Geelong coach Chris Scott said he was embarrassed by his own team’s supporters after they jeered struggling forward Tom Hawkins during Saturday’s AFL win over Port Adelaide.
Cats skipper Joel Selwood gathered 28 possessions and kicked a career-high four goals in his side’s 20.9 (129) to 16.8 (104) win at Simonds Stadium before a lively crowd of almost 25,000.
The result gives the Cats a win-loss record of 15-4 as they pursue a top-two finish, while Port remain in the eight on 11-8.
Port’s ex-Bomber Angus Monfries kicked a personal-best seven goals and ruckman Matthew Lobbe had 59 hitouts in a massive effort.
Geelong’s Nathan Vardy and Josh Walker couldn’t contain the influence of Lobbe, although Scott said both of his young ruckmen were capable of playing key roles in the finals campaign.
Scott expressed his anger in his post-match interview with Fox Footy over the treatment of 2012 club champion Hawkins, who has been carrying a back complaint and has failed to kick more than one goal in each of the club’s past two games.
Geelong’s key forwards James Podsiadly (two goals) and Hawkins had limited impact on the match as Selwood and tall utility Harry Taylor (three goals) led the goalscoring for the home side.
“I heard some of our supporters almost come out with the bronx cheers,” Scott said.
“It’s embarrassing. It’s embarrassing for all of Geelong.
“We’ve got some pretty ugly supporters, if that’s the case.
“They’ve been well looked after for a long period of time and we expect better.”
Geelong’s No.1 ruckman Dawson Simpson suffered a season-ending knee injury two weeks ago, but Scott says the Cats are still in good shape in the ruck department.
And the 2011 premiership coach said the Cats could take plenty of positives out of their 25-point win, despite Port finishing strongly by scoring the last six goals of the game after the visitors trailed by 63 points early in the final term.
“I’d rather be 60 points up and let them have a few cheap ones at the end of the game,” Scott said.
“We’re taking the glass half-full approach, unlike some.”
Scott told the media conference that Hawkins was a handful for any opposition side.
“We’re comfortable with what Tom’s giving us but no one in our team has a gold ticket,” Scott said.
“We’d like and Tom would like to be playing a little bit better, but I didn’t think he was disgraceful by any stretch.”
Port coach Ken Hinkley said his side were taught a lesson in the first half by the Cats, but fought back well with 12 goals to Geelong’s eight in the second half.
“They (Geelong) are possibly going to finish on top of the ladder,” Hinkley said.
