Perfect Execution Down South
Another happy trip to the Apple Isle, as we put some Port demons to rest and bank the four points
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R19: HAWTHORN 13.9 (87), POWER 7.7 (49)
In the end, a game that we were always expected to - and absolutely should have won, became a mere formality.
But it may not otherwise have turned out that way.
Absolutely turgid conditions were on display in Tasmania with a category five typhoon hitting UTAS throughout the game, together with a biblical amount of sheeting rain.
And despite the fact that Port were missing two of their best players in Connor Rozee and Jason Horne-Francis, it had all the makings of a difficult fixture and a possible upset.
But truth be told we handled the conditions well and played a perfectly executed game-plan to suit - in the end running away as comfortable victors.
There was plenty to be happy about - without getting carried away, but for now we can enjoy the fact that we comprehensively got the job done and leave Tassie with four wins from four this season.
Another tick to the fortress that is UTAS, and plenty to unpack from a pretty enjoyable game to watch.
🕵🏻♂️ Nat shares his observations
Thought for large parts we controlled this game, and really the last quarter was our reward for effort that we deserved. Tough conditions and a clear scoring end made the game seemingly closer than it deserved to be.
Our first quarter was very good into the wind, which I think mentally was significant after we got punched in the mouth early against Port at Gather Round. That was a genuine five goal breeze and the way we were able to win contested ball meant the territory game was never out of control, and we were able to take our chances going forward. Going into that first break level was a massive tick.
In addition, I was really impressed with our ball use into the wind in both quarters. We possessed the ball for long periods of time, which means it’s incredibly hard for the other team to kick big scores with less time ball in hand.
We kicked five goals to two to the left of screen, and a lot of this was down to our aforementioned ball use, but also how good our shape was in front of the ball, which was evidenced beautifully by the Dylan Moore and Jack Gunston goals over the back in the third quarter.
Launceston is such a competitive advantage. We have won our last 10 there and 13 of our last 15. We’ve beaten two other top 8 sides there this year (our only two wins against other current top 8 sides). When you are fighting for top 4 and 8 spots, this matters. Goals like the one Gunston kicked from Invermay Road in the second quarter aren’t kicked by someone that hasn’t played a lot at the venue.
Blake Hardwick continues to be one of the most underrated Hawthorn footballers I've seen. Thought he was absolutely immense again, particuarly in the third quarter when the game was there to be won. Intercepted everything, halved every contest and gave us drive. My best on.
His mate in the back (or forward?!) 6, Jarman Impey was close behind. Had two absolute blinders in Launceston this year now, capping off an excellent three quarters behind the ball to be thrown forward when the Lewis sub came and really finish the job with three final quarter goals. In some serious form the last six weeks.
The conditions screamed Dylan Moore and he delivered. By his own admission hasn’t had the impact (particularly on the scoreboard) this year, but yesterday he willed himself to every contest, ran his backside off and was able to kick multiple goals for the first time since Round 1. I want him involved in the midfield rotation more..
Josh Ward looked like he was playing with a different footy at times out there. His ability not to fumble yesterday on a very hard day to handle the footy was a standout. He had a gather at half forward in the third quarter which I don't think anyone else on the ground could’ve managed. Another notch in an increasingly impressive season.
I thought the captain, after his initial first minute tantrum, was quietly pretty good. I was really pleased with his careful ball use (which the conditions warranted) and finally seeing him be physical to halve contests again, which he did especially after half time, was a big plus. He seemed to grow into the game as it went on.
We all know this, but Calsher Dear with a full, uninterrupted AFL pre-season is going to be phenomenal. His ability to keep his body shape in a contested marking situation is unique, and his little cameo in the ruck with his mate the Wiz as an on-baller got my attention.
Jack Gunston has 42 goals in 2025. Yep.
Bailey Madonald’s goal. That’s it.
Whilst this was more a ‘did what we should’ win rather than a big statement, to win by 40 in the wet with Newcombe well clamped was a good result. It also has given us a 10% gap on Freo ahead of their game against Collingwood.
A proper selection squeeze both behind and in front of the ball ahead of Carlton. What happens with Jack Scrimshaw (who was good)? Who are the tall forwards? Good luck with Selection Dissection this week Brad!
Tick the box against Carlton, which we should, and then it's as simple as needing to win two of the last four, despite the opposition. Will Day, what a time to return.
