Geelong has thumped Hawthorn in their match simulation, storming to a 21.12 (138) to 7.11 (53) lead after four of eight periods at GMHBA Stadium on Thursday, but it was not without injury concern.

Hawthorn booted the opening goal of the match with a scintillating counterattack play, but it was a procession for the Cats from then on, with many of their premiership players thriving along with some new additions.

It wasn’t all good news for the Cats, however, with key position utility Jack Henry coming from the ground with a foot concern, reportedly the same issue that saw him undergo foot surgery ahead of last year’s season.

Henry had been used primarily forward in the match before the injury, with the 24-year-old potentially covering for Tom Hawkins, who will miss at least the first round.

A VFL contingent followed for the next four quarters. The Cats face Brisbane in next week’s practice match, while Hawthorn takes on Collingwood.

PERIOD-BY-PERIOD RECAP

New Hawks skipper James Sicily was lethal with his opening touch, with his kick the start of a great scoring chain that was finished off by a Jarman Impey goal on the run.

Some quintessential finishing from Jeremy Cameron saw him slam through a goal and new recruit Ollie Henry just missed in his chance for the next major.

New recruit Fergus Greene hit the scoreboard early, kicking the Hawks’ second goal.

Henry made the most of his next opportunity and got on the board with a major.

“It’s death by a million cuts at the moment for the Cats,” Michael Barlow said on Fox Footy.

“They’ve added a bit of polish and link play with Jack Bowes. Gryan Miers, small pressure forward, Brad Close, small pressure forward, Tyson Stengle, class act small forward.

“Bowes looks to be playing that high half-forward role, which needs a high capacity to run and work and link between the arcs.”

Two more goals followed quickly as the Cats generated plenty of space inside their forward 50 on counterattack.

Mark Blicavs made it four unanswered majors for his side, while down back Esava Ratugolea was impressive down back with several intercepting plays.

The Cats took a 20-point lead into quarter-time.

Already looming large in front of goal, Cameron showed off his footy smarts with a deft tap in the forward 50 that helped set up another goal.

It took some good work at ground level from Jacob Koschitzke to finally hit back for the Hawks, ending a run of seven straight opposition goals.

A clean pick up and finish saw Henry net his second goal, while Cameron chimed in shortly after.

The Hawks were quickly being left in the dust by the reigning premiers, with the ease of scoring for the Cats in line with how teams had scored against Sam Mitchell’s side for large portions of 2022.

Geelong took a 43-point lead into the half-time break - 12.7 (79) to 4.5 (29).

Tyson Stengle had the GMHBA crowd on their feet with an amazing finish from the boundary line early in the third quarter.

“A special finish from Tyson Stengle!”, commentator Ben Waterworth exclaimed.

Cameron booted his third goal of the match shortly after.

“You feel for (Hawks defender) James Blanck, it’s been coming through like a tsunami,” Michael Barlow said watching on.

Cameron helped set up another goal for Henry, his third.

Tanner Bruhn kicked a goal right on the three-quarter time siren, helping the Cats break the ton on the scoreboard.

Geelong entered the fourth term with the match in hand and as a result rested a number of their premiership stars.

Dylan Moore was a shining light for the Hawks as he kicked his third goal of the match and nearly had a fourth.

He and Sicily both looked a bit worse for wear in the quarter after some knocks, coming from the ground.

Both were fine, however, as the Cats strolled to an 85-point lead by the time the fourth period came to a close.

THE 3-2-1

3) CATS’ FORWARD LINE PURS

It‘s a pretty scary sign when Tom Hawkins is missing from the lineup and the Cats still score with ease.

Jeremy Cameron loomed large as he always does, but the support brigade did plenty of damage, led by Tyson Stengle and new recruit Ollie Henry.

Granted, Hawthorn‘s defensive ability isn’t exactly renowned under Sam Mitchell so far, but the vacant space the Cats found on counterattack was extraordinary.

Henry looked lively every time he got near the ball and had an immediate impact in the side‘s forward line, giving it a significantly different look.

That‘s without Hawkins and Gary Rohan, who both bolster the side’s attacking prowess, while Patrick Dangerfield spent a fair bit of his time in the middle.

We thought it going in, but Thursday probably just reinforced the fact Geelong has an embarrassment of riches in its attacking 50.

It’s a rock solid lineup in the back six, too, which will make it tough for a player like Esava Ratugolea to cement his spot despite an impressive showing on Thursday.

Ratugolea took several intercept marks and was desperately close to more, but could find himself without a place in the senior side given its sheer depth.

“It‘s a tricky one to pop into a back six that’s so solidified,” Barlow said.

“They are giving him every chance though, Jack Henry has gone forward.

