Live: Quick Cats have Hawks on the ropes early in Easter Monday blockbuster

Cameron has his second, but he has Mr Sicily to thank for this one. The Hawks skipper went for an ambitious centering kick out of defence, but did so in an incredibly lazy fashion.

It was a horrible shanked turnover at the top of the Geelong 50, and it only took a couple of handballs and a short kick to find Cameron alone in the goalsquare.

That might just about be Watson’s first touch of the game, but it’s a telling one. The little fella was front and centre of the big pack and only needed a step to get his snap away.

Turns out that electric pace was sustainable. This game is incredible.

Another free kick leads to another Geelong centre clearance, but the kick to find Dangerfield on the lead was perfect.

The skipper converts with ease from 40 out and suddenly it’s a 23-point lead for the Cats.

Jarman Impey is fuming at the umpire, as is his captain James Sicily. The Hawks though Impey had taken a mark or was infringed upon at their defensive 50 arc, but no whistle came and Cameron scored from the subsequent turnover.

The crowd is right into this one.

Some days just feel made for footy. This is one of those.

The weather report made have warned of possible showers, but the skies are as clear as Patrick Dangerfield’s ahead of goal.

And these are two sides tailor made to put on a show. The close, tight game is giving fans just what they came for.

Although, despite it being a Geelong ‘home’ game, but the crowd seems tilted towards Hawthorn.

It’s also deafening when Hawks go forward towards goals.

Ok, on to the second quarter…

Serious game of footy this. Geelong probably good value for its 11-point lead, but in saying that Hawthorn absolutely torched some looks late in that quarter.

Chol hit the post from 20 metres out, Jack Gunston missed one sitter and put another out on the full. The Hawks take a bit of momentum to the break with them but the Cats will be comfortable with the body of work so far.

The Cats are moving the ball really effectively and are getting some good looks at goal with big forwards staying deep. A long kick found Stanley out the back of the defence, and his contested mark was strong.

Good signs in this first term from Geelong.

I tell you what, this game is being played at an absurd pace. It’s completely unsustainable, but it’s heaps of fun right now.

The ball is flying end to end so quickly and just about every tackle is sticking. Geelong just launched from defensive 50 through in the blink of an eye, and when Close found Dangerfield 30 from goal there was only one outcome. Crowd is going bananas.

And just like that, Hawthorn takes the lead! Two centre bounce clearances lead to two goals, with Mackenzie’s long entry finding Jack Gunston who took a two-grab mark.

Gunston kicked six in the defeat to Port last week. He looks to be carrying that form into this one already.

A good response from the Hawks, who through some repeat entries of their own earn Hardwick a set shot from a tight angle.

Light work for the swingman though. Beautiful snap from tight on the line to get the Hawks up and running.

More good tackling, this time in the middle of the ground from Geelong. Worpel dragged the ball underneath him and was pounced upon.

Bailey Smith received the ball and laced out a leading Dempsey, whose shot on goal snuck inside the left goalpost. Cats owning the clearances.

Excellent pressure from the stoppage there from Geelong, with Mannagh sticking the tackle on D’Ambrosio and winning the holding the ball free directly in front of goal.

He wasted little time in snapping through the game’s opening goal. Cats starting well.

Geelong has had a couple of half-chances on goal, but neither Cameron or Dangerfield has been able to score with their hurried shots.

Ball living in their end though, aided by some Hawthorn turnovers.

The ball is in the air and this highly anticipated game is off and running. Atmosphere is absolutely humming already, stages don’t get much bigger than this.

Both sides have taken to the field, the Cats with a smile and a laugh and the Hawks with faces of thunder.

Expect this one to get a little feisty and physical. Five minutes until the bounce.

As the ladder sits right now this is a battle between sixth and seventh, but both sides have the potential of finishing up the season much higher than that.

They do come into this one off the back of vastly different Gather Round experiences, with the Cats claiming notching a seriously impressive win over Adelaide and the Hawks being blown out of the water early by Port.

Before that weekend though Hawthorn was 4-0 and Geelong 2-2. It feels like this game is going to go a long way to determining how we view each of these sides for the next couple of months.

I think everyone feared the worst last night when Sam Darcy’s knee hyperextended and he hobbled from the field. The Bulldogs certainly suspected an ACL rupture was on the cards, but scans today have turned out some good news.

There is no ACL damage for Darcy, though he wil still need surgery on what is being described as a broken knee. It’s not a good injury, and he’ll still be doing well to get back this year. But it could have been worse.

Gasps of shock and horror ring out around the MCG at the news the Cats, of all teams, have made a last-minute change before this game.

Oisin Mullin has not come up from his hip niggle and has been pulled out of this one, with Ted Clohesy in for him.

Clohesy will be Geelong’s sub and Changkuoth Jiath will start in the vest for Hawthorn.

G’day, and welcome back to ABC Sport’s live blog coverage of the 2025 AFL season. We’ve got one of the marquee fixtures of the year on our hands today, with Geelong and Hawthorn set to lock horns at the MCG in the traditional Easter Monday clash.

We’re expecting a massive crowd in on what looks to be a perfect Melbourne afternoon, for a game between two of the league’s heavy hitters. I’m not sure you could ask for much more. So keep the blog handy as we take you through all the action from siren to siren and beyond.