GEELONG withstood everything Hawthorn could throw at them to win a hard-fought slog by 11 points at the MCG last night.
As a contest, it was a game worth waiting 17 rounds for. So high was the pressure that the ball was turned over constantly, but, 10 minutes in the first term aside, it was an absorbing back-and-forth struggle. That burst was the only time the Cats got the turbo-charge operating and the four unanswered goals it produced were more than double the final winning margin.
Jimmy Bartel was great for the Cats, as were Corey Enright and Joel Selwood. They were given a good start from the ruck by Brad Ottens.
It was close everywhere, though. Sam Mitchell was not far behind Bartel for the Hawks, his commitment typified as he, Michael Osborne and Ottens all dived headlong for a ground-level ball, leaving the Hawks with a free kick and a groggy Osborne being helped from the ground.
Lance Franklin could have won it for the Hawks, but four goals from nine scoring shots was not a productive return. Andrew Mackie started on him but then Matthew Scarlett took over. "Buddy" still got plenty of the ball, but the Cats' tight defensive unit made sure there was always at least one other there to help Scarlett. In the end, numbers told - four out of nine for Franklin, many critical contests won by the Geelong defence.
Former West Coast skipper Ben Cousins will return to Perth next week to train with WAFL clubs as he steps up his bid to make an AFL comeback next year.
Cousins met with his management company, Flying Start, in Melbourne yesterday. The troubled AFL star is in Melbourne working on a documentary. "While Cousins will not be playing in 2008 he will return to Perth shortly and commence training with WAFL clubs East Fremantle and Perth as he keeps his options open in the hope of a return to the AFL in 2009," Flying Start said in a statement.
"Cousins will not be training with VFL club Port Melbourne while in Melbourne." The 2005 Brownlow medallist signed with Port Melbourne late last month. However, he is unlikely to play with them this season.