You really want to read about this game?

Hawks get the job done against Ross Lyon's Saints

Subscribe to Hawks Insiders for the most in-depth and wide ranging Hawthorn coverage available. Exclusive interviews to analysis, match recaps to podcasts, the Insiders have you covered.

R16: HAWTHORN 14.10 (94), ROSS LYON DRUDGERY 10.14 (65)

To quote our Chief Vibes Officer Ashley Browne…

Coming up against any Ross Lyon team you almost know what to expect — a slow, tight slog with one team playing to win, and the other playing not to get flogged and maybe pinch it at the death. Talk about squeezing the life out of footy!

Thankfully, the latter never happened, but it may’ve been a different story had St Kilda not kicked themselves out of the game. Aside from missing a bevy of gettable set shots, there were some of the most putrid inside-50 deliveries you’ll see all year.

There were points through the game where you actually felt sorry for Saints fans. Being starved of success is one thing, but imagine turning up week in, week out to watch that? Maybe that’s why the atmosphere at Marvel was library-esque. Spare a thought too for Saints MC Ollie Geale who didn’t just have to generate enthusiasm for a mediocre list — he was battling a sore throat, too.

As for the Hawks, we just did enough to win — and the 20-point buffer we maintained pretty much throughout the night was never really threatened. There were the occasional flashes of excitement from Marbs (in his 100th) and the Wiz, but this was one of those games where you bank the points and

🕵🏻‍♂️ Nat Martin breaks it down

My word, this was a battle wasn’t it? Just everything about it - we know playing against Ross Lyon football sides are going to be grinds, and this proved no exception. We kept them at arms length all night and did what we had to do, but as Sam said ‘I don’t think too many will be rushing home for the replay’.

Firstly - the good…

• We managed to find a way. It was an ugly night, and we were behind on a lot of major statistical categories. St Kilda had 20 more disposals, 20 more tackles, 10 more inside 50s, four more clearances (from 30 fewer hit outs and eight fewer hit outs to advantage) and won contested ball by 20. Yet we never really truly looked like losing, despite the Saints burning opportunities after half time.

• Again, we were efficient with our entries. From just 42 inside-50s we have 24 shots and kick 92. Now, only having 42 inside-50s against a side in the bottom four isn’t great - but we looked extremely dangerous when we went in there, and had 10 individual goal kickers.

• Lloyd Meek backed up his game against Tristan Xerri last week with an another superb performance. Dominated hit outs — but they weren’t junk ones, genuine hit outs to advantage (15 is a huge number) — and chipped in with five clearances and 20 disposals (14 contested) of his own. Clearly our best player on the night.

• Josh Battle in my opinion is third in our best and fairest as we speak. Just quietly going about his business every week, very very rarely getting done one on one and is giving us a lot of drive out of our back six. Overcame a chorus of St Kilda boos and a second quarter scrap to collect 23 touches, nine intercepts and seven marks. Worked extremely well with his partner in crime Tom Barrass, who was also in our best six.

• Jarman Impey needs to have more kids! It seems fatherhood is looking extremely good on him, both on and off the field. His form since the birth of his son Zion has been exemplary — and, as my mate who is a Richmond fan, sent to me mid game — it might be no secret that a Jarman return to form (as well as a more balanced back line) has coincided with a Hawks return to form. Underrated footballer who is back to his PCM podium form of 2024.

• Jai Newcombe was well held in the first half, like a lot of our mids, but really got going after half time with 15 second half disposals, including an absolute bullet to Mabior Chol in the third quarter which put us out by 26 points. You forget he is only 23, there is so much good footy ahead of him. When he plays well, invariably so do we.

• Thought Massimo played his best game for a couple of weeks also. Clean with the ball, gave us some good drive, ran his socks off and kicked a critical goal in the last quarter from outside 50 to again push the Saints away.

• Jack Gunston — not the picnic he had last week, but again chipping in with class, IQ and poise at critical times. Another 3.2, up to 38 for the year. Treasure what we have with him, that Brandon Ryan trade is looking pretty good!

