FOR ALL the hyperbole in football, the moniker of "classic" is earned, not given, and can be lost over time.

Given the outstanding footy on show in Hawthorn's one-point win over Geelong, the Easter Monday clash will remain in that realm for some time to come.

In the words of Chris Scott pre-match, "It's good to be alive".

Although after Jack Gunston's match-winning behind, slammed into the post in the final 15 seconds of the best match of the year, he may not be quite as jolly given the 13.14 (92) to 14.7 (91) Hawthorn victory.

There were so many potential match-winners in those final five minutes, but it was the veteran Gunston who kept his head while those around him panicked.

Shannon Neale had taken the Cats out to a six-point lead with 90 seconds left, then Mitch Lewis kicked truly to tie it all up, and it was on for young and old.

Even Mabior Chol put his hand up to be the hero, with a collective eight points scored in the space of four minutes, while Mark Blicavs kicked one fourth-term major to take the margin to 13 points halfway through the fourth, a lifetime ago in the space of this gem of a match.

It was fitting that the old firm and steady heads of Gunston (who left the field with hamstring cramp in the third term) and James Sicily (who missed a portion of the fourth with a shoulder stinger) were the ones to seal it for the Hawks, the latter having soared high to intercept and kickstart the run that ended in the former’s match-winning behind.

Jack Ginnivan, with his customary cheeky grin upon the three-quarter time siren, steadied and kicked truly to give the Hawks a four-point lead at the final break.

As the rain teemed down in the morning, it felt like Jimmy Bartel and Sam Mitchell weather, those two great warriors of Easter Mondays past.

But the rain cleared to a somewhat muggy sun, and this is the next generation of Hawthorn v Geelong, with many relatively new to the rivalry.

Oli Wiltshire played with composure beyond his three AFL games in the first half, Josh Ward worked overtime through the middle of the field, and all the chorus of boos that greeted Bailey Smith did was irritate Hawthorn supporters' throats, the showman Cat finishing with 33 touches.

Hawthorn may have had a whopping 18-day break since its last game, but there was no sign of rustiness from the opening bounce. Former West Coast coach Adam Simpson remarked on SEN commentary he'd never seen the pressure rating sit above 300, but that was where the Hawks sat early.

Their hands in tight and subsequent spread from contest was excellent, leaving the Cats grasping in their wake, or in the case of a fairly oblivious Shannon Neale, run down from behind by Massimo D'Ambrosio while ball was in hand.

The 178cm Massimo D'Ambrosio finally saw off Mark Blicavs on the wing, only to then face the equally giant Jeremy Cameron, the star Cat moved up the field halfway through the second term in an attempt to get into the game.

The lead changed five times in the second term alone, and players were rising, rather than wilting, under pressure, with Shannon Neale kicking a steely second major after the half-time siren to take a margin of nine into the main break.

The scintillating skills diminished somewhat after half-time, with both sides pushing the other out to the far wing, and desperate tackles, smothers, and half-touches the order of the day as the Hawks fans channelled their stress through a growing vociferous wall of noise.

Both sides fumbled their delivery inside 50, with intercept defenders at either end finding the ball in their hand more often than not, but it'll all be forgotten in the context of an instant classic.

Wingardium leviosa
Oisin Mullin has claimed a few scalps this year, and did well to limit Nick Watson's influence around the ground. But the Wizard had other ideas close to goal, booting three absolute pearlers close to goal, including a stunning fourth-term effort that floated perfectly through the big sticks, kick-starting Hawthorn's outstanding fourth-quarter run.

HAWTHORN      3.3     7.5     10.9     13.14 (92)
GEELONG          2.1     9.2     10.5     14.7 (91)

GOALS
Hawthorn: Gunston 3, Watson 3, Chol 2, Ginnivan 2, Lewis 2, Weddle
Geelong: Neale 4, O.Henry 3, Bowes 2, Martin, Wiltshire, Dempsey, Cameron, Blicavs

BEST
Hawthorn: Ward, Impey, Sicily, Ginnivan, Barrass, Gunston, Watson
Geelong: Smith, Holmes, Neale, Stewart, Blicavs, O.Henry

INJURIES
Hawthorn: Nil
Geelong: Nil

Crowd: 84,712 at the MCG