Finally, in case you didn’t know, Port had to win to keep their ‘flag dream alive’ and we had to win to avoid falling out of the eight. Dwayne Russell managed to only mention it 57 times.
🧐 Things we like to see #1: You never forget your first
The pick up, the run and carry, swinging inside and onto your right and then snapping truly on the run from 40 metres out. That is some way to celebrate your first goal in AFL footy. And seeing everyone get round him was goosebump, heartwarming stuff. The only negative? Surely it is two weeks minimum for Scrimma - high contact, intentional, medium impact. And then he came back a second time.
🧐 Things we like to see #2: Big men doing the 1%ers
It wasn’t the day for big marking forwards though Calsher Dear, Jack Gunston and indeed Mitch Lewis all contributed well. But it was this contribution in the opening term from Lewis that didn’t count on the scoresheet, but showed how talented and smart a footballer he is. A beautiful decision having an awareness of everyone around him to push the ball into the Path of Dylan Moore who finished the job. Magnificent assist, and a welcome back to senior footy.
🧐 Things we like to see #3: Time to fly Kenny
It may have been slightly subdued in terms of the aeroplane cele, and Kenny seemed to eke out a fairly unconvincing laugh, but at the end of the day the last laugh will end with Ginni. Because, and this is a beautiful thing… in his last game coaching the Power against the Hawks, Ken Hinkley’s team were taught a footballing lesson. So he can fly home knowing that funny, theatrical, whatever you want to call it - he boards his flight with 0 points to his name. Salty? Maybe. But this felt good.
🧐 Things we like to see #:4 End-to-End Magic
The Hok was back despite the conditions - particularly in the last quarter. And this passage of play summed it up best taking it from deep inside defensive 50 all the way through to scoring the goal at the other end of the park. Smart footy, excellent skill execution, and wonderful run, carry and movement. Hook this into our veins.
⭐️ Best on ground: Dylan Moore
There had been calls throughout the week for our key leaders - namey Dylan Moore and James Sicily, to step up after the lack of leadership on display against the Dockers. And step up Moorey did - producing a stunning best on ground performance that included two goals, 32 disposals, nine tackles, seven score involvements, eight inside 50’s and six clearances. AA Dylan Moore back on the park, and it really was a delicious sight to see.
💫 Rising star: Josh Ward
Getting a reputation for being able to produce in tough conditions, and Josh Ward was the clear pick of our midfielders on the day. Finished with 26 touches, nine tackles, 10 inside 50’s and six clearances - Ward did plenty of good things at the gusty and wet UTAS Stadium. Ward has put a solid run of form together throughout 2025, and this was perhaps his best game to date. Got to keep reminding ourselves that he is still only 21 years of age.
👼 Unsung hero: Blake Hardwick
We have been saying it for the past few weeks, but the decision to move Blake Hardwick back into defence full-time has proven to be ingenious (if not obvious). Dimma has ben building his form since his redeployment, but this game was the pick of the bunch with our defensive warrior controlling things down back. He had 27 touches, had a match-high 840 metres gained, collected 10 defensive 50 rebounds and held onto eight marks. Part of a backline unit that flags are built around.
🤯 Under pressure: Bailey Macdonald
Pretty unlucky to be in this category, and Macdonald injected some much needed spark and enthusiasm into the game when he came on to replace Mitch Lewis near the end of the third term. His goal was a thing of beauty too. He is likely saved because of the injury to Finn Maginness, but Macdonald’s spot is being eyed off by the likes of Mackenzie, Butler, Jiath who are all performing at VFL level.
🎤 Sammy said what!?
“Handling the conditions - we knew it was going to be a significant part of the game, but we were able to win the contested footy in the first quarter, and it’s really difficult to get any territory if you’re not able to win the ball in the first instance.”
“We were up in contested possession and tackles, and we just looked like we were ready for the contest.”
“Some of our key players really performed at a high level, and I think collectively we performed pretty well.”
“Some key contributors obviously helps in games where moments are really going to matter, but consistency across the park was pretty good.”
“Every game at the moment is important - we are not quite at the lose you’re out stage, but we’re not far from that.”
“We can probably afford to lose one or two, but we’re not really going to be able to let any games slide now as the competition is so even.”
