Hawthorn takes it up to the reigning Premiers
We don't believe in honourable losses until we do
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ROUND 7: MELBOURNE 91, HAWTHORN 81
📝 Main recap: We don’t like to talk much about honourable losses here at the Hawks, but are we really going to bemoan a 10-point loss by a developing side (how many times are we going to say that this year?) against the undefeated reigning Premiers?
Yes, the defeat was inevitable and at times it felt like Melbourne were playing in second gear, but Sam Mitchell and his team will take a lot out of a performance in which we pushed a team that’s gone undefeated now for FOURTEEN games.
Some will point to the Dees’ five outs due to COVID protocols as playing a major part, but they also brought in some significant ‘ins’ including Jake Lever, Tom McDonald, and Jack Viney.
We had players missing too including our gallant #1 ruckman (Reeves), our line-breaking halfback flanker (CJ), one of our more consistent players of 2022 (Morrison) and our prized draftees (Ward and Grainger-Barras).
In a similar manner to the previous losses against the Swans and the Saints, the Hawks started well, kicking the opening two goals and dominating possession in the early stages of the game. But we’ve seen this movie before. It wasn’t too long before the Dees got their noses in front, leading by nine at the main break.
At various stages in the third quarter it looked like they’d kick away thanks, in no small part, to some extremely generous donations to the Ben Brown Charitable Fund.
But this spirited side kept fighting. We outscored the Dees by three goals in the final term and you get the feeling that had this game gone on for 10 minutes longer, we may’ve run over the top of them.
Bring on the Bombers next week!
✂️ Snippet of the match
IF Dyl Moore loves a long goal.
✂️ Snippet of the match II
THEN Connor McDonald loves a snap. But how about the build up. The intercept from Newc, the big roost from outside 50, Kosi bringing it to ground…
… the lovely pick up and snap from Connor Mac to finish it off. Class.
✂️ Snippet of the match III
How about Jackson Callow selling some sweet sweet candy in a crucial juncture in the game on debut!? Some big cojones to attempt that 😮
🍔 Ash’s key takeaways
John Kennedy Snr, Allan Jeans and Peter Crimmins would likely be rolling in their graves at the notion but honourable losses are OK at Hawthorn in 2022 and Saturday was most certainly that.
Who else had visions of a 50-point loss, or more, at three-quarter time after Melbourne dominated the third quarter, with the Hawks coming off a five-day break and having faded badly in the final term against the Swans? I did.
The media takeaway was Sam Mitchell devised the right game plan to bring the Demons undone. Wonder whether better teams than the Hawks will go down a similar path.
It was fun to hear a few of the MCC Members turn on their own in the final term when the Dees didn’t put the Hawks away, although there was always the feeling Melbourne had a bit in reserve. Max Gawn, Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver found another gear when needed.
A bit like the Sydney game, the Hawks started brightly and might have been one or two further goals in front. But by quarter time it was clear who was going to win.
Well done to Jarman Impey and James Worpel for their much better outings on the weekend. Both were under the pump after the Swans game but rebounded well. Worpel led the side with 14 contested possessions and his four clearances were bettered only by Tom Mitchell who had six. Both will be under selection pressure in coming weeks, but will certainly play against Essendon next week.
James Sicily was magnificent in his first game as skipper, but Dylan Moore was probably Hawthorn’s best player. 15 touches in the third quarter alone. He is becoming a huge weapon for Sam Mitchell and on Saturday it was notable how much time he spent in the back half of the ground, 69 per cent according to the AFL app heat map. The long term plan might be for Tyler Brockman (remember him?) or Sam Butler to be the small forwards and for Moore, with his elite fitness and smarts, to become a permanent midfielder.
The Dylan Moore pocket. With seven goals in the last fortnight, Jacob Koschitzke has done his job. Now to see whether he and Mitch Lewis can share the forward line together. Over to you, David Hale.
Jack Gunston, with nine, led the Hawks for score involvements. He has lost some mobility as a result of the back injury last year, but he is such a smart footballer.
The plan for Max Lynch on Gawn was interesting to watch. He only played when Gawn did and rested when Gawn rested. But I think he was encouraged to do what he could to physically work over the Melbourne champ when he could, and he might have got away with a couple of sly blows. But no guessing who got the points on the day.
