Hawthorn have come from behind to defeat Geelong by one point in another Easter Monday classic.
The Hawks trailed by six points with less than two minutes remaining but Mitch Lewis took a big mark and kicked truly before Jack Gunston managed to scrap home a point with less than 15 seconds remaining to seal the incredible 13.14 (92) to 14.7 (91) victory.
Geelong forward Shannon Neale looked like he was going to be the hero when he kicked a clutch goal to put the Cats up by six points with 90 seconds remaining. .
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But the Hawks won the next centre clearance and the ball ended up in Lewis’ hands and he levelled it up.
The Cats won the final centre clearance, but Hawks skipper James Sicily took a contested mark and then quickly switched as the Hawks surged forward.
The ball bounced around before Gunston managed to throw his boot at the loose ball and hit the post to kick the best point of his career.
Gunston had earlier left the field with a hamstring issue, but managed to return.
“Gunners just whispered in my ear, ‘that’s the best point I’ve ever kicked’,” Lewis told Channel 7 after the match.
“Obviously he was a little bit sore but for him to come back and play on Tom Stewart in that last quarter and keep him quiet, and then do that, it was pretty special.”
Gunston allayed fears of a hamstring injury, by saying he think he cramped in the third quarter when he appeared to pull up short.
“I think it’s cramp, probably I put a bit of mayo on it,” he said with a laugh.
On the match-winning moments, Gunston said: “I hate points, but it was a nice one … it was pretty frantic there just trying get it forward, get a boot on the ball and hit the post.”
The Cats had opened up a 13-point lead with eight minutes remaining when Mark Blicavs kicked a brilliant snap on the left.
But the Hawks immediately hit back as Nick Watson slotted a stunning snap before Mabior Chol reduced the margin to a single point.
Chol then nearly went from hero to zero after missing two gettable chances as the Hawks went ahead by a point.
Geelong superstar Jeremy Cameron looked like he was going to be the hero when he launched a long bomb from beyond the arc, but it just fell short and probably should have been marked by teammate Neale in the goalsquare as the ball spilled through to level the scores.
The Cats had a couple more chances before Neale’s big moment looked like being the match-winner.
But the Hawks weren’t done as they kicked a goal and a point in the frantic finish.
The Hawks will sweat on Sicily’s right shoulder and Gunston’s right hamstring ahead of Saturday’s Gather Round blockbuster with the unbeaten Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval.
Evergreen Gunston worked over Jack Henry and kicked 3.4 while Watson kicked three superb goals and Jack Ginnivan (two goals) was lively.
Josh Ward (29 disposals) provided a superb presence around the ball, especially in the first half while Connor Macdonald (26) was excellent when it counted.
For Geelong, Bailey Smith (33 disposals) worked tirelessly in midfield, with support from Max Holmes (27 disposals) and Tanner Bruhn (26) while Tom Stewart was strong down back and Mitch Edwards held his own in the ruck.
Cats gun Gryan Miers had a fitness test before the game but played.
Hawthorn flew out of the blocks in Sam Mitchell’s 100th match as coach and would have felt they deserved more than their eight-point quarter-time lead.
There were five lead changes in the second quarter alone, with the highlight coming when Watson burst through traffic and kicked a remarkable goal from just inside the boundary.
Geelong led by nine at halftime and after the Cats spurned multiple chances to extend their lead in the third term, Ginnivan put the Hawks in front by four – the game’s seventh lead change – with a shot after the siren.
After a tense start to the final term, Geelong kicked three goals on the spin to build their 13-point lead.
But the Hawks always looked capable of a surge and delivered one for the ages.
Geelong face West Coast at Norwood Oval on Sunday.
– With AAP