🗣️ Final word … James Sicily
“It was a well needed win - it is so tight at the top of the ladder and to keep an unbeaten record here in Tassie was awesome.”
“There was a lot of added motivation - Port have had our measure over the last couple of times so to be able to win, and with everything feeling like a bit of a final now, it was an important win.”
“It was real tough out there - it was freezing cold and very windy and a lot of rain… I thought we were able to handle it really well and score a couple of times into the breeze and those goals are gold.”
⏭️ Next Week
We get to kick off the round in a must-win game against the Blues at the MCG on Thursday night.
This is seen to be one of the ‘easiest’ of our remaining fixtures and is an important opportunity to show that we are ready with just six weeks left before finals.
The addition of Will Day (among others), should make Thursday night’s viewing all the more special.
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What was learnt:
1. It may not have been Meek’s day; it was his moment and he took it – This cliché is usually rolled out when a player comes to have an impact on a game in the last quarter after being quiet earlier in the game. For Meek, the first quarter was important given he was coming up against an opponent who has beaten him in the last couple of games, allowing Port to get off to a quick start which had us chasing tail for the rest of these games. Given Port had the wind, and their first goal indicated how easily goals could’ve been scored in the conditions, exacerbated by Sicily’s brain fade, it was vital for Meek to ensure that even an undermanned Port midfield didn’t get a sniff nor allow self-doubt come into our mid’s minds. Meek’s three centre square clearances, whilst agricultural in nature, suited the circumstances as territory was as significant as hitting a target inside 50. If Port was able to get a 5-goal lead in the first quarter, then the strategy of the entire day could’ve been very different. (See next).
2. Kudos to the coaching panel – i) Following on from the previous point, the fact that we were able more than hold our own in the first quarter meant that the coaches held their nerve and didn’t look to drop one behind the ball given the wind conditions. This meant that we were able to keep our shape inside F50. When you look at how Port set up in the 2nd quarter, playing one behind the ball worked to our advantage being able to have 1-2 free defenders to set up the defensive wall as well as allow for the switch to the open side easier to construct. This also provided Sicily with the chance to get some touch back. ii) Since Mitchell took over, we’ve lauded the work of the Big 4 (Day, Newcombe, Nash & Worpel), however in the past 2 years we’ve seen the integration of Ward & Mackenzie into the rotation along with the cameos provided by Moore and Watson. Port have had a similar set up with JHF, Butters, Rozee and Drew with recent support for Bergman plus Wines although his CBAs have diminished in recent times. In this game, with Maginness tagging Butters and Drew taking Newcombe, the fact Port didn’t have a competitive B team to go with our depth.
3. Development of Ward is raising his ceiling as well as his floor – Given match winners are labelled to win or impact a game off their own boot in a quarter or half; very good players are those who difference between their best and worst games is marginal at best. For a young player, the measurement is to ensure that as they find their feet and work at developing their best, they need to ensure that the level of their worst rises at the same time. There is little benefit for their best to rise, and their worst remains at a low level, and this is where Ward’s game has progressed to this season. He may not become a Sam Mitchell midfielder, but there is nothing to stop him becoming a Jordan Lewis or Jack Crisp type midfielder – tough, reliable, not great at something, but very good at everything. A couple of key differences in his game to say Mackenzie, who supporters see as comparable, is his preparedness to use his non-dominant foot and take the first option. Again, it’s a skill that is solid, not exceptional, but in conditions such as yesterday was vital. BTW Morrison is another example of this progression over his past 20-30 games where his better has improved and his worst has risen with this progression.
4. Lewis changes the dynamic of the F50 – Having only played five games since the start of last season with two of these games’ injury impacted, it has been easy to “forget” how Lewis changes the dynamics of the F50. With Chol and Dear, they both like to operate deep inside the 50m arc with Gunston often the one to lead up to the arc, this allows opponents to roll back and provide a cluttered F50 to work with. What Lewis brings to the game plan is an ability to provide long leads up to the wing, lengthening the forward half which then provides space I50 for Gunston and more importantly, the small forwards with run to take advantage of this space. This was best reflected in the Moore goal in the 3rd quarter where Lewis was able to kick over the wall into space for Moore to run on to. This is Lewis’ PoD compared to Chol and Dear, so the watch will be as to what strategy Mitchell and Hickmott want to pursue.
