The day in Melbourne began with a rather overcast sky, but the clouds have cleared, allowing the sun to illuminate the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
We anticipate an attendance of approximately 80,000 fans, with the stands gradually filling with a vibrant mix of brown, gold, blue, and white.
A sense of hope and excitement fills the atmosphere, with many supporters eager for an exhilarating Easter Monday showdown. Fans are simply hoping for a tightly contested match, aren’t they?
As for the football enthusiasts, how are you feeling about the upcoming game?
Carlton is scheduled to appear before the AFL Tribunal this week, aiming to challenge a suspension issued to one of their players.
Hayward received a one-match suspension from the Match Review Officer for striking George Wardlaw during Carlton’s defeat to North Melbourne on Good Friday.
If you missed it, here’s a recap of the incident:
Good news for Zach Reid, who is expected to return to play next week after tests showed no serious hamstring injury.
Essendon has faced a series of injury setbacks in recent times, but this update brings a glimmer of hope.
Reid is likely to participate next weekend, despite having to sit out the final quarter of the match against the Bulldogs due to hamstring awareness.
Essendon head coach Brad Scott explained that the decision to rest Reid was made out of an abundance of caution, given his history with hamstring problems throughout his five seasons in the league.
The Bombers are also anticipating the return of key players for their upcoming Gather Round match against Melbourne next week.
Tim English suffered an MCL injury during the Bulldogs’ 34-point victory over Essendon.
The Western Bulldogs are dealing with some setbacks following a challenging win over the Bombers.
After their 34-point triumph on Sunday night, the Bulldogs are preparing to cope without their All-Australian duo for an extended period.
Richards was withdrawn from the match against Essendon, and subsequent scans have revealed an issue with the tendon behind his knee.
Further evaluations will be necessary to establish a timeline for his recovery.
English is also contending with a knee injury related to his medial collateral ligament (MCL) and will undergo additional assessments within the next 48 hours.
Both Hawthorn and Geelong will field the originally selected teams this afternoon at the MCG.
Here’s a look at the line-ups for the Easter Monday matchup:
Hawthorn and Geelong’s team line-ups for today’s clash at the MCG.
These two teams have a rich history of competing in significant matches at the MCG against each other, with Geelong having the upper hand in their recent encounters.
Here’s a summary of their last five meetings:
Geelong 17.13 (115) defeated Hawthorn 13.7 (85) @ MCG
Geelong 12.14 (86) defeated Hawthorn 11.13 (79) @ MCG
Geelong 16.14 (110) defeated Hawthorn 9.5 (59) @ Kardinia Park
Geelong 17.4 (106) defeated Hawthorn 10.10 (70) @ MCG
Geelong 19.13 (127) defeated Hawthorn 6.9 (45) @ MCG
Good afternoon and welcome to ABC Sport’s live coverage of the AFL!
We hope everyone has had a wonderful Easter weekend. What a thrilling way to conclude the festivities this afternoon as Hawthorn takes on Geelong at the MCG.
This traditional Easter Monday match is typically a highly anticipated event, and today’s clash is expected to live up to that reputation.
Stay tuned for all the latest updates leading up to the kickoff, which is set for 3:15 PM AEST.
As Hawthorn and Geelong prepare for their customary Easter Monday face-off at the MCG, the Western Bulldogs have received unfortunate news.
Follow our live blog for real-time updates and statistics, and tune into our live radio coverage.