• St Kilda pressed a third of the ground very high all night, which made it quite difficult for us to move the ball with any sort of fluidity from half back. It was either chip 15m short and be patient or hope someone took a contested clunk down the line. It wouldn’t have been pretty viewing on TV, however I thought the way we looked after the ball on the whole was good, and didn’t lose our patience. Not giving them a heap of easy looks allowed us to keep them at arm’s length.

And now the bad…

• After a pretty good four weeks — minus the first half against Adelaide — the midfield I thought had its colours lowered again. Newcombe got going in the second half and was the exception, however Nash was only barely a pass mark, James Worpel and Cam Mackenzie were poor, Ward had a quiet game. It’s still my biggest concern with us against the really good sides. Number 12 can’t come back soon enough.

• I’m confused as to why we subbed Max Ramsden off. Was helping us counter that aforementioned St Kilda high press with his ability to take a pressure relieving mark down the line, taking three contested marks, and to get subbed off immediately after kicking a goal was a odd decision. Shame nobody asked Sam why. It was the burning question of the night. Hope someone asks him on Thursday when he next speaks.

• It is a concern for Sam to say post game we tried very hard to limit the influence of Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera with three different ‘tagging’ forwards, including seemingly subbing Seamus Mitchell on to play that role, only for him to get better as the game went on. Now, NWM is a very, very very good player, however if he kicks straighter in the second half we may be talking about a different result.

• I’m not quite as down on the captain as some just yet. This is a bloke who’s got a lot of credits in the bank having played to an All Australian level for three years. He’s had zero continuity this year and was his first game back post surgery. However, it wasn’t a particularly convincing performance, and it was a touch concerning to see him unable to halve contests as well as we would like. We need him confident and playing at a level somewhat close to what he can achieve.

• Obvious call but losing inside-50 by double digits against a bottom four side is not a sustainable model of finals winning sides.

• Finally, I know we’ve won eight of our last nine at Marvel - but the joint is no good. Thank the lord for Ian Dicker and Michael Brown moving us to the MCG post Waverley.

🧐 Things we like to see #1: Mass from downtown

This wasn’t the sealer, but probably the moment late in the fourth where you felt the Saints couldn’t pinch it. A big launch from outside 50 from Mass in a return-to-form game.

🧐 Things we like to see #1: Gunners The Ganiv*

Well, this definitely was the sealer. After a suss as f*** free to Marshall, the Saints ruckman tried to get things moving quickly, until Johnny-on-the-spot Gunners said “nope”. It was a brain fade for sure, but this was also the result of 273 games of experience and off-the-charts footy IQ. Gunston knew where the footy was going and turned his body at exactly the right time. The armband kiss cele was a beautiful moment, too 🥺

*Yiddish for thief for those playing at home

**Gen Z for dodgy

⭐️ Best on ground: Lloyd Meek

Rowan Marshall may be prone to the odd brain fade, but he’s a big imposing ruckman and definitely no slouch. It’s fair to say Lloyd gave him an absolute bath in the centre and around the ground, with a dominant 20-disposal performance capped off by a ridiculous 30+ hitout differential, many of them to advantage.

💫 Rising star: Max Ramsden

Continuing on his good from from last week, Ramma is starting to look at home at AFL level. It’s always a heart-in-mouth moment when he lines up for goal, but he took his chance nicely and set up a goal for Gunston after an excellent pack mark in the first. The tactical sub was a bit of a head scratcher, but Sammy needed to find an answer for Wanganeen-Milera who was doing as he pleased off half back before Seamus Mitchell put the clamps on (sort of).

👼 Unsung hero: Jarman Impey

Father of the Year? 22 possessions and dash off the halfback line. He’s the one to bring energy in the absence of Weddle and was one of few Hawks that were able to break through Ross Lyon’s stoppage game. Quietly putting together an excellent media showreel too with his articulate and astute post-match observations.

🤯 Under pressure: Cam Mackenzie

This was supposed to be a breakout year for our Sammy clone, but he hasn’t looked like the same player since coming back from his hand injury. Got caught with the ball a few times and had some sloppy moments — like the Higgins tackle that cost a goal — he’d like to take back. No real alarm bells as yet because he’s still early on in his journey and has elite traits, but with Sammy Butler waiting in the wings, another spell at Box Hill wouldn’t be the worst thing ever.