5. The evolution of the sub role – Since the start of the year, when Mitchell was looking to add experience to the team with Frost (2/2), Gunston (1/15) and Breust (2/5) selected as the subs, it has been Jiath (3/14), B. Macdonald (5/5), Maginness (3/13) and Mitchell (2/4) taking on this role. All are runners with Jiath, BMac and Mitchell having good leg speed, yet share the same weakness with decision making, however BMac has only played 7 games (with 2 starting games) compared Jiath (70) and Mitchell (28), so I suggest he has more opportunity to develop this skill set. The other common feature being that they are defensive options which then creates the need as to how to accommodate them if the sub is a tactical decision, given it is rare for a defender to be subbed off.
6. Impey has become the swing option – Taking into account the previous point, along with debate as to who is the best one to swing forward with Sicily or Hardwick seen as the obvious options, Impey has become the number 1 option with his recent performances. Given he spent the early part of his career at Port as a forward, it may well be that he is the one who is most comfortable going forward as Sicily has indicated his reluctance, plus Impey complements the defensive pressure that is a feature of the forward set up.
Observations:
• Unlike last week, this week the conditions dictated the style of play which meant our DE was 57% whilst Port went at 52%.
• In the 2nd quarter with the wind, when we were able to get some overlap run on the broadcast side, on a few occasions, we looked to try dry weather options with quick hands rather than taking the territory which we fumbled. Whereas in the 4th quarter, we more readily looked to kick the ball off the ground and maintain momentum going forward.
• Barrass was able to get into good marking positions early in the game, but dropped ones he should have taken. Having said that he took a couple in the last quarter when Port did venture forward.
• Moore’s stats for the season haven’t been much different than last year, however in this game, he was able to get into scoring positions or towards the end of the chain rather than at the start or middle of them. See his KE 28% doesn’t read well, but again the conditions required territory rather than beauty.
• Maginness as the tagger looks to be a “horses for courses” strategy as noted with JHF and Rozee out, being able to shut out Butters takes out their engine room. I think Mitchell doesn’t want to upset the midfield mix on handover etc.
• Battle taking ruck contests around the ground meant that Nash was able to remain in the midfield with his strength and power provided an advantage as they didn’t have a similar sized mid. Having said that Wines as their chop out option gave us a strong advantage.
• Dear in the centre bounces was competitive, but he is still a lean build.
• 0 disposals quarters – Barrass (1st); Dear (2nd).
• Tackle count by quarter – 21/14; 24/10; 25/19; 27/36
• I50 count by quarter – 9/13; 20/10; 15/13; 21/8 – winning the I50 count for 3 quarters is significant given the conditions.
• TOG % - Bottom 5 (leaving out subs): Worpel 68%, D’Ambrosio 69%, Nash 72%, Scrimshaw 73%, Ginnivan 74%. (Hardwick 96% highest.)
• Kicking efficiency (DE): B.Macdonald100% (100), Sicily 77% (86), Hardwick 73% (74), Barrass 67% (80), Impey 67% (62), Battle 64% (71)
Maginness 0% (44), Nash 22% (37), Morrison 25% (43), Moore 28% (41), Ginnivan 33% (48), D’Ambrosio 36% (53).
Starting 4: (CBA/CC)
1st Qrt: Newcombe (17/1) Nash (17/0) Ward (13/0)
2nd Qrt: Newcombe Ward Worpel (13/1)
3rd Qrt: Newcombe Nash Ward
4th Qrt: Newcombe Ward Worpel
Meek 19/3 Watson 5/1 Dear 4/0 Moore 4/2
Overall, it was a game that worked to the advantage of Nash and Worpel, however the cleanliness of Ward along with the cameos of Watson and Moore provided the spark and an important point of difference to the big, bodied inside midfielders.
Coach killer
Given he’d benefitted from an off-the-ball free kick, you do wonder what Sicily was doing having a go at Lukosius a couple of minutes later.
Issue for the week:
With a five-day break, it will be a management issue this week as to whether players are managed, given the expected return of Day, the unfortunate news on Maginness addresses one conundrum. The next obvious one is what is the situation with Chol as to his injury or management.
Great write uo as always, though I think you're a bit harsh on Ken. First of all, Ginni's cele was understated and Ken's amused reaction seemed genuine to me. I thought both of them showed class and respect and it was great to see.