And plaudits to Finn Maginness, whipping boy of Hawk fans everywhere. He was always going to tag someone, once he got a reprieve at selection. The thinking was one of Petracca or Oliver, but instead it was Ed Langdon and he destroyed him. Langdon had just two uncontested possessions as Maginness shut him down. For all the angst about Finn’s disposal – justified as it is – he is Hawthorn’s best athlete and Sam Mitchell will always find a role for him.
Reckon Jaeger O’Meara has had a good couple of weeks.
Selection will be interesting this week. CJ and Mitch Lewis should be fit and Josh Ward and DGB have had their week off. Harry Morrison might be available as well. Good luck Brad!
It’s Essendon week. Get excited, people. Shame it’s at Marvel…AGAIN. Hawks are long overdue an MCG home game against that lot.
Superstar/Rising Star/Falling Star
⭐️ Superstar - Dylan Moore
For the second week running, who else could it be but ‘Loves A Goal’ Moore? At the start of the season, Champion Data put out its infamous list of elite players and none other than Hawthorn life member Kane Cornes questioned Dyl Moore’s place in the list. Well, well, well. At this stage of the season, he’s not only elite, he’s a walk-up start in the All-Australian best 22.
Moore had a decent enough first half, but the magic truly happened when he was sent up the ground in the third term. He had 15 touches in that quarter and his relentless work rate almost singlehandedly kept us in the game. Is a midfield role on the cards when either of Tyler Brockman, Seamus Mitchell or Sam Butler breakthrough into the side?
💫 Rising star - Jacob Koschitzke
Things weren’t looking great for Kosi when he languished in Box Hill, playing ruck-forward for the first few rounds. But an injury to Mitch Lewis has given him an opportunity and he’s taken it with both hands, kicking seven goals straight in two rounds. It’ll be interesting to see how the pair gel when Lewis returns - and if they do it could be the makings of a formidable forward line with Gunston as the third tall.
🤷♂️ Falling star - Luke Breust
A couple crucial misses, 30% disposal efficiency, and just an overall inability to impact the game like we’ve become accustomed to. As discussed on our Player Ratings pod, are we beginning to see the last 12-18 months of our triple Premiership star?
Unsung Hero & Scapegoat
👼 Unsung Hero - Finn Magginess
Ash has already mentioned the incredible shutdown role Finn played on Ed Langdon. But it’s not until you see the table below that it really puts it in perspective. Langdon has been in red hot form on the wing, outrunning opponents and averaging 25 disposals a game. He more than met his match in Finn. It takes some athlete to outrun Langdon over the game and Finn’s build and physicality meant he actually won a decent amount of footy as well (12 touches to Langdon’s nine including only two uncontested possessions).
🔪 🐐 Scapegoat - Liam Shiels
Ten touches, three tackles for 79% game time. If Langdon and Nash were playing run-with roles, it was hard to figure out what Liam Shiels was supposed to be doing out there. A great clubman and a three-time premiership hero, but with Ward coming back and Ned Long knocking on the door, let’s pencil in that farewell game stat.
The Obligatory Ladder Check In
We’re sitting one win outside the eight in a log jam with Richmond and the Bulldogs. A win against the Bombers and we’ll be dreaming about September again in May 🙃
Sammy Press Conference Bingo
Toiled away ✅
We take some positives out of the game ✅
They made us pay ✅
We take some belief ✅
I didn’t look at the wins and losses ✅
Would’ve been one out of the box ✅
What They Said
🗣️ Dylan Moore
“We can match it with anyone, I think. They’ve been the best team for the past 12 months and they haven’t lost for 10, 15 games or so. The fact we could take it up to them for four quarters and ultimately we cost ourselves a win, so we take a lot out of that.”
Think it's a little premature to talk about Bruest being in his final 12-18 months. He's kicked 13 goals in 6 games which is pretty decent for a small forward. Guys who play that position can have bad games and are always dependent on delivery up the field, big forwards forcing contests etc. No question he's not quite as good as 5 years ago, but let's reassess at the end of the year.