Hawthorn beats Geelong by 23 points at the MCG to move back into top two (ABC)

ABC Hawthorn trailed for much of the match but their second-half comeback was too strong for rivals Geelong.

Hawthorn has made a second-half comeback to beat Geelong by 23 points at the MCG, moving the defending premiers back into the top two on the AFL ladder.

The Hawks went in as underdogs, but after trailing for almost the entire first three quarters the home side ran over the Cats in the final term to win 14.9 (93) to 11.5 (71) on Saturday night.

Geelong kicked the first three goals of the match and looked set to overwhelm its rival, but two goals to Jarryd Roughead got the Hawks back on track by quarter time.

A five-goal second term gave the Cats a 31-point lead at the main break, but six unanswered goals to the Hawks from the middle of the third quarter turned the match around and gave them a four-point lead at three-quarter time.

Hawthorn was the stronger team in the final term, and kicked five goals to two for a comfortable victory.

The win puts the Hawks back above Geelong, but unless Sydney slips up in the last two rounds, it will not make any difference to the first round of the finals, which will see Hawthorn play Geelong at headquarters in a qualifying final.

Roughead and David Hale kicked three each for the premiers, while Tom Hawkins was again the main option up forward for Geelong, with three majors.

More to follow.

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