GEELONG forward Tom Hawkins has kicked eight goals in the 681 minutes he has played on Hawthorn defender Brian Lake since the two first faced off in 2009.
A fortnight ago, Hawkins and Lake went head-to-head for the eighth time in what became an engrossing 110-minute battle.
Hawkins kicked three goals and opened up opportunities for teammates in that round 21 clash but Lake took the points in Hawthorn's victory and, in the meantime, re-asserted himself as a vital player in the Hawks' premiership tilt.
The contest also gave Geelong – who lost Hawkins' sidekick Shane Kersten early in that game to a hamstring injury – an obvious question to answer in relation to its forward structure ahead of its date with the Hawks in this week's qualifying final.
Which tall – if any – should it play inside 50 to support the 26-year-old?
Geelong has two fit options in Josh Walker and Mitch Brown, as well as the possibility of Kersten returning from injury.
Geelong coach Chris Scott has taken a positive approach to the dilemma, saying it's always better to make such decisions with more than one option available.
In 13 games with Walker alongside him, Hawkins has averaged 6.8 marks per game and 3.6 goals per game. His record with Brown in the team is good too, averaging 6.4 marks and 3.1 goals in the 13 games alongside Brown.
Hawkins' record is not so strong alongside Kersten, as 'The Tomahawk' averages six marks and 2.2 goals in the eight games with Kersten.
Those statistics, of course, may be due to Hawkins getting more rather than less support from Kersten, who was impressive before he tired six weeks ago.
Certainly Geelong has a good winning record with Brown in the team. He has played in 13 wins alongside Hawkins. The only losing game in which Brown has played was when Hawkins was out of the team in round 15, 2011.
Although he is mobile, Brown has kicked just four goals in his four senior games this season, with Hawkins kicking 14 when Brown has been lurking alongside him inside 50.
Brown has kicked just two goals in eight games away from Simonds Stadium and only scored two behinds in two games at the MCG.
Walker has kicked just seven goals in five games in 2014 but Hawkins kicked 20 goals with Walker in the team, although the Cats have lost two of those five games he played.
Hawkins kicked 20 goals in nine matches and took an average of six marks a game alongside Kersten in nine games this season.
Kersten kicked nine goals in his first four games but tired to only manage one in his past five games as his influence waned. The Cats won seven of his nine games.
Even with all those statistics, it remains a judgment call as to who the Cats are better off playing alongside Hawkins.
WHO SHOULD PARTNER TOMAHAWK?
| HAWKINS | MATCHES | GOALS | BEHINDS | MARKS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| With Kersten | 9 | 20 (2.2 avg) | 12 (1.3) | 54 (6.0) |
| With Walker | 13 | 47 (3.6) | 21 (1.6) | 89 (6.8) |
| With Brown | 13 | 40 (3.1) | 17 (1.3) | 83 (6.4) |
After the game Scott praised both Brown and Walker for their efforts on Saturday night and gave no indication as to which way he was leaning, if in fact one of the two will be chosen to play the supporting role.
"Walker took some really strong marks in the contest and Brown looked really dangerous up forward. It's been a hard one for them during the year because we have preferred Kersten at times. They're really well and truly in the frame to play in a final," Scott said.
Scott seems relaxed. He said on Monday the team is not dependent on Hawkins performing well but he knows if the big man plays well the Cats are much better.
Although the 26-year-old stands out like a convenience store at night inside 50, Scott's confidence comes because Hawkins has had some handy support. Four players other than the big forward have kicked more than 20 goals this season.
Jimmy Bartel has been excellent up forward in 2014, kicking 24 goals, averaging 22 disposals and making 90 tackles while Jordan Murdoch has kicked 21 goals in 21 games, providing pace outside the contest. Joel Selwood (21 goals) and Mitch Duncan (22 goals) have also chipped in.
The other X-factor for the Cats is Steve Johnson, who is likely to return from a foot injury this week.
Although Johnson has played in the midfield for most of the season, his recent absence means the Cats could contemplate using him more inside 50 during the finals.
He has won a Norm Smith Medal and kicked 37 goals in 22 finals to build a formidable reputation for strong performances in big games.
He's an interesting player, given he gets more external plaudits than internal (Johnson has never finished higher than sixth in the club best and fairest but has been three times an All Australian).
Having Johnson inside 50 would certainly occupy Hawthorn defenders, as he is the sort of unpredictable player that becomes even more vital in finals played during this robotic age.
He kicked four in the 2013 preliminary final as the Cats relied on medium-sized forwards to kick goals in last year's finals series.
Imagine him playing as the second tallish forward, with the Cats eschewing Kersten, Walker and Brown to unsettle Hawthorn defender Josh Gibson.
The final option is for Harry Taylor to play forward, as he did late in the game against the Hawks. Taylor, however, has kicked just two goals this season and spent 95 per cent of his time in defence. He appears to be the 'smash in the case of emergency' option.
The Cats' versatility means the options are endless but Scott has four days to make his call public.
If Scott knows which way he is heading he was not about to reveal it on Saturday night or Monday.
"We've got some decisions to make," Scott said.