🎤 Sammy said what!?

• “There were some good things to come out of the game. Meeky did a good job, he won the medal. I thought Josh Battle was outstanding against his old side.”

• “I was really pleased that our fans got behind him [Battle] and cheered him home. He handled some difficulties enormously well.”

• “From a system point of view, we’ve got a bit of work to do. We don’t want to be losing inside 50s by double digits.”

• “Obviously Jack Gunston’s been the headline act for us. For Jack to be able to nullify his (Wilkie) influence and hit the scoreboard himself was great.”

• “I thought there was a level of maturity about our game. St Kilda are never an easy team to play against.

• “Even when he [Wanganeen-Milera] was on the bench I was worried about him by the end. We tagged him with three or four different players and three or four different positions and he was just too good, whether he was winning it contested or uncontested, he’s a star.”

• “If you put our performance tonight against the very best, does it stack up? That’s what we’re working towards. We’re going to have to kick it up a gear.”

🗣️ Final word … (who else but) Mabior Chol

• “It was one of our toughest wins this year … St Kilda really came for four quarters and I thought we really had to stay focussed for four quarters.”

• “It was a really different game. I thought St Kilda defended well and we knew they have a really good back six. For us it was more of a grind. It was different today. I got on the back end of a different way I would normally kick them — we had really good multiple goal kickers today. It wasn’t just one person who stood out.”

• “[100 games] is quite surreal. This week has probably been a bit much — I had a lot of family and friends reaching out — but I’m very grateful to be in this position to be able to play 100 games. From being drafted 10 years ago I never thought I would be in this position, but I’m just grateful to have two great club and to finally be here at the Hawks — I feel like they’ve accepted me really well … If I can get to 150 that’d be great, but in the meantime it’s one game at a time.”

  

📦 Box Hill Watch

Danny and Daz were special guests at a fantastic Hall of Fame lunch at Box Hill City Oval on Sunday, celebrating the induction of Victor Lawther and Mark Lisle. While we wanted a nice BOKball palate cleanser against St Kilda’s affiliate side Sandringham, Ross Lyon had his mitts all over this clash, too. After a seesawing three quarter grind the Hawks finally kicked away, with Calsher Dear (21 disposals, five marks, three goals) and Mitch Lewis (17 disposals, eight marks, three goals) having a big say in the last.

Special thanks to David Beltrami, Ed Sill and Pat Clancey and the incredible team at Box Hill for having us. Also for the post game access to Calsh.

⏭️ Nat previews next week’s clash against Fre-Ho

Proper selection squeeze potentially ahead this week, with Calsher and Mitch Lewis performing extremely well at VFL level. Ramsden’s month long cameo has been good, I especially like the versatility he gives us by being able to go into the ruck which means Chol can stay closer to home. However if these two aforementioned men are at their best, it is an extremely tough call. My gut says we give Lewis one more full game at Box Hill (he had limited minutes week one), and don’t send him on a flight to Perth.

Contrary to popular belief — I actually don’t think Freo have a superstar midfield. I think they are similar to us in a way that they are pretty good at the top, but don’t bat very deep. Serong, Brayshaw and Jackson are stars (and better than our best three if we are honest) but there isn’t a lot, at all, underneath. We’ve seen a few times this season them be well beaten — the early season game against the Saints they lost clearance by 28 (twenty eight) and against Sydney on Sunday they conceded the first nine centre breaks to be down 25-0 from that score source in the first 40 mins of the game. They can be got at.

Given the struggles we had with NWM, I’m interested to see what we do with Jordan Clark. Had a poor game against the Swans, but in my eyes is the other All Australian half back flanker alongside NWM. Having a sensational year, and thank god he no longer plays for Geelong.

This is an extremely winnable game, at a venue we generally play well at. We win this and they are two games and 10-12 odd percent behind us. Massive.

---

The Hawks are up and about and the Hawks Insiders are in full flight - subscribe now and make sure to follow us on social media through the links below:

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram