I DIDN'T watch the game. This will come as a shock, but we Sicilians are an ancient people. Our historic collective memory has been passed down over one thousand generations - along with various eerie Sicilian powers, one of which is a vague and uncontrollable ability to see into the future.

As I switched on the telly just after noon on Saturday (Perth time), I saw everything unfold before my very eyes in a flash. Geelong would dominate possession in the first half, generating a great deal of drive, but fail to capitalise. Tired and frustrated, the Cats would be unnerved by Hawthorn's efficiency and accuracy - it's an injustice, they would realise whenever the Hawks goaled against the tide, and injustice makes people angry. And angry people make stupid mistakes. I saw the game slip away from the GFC in the second half, and all the hard work of the season turn to dust. I knew the result of the game before the first bounce, and - being, as I am, against gambling, didn't rush down to the local TAB.

I switched off the telly and watched a film about Meyer Lansky.

So there's not a lot I can tell you about the game you don't already know. For a few weeks I liked the idea of Tom Hawkins coming in as a third focal point, thinking two key forwards were not enough. I railed against the decision to drop Wojcinski, whose experience, dash and drive was missed. So what can I say about what went wrong? You can't kick 1.9 in a term and expect to win. You can't play only two tall forwards and hope neither goes missing.

Anyway - they're a great side those Hawks. I look forward to the Cats playing them in next season's grand final.

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