Geelong coach Chris Scott expressed disappointed for an injured star while providing optimism on another defender's availability.
Speaking post-match, Scott provided an “observation” about the positioning of the pre-finals bye after Tom Stewart suffered a concussion which will rule him out of the grand final.
There has been widespread calls to change the timing of it to place it directly prior to the grand final to allow the best players to return from short term injuries such as concussions.
Meanwhile, Jack Henry was also injured in the first half but played the game out and looked to be at full fitness by the end of a strange night for the defender.
“Generally in these situations, you change your mind depending on what it means for you,” Scott said.
“So I'm very pro a week off before the Grand Final, if we can sneak that in this year.
"In a perverse way, it's black and white.
“We know (he's not playing), he knows - it's a shattering situation for him…
“And if I move forward into the game, we were under real pressure at that stage.
“It looked like Jack Henry might have been in doubt for the rest of the game as well.
“Fortunately, the feedback we got was there was a little bit of a nerve situation there that looked bad temporarily but came good.
“That's the good news story that we're ultra-confident he will be fine to train in a couple of days…
"I don't want to give a strong opinion, it's more an observation that others have made; if there has to be one, before the Grand Final would be better.
Scott also poured praise on the generational performance of Patrick Dangerfield who inspired his team and put them on his back with a 32-disposal, three-goal performance.
It was one of this century's greatest finals performances.
In Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell's post-game press conference, he quipped: “I'm certainly ready for Dangerfield to retire.”
Every time the Cats were challenged - it was the 35-year-old who stood tallest.
Dangerfield kicked Geelong's only goal of the first quarter when momentum was with the Hawks, had some moments in the second quarter, and then his 10-disposal, two-goal third term opened up what proved to be an insurmountable buffer.
“He was born to play at this time of year and I hope it continues for a long, long time,” Scott said.
“He wasn't the only one but I just thought when we were under pressure, he was so influential.”
