‘I’ll never forget it’: Smith’s heartfelt words for his skipper after masterclass in front of nearly 100,000 fans

“And that shouldn’t surprise because if you look at the history of big finals and how he’s played, he’s always stepped up. But you know, tonight was extra special.”

Smith had a game-high 36 disposals and kicked a goal.

“I remember in that second quarter, it was just his overlap drive that he generated. He’s just a machine,” Dangerfield said.

“Even at half-time he came in, he goes, ‘I’m just going to blow the GPS up’. He talks some rubbish but I sort of believed him, and I’m like, ‘Mate, I’m not going to so go for it’.”

Smith said he was already to go for next week, his first grand final since 2021 for the Western Bulldogs.

“I’m grateful to be here, but, I mean, I would have felt like it was a bit of a failure if we didn’t get here,” Smith told Fox Footy.

“I’d sort of set myself high expectations, and the job’s not finished.”

Smith was full of praise for Dangerfield’s leadership.

“He’s sort of accomplished everything in the game, and still takes time out of his day to look after me through some dark periods throughout the year,” Smith said.

“I’ll never forget it. I’m forever in debt to him. I couldn’t think of anyone better to lead us to a granny. So hopefully, we can take it home.”

Dangerfield said Geelong falling behind by 13 points at quarter-time after Hawthorn kicked the first three goals of the match was partly self-inflicted because they kept turning the ball over across their half-forward line.

“A bit of that is a bit of perceived pressure,” he said. “Their pressure was good, but we weren’t as composed as we would have liked so that was an area we felt wasn’t super hard to rectify.”

Geelong kicked five goals to Hawthorn’s three in the second term to lead by a point at half-time and set up the game.

“With all of our leaders, there’s the talk parts and then the most important bit is the performance aspect and that starts with you,” he said.

“It’s good to play well in the big games.”

Dangerfield said he had to remind himself earlier in the day that big finals did not come around often.

“This morning I was home by myself and sort of just reminded myself, ‘you’re in a prelim final, enjoy the hell out of it’,” he said.

Tyson Stengle effectively sealed the deal with a soccer goal from the top of the square that extended the Cats’ buffer to 24 points with about seven minutes remaining.

Chris Scott’s men await the winner between Collingwood and Brisbane Lions on Saturday evening as they try to win a third premiership under their current coach.

Geelong lost Stewart inside the final three minutes before quarter-time to cap a tardy start, with Hawk Mabior Chol pinning his arms in a forceful tackle that saw the Geelong star’s head crash into the MCG surface.

Stewart also immediately clutched his left wrist, but it was his head injury that prompted the Cats – who trailed by 13 points at quarter-time – to swiftly sub him out of the match.

The league’s concussion rules mean the 2022 premiership player must miss the grand final, in a cruel blow that reignites debate around whether the pre-finals bye should be switched to the week before the decider.

Hawthorn will also sweat on match review officer Michael Christian’s assessment of Chol’s tackle, but the ramifications are not as great, given a grand final spot is not at stake.

The AFL typically takes a dim view to players pinning rival’s arms in a tackle because it leaves them vulnerable and unable to brace for contact.

It was a brutal beginning for Geelong, with Dangerfield (32 disposals, three goals and eight clearances) and Jack Henry both leaving the field for treatment before Stewart’s exit.

Henry looked in danger of being out for the night after suffering a left ankle injury, but returned to play the match out.

Just as concerning for the Cats was how they butchered the ball in the opening half an hour, starting with Tom Atkins kicking straight to James Sicily with the first disposal of the night.

By contrast, the Hawks racked up uncontested marks and looked far sharper, but their mistake was not doing enough scoreboard damage while Geelong were reeling.

Dangerfield sprung to life with nine disposals in a frenetic second quarter where the Cats cut off Hawthorn’s kick-and-catch and drew level, before a skied Jack Bowes snap gave them a one-point edge at the main break.

The third quarter, outside of a few minutes of brown-and-gold resistance, was a Geelong masterclass.

They won all seven centre clearances and dominated territory as Dangerfield’s running mates Bailey Smith (36 disposals, six clearances) and Max Holmes (25 touches) helped him run riot.

But a three-goal binge late in the term – starting with Jack Martin, then Jeremy Cameron slotting his 88th major of the season, before a magnificent Shaun Mannagh on-the-run finish – proved devastating to the Hawks’ hopes.

The margin was 28 points at three-quarter-time, and blew out to a match-high 35 before Hawthorn managed to slash it to 18, but never got any closer.