“It’ll be the adage that 28-to-31 don’t go into 22.”

2) HORRORSHOW FOR HAWKS

No one was expecting Hawthorn to come out and beat Geelong in Geelong, or perhaps even get close, but the defensive lapses from last year were on full display early on.

The Hawks have made no secret they‘re rebuilding and the loss of experience from the side last year always meant a pretty torrid year was in store, so it’s hard to get to disappointed with something that you went into eyes wide open.

Still, there were passages where the Cats were simply toying with their prey, strolling into their forward 50 and virtually picking who they wanted to put through the major.

“A lot of it has come down to the basics of the game,” Michael Barlow told Fox Footy.

“The missed tackles, the inability to compete one-on-one in the air. That‘s a bit of physical development.

“Game style can‘t be dissected too much today. Hawthorn getting Geelong off the back of a premiership, still high-flying, at Geelong, there’s probably no bigger contest for them to have to shape up for.

“The realistic nature of Sam Mitchell would be that they need to do some work in one-on-one contests.”

1) NEW RECRUITS SHINE

As if winning the flag wasn’t enough, the Cats’ three trade recruits all offered even more to the side in their first official hitout.

The standout was Ollie Henry, with the former Pie booting four goals and looking incredibly lively in the forward half.

Jack Bowes showed his class at various stages in the opening half, too, while Tanner Bruhn had passages of hard-nosed play to compliment the side’s mid-forward brigade.

“There‘s obviously a big squeeze,” Barlow said.

“You’ve got to look at who’s available from their premiership side last year, you’d imagine 19 to 20 get the nod there. Tom Hawkins is obviously out so Ollie Henry becomes more likely.

“Knowing Jack Bowes, having spent a couple of seasons with him, he’s as impressive a draftee as I saw coming through.

“Really hard-working, humble, clean player ... he could explode.”

As if the Cats needed anything more going for them.

SQUADS

Cats

1. Rhys Stanley, 2. Zach Tuohy, 3. Brandan Parfitt, 4. Tanner Bruhn, 5. Jeremy Cameron, 7. Isaac Smith, 8. Jake Kolodjashnij, 9. Max Holmes, 10. Mitchell Knevitt, 11. Cooper Whyte, 12. Jack Bowes, 13. Jhye Clark, 15. Jonathon Ceglar, 16. Sam De Koning, 17. Esava Ratugolea, 18. Tyson Stengle, 21. Osca Riccardi, 24. Jed Bews, 27. Sam Menegola, 28. Ollie Dempsey, 29. Cameron Guthrie, 30. Tom Atkins, 31. Oscar Murdoch, 32. Gryan Miers, 34. Oisin Mullin, 35. Patrick Dangerfield, 36. Ollie Henry, 38. Jack Henry, 39. Zachary Guthrie, 40. Ted Clohesy, 42. Mark O’Connor, 44. Tom Stewart, 45. Brad Close, 46. Mark Blicavs

Notable absentees: Mitch Duncan, Tom Hawkins, Gary Rohan, Sam Simpson

VFL listed players to feature: 47. Brayden Ham, 50. Daniel Capiron, 52. Matty Lloyd, 53. Jack Leonard, 54. Jamie Quick, 55. Bailey Van De Heuvel, 57. Jye Charlcraft, 59. Harry Benson, 60. Lachlan Bond, 62. Marcus Herbert, 63. Benjamin Worme, 64. Thomas Panuccio, 66. Tanner Lewis, 67. Tyler Norton, 68. Tom Feely, 71. Will Christie, 74. Ben Lloyd, 75. Ryan Eyers, 81. Angus Byrne

Hawks

3. Jai Newcombe, 4. Jarman Impey, 5. James Worpel, 6. James Sicily, 7. Ned Reeves, 8. Sam Frost, 10. Karl Amon, 11. Conor Nash, 12. Will Day, 13. Dylan Moore, 14. Jack Scrimshaw, 15. Blake Hardwick, 16. Lachian Bramble, 17. Lloyd Meek, 18. Max Lynch, 20. Chad Wingard, 23. Jacob Koschitzke, 24. Denver Grainger-Barras, 25. Josh Ward, 26. Fergus Greene, 27. Ned Long, 30. Sam Butler, 31. Connor Macdonald, 32. Finn Maginness, 36. James Blanck, 37. Josh Weddle, 39. Emerson Jeka, 44. Henry Hustwaite

Notable absentees: Luke Bruest, Changkouth Jiath, Tyler Brockman, Mitch Lewis, Cam Mackenzie, Josh Morris, Harry Morrison, Cooper Stephens

Watch it live on Fox Footy (channel 504) from 4pm AEDT.