon and Fremantle and Geelong in the first five rounds and knew they needed to be up and going, which clearly they are,” Geelong’s 2011 premiership mentor said.

“No one uses the ball better or attacks better than Hawthorn, but we give ourselves some chance of winning the game.”