Australian Football

Match Report

For the second time this year Hawthorn has handed Gold Coast a footballing lesson and made it plain that the Suns, despite significant improvement in 2014, have a long way to go to mix it with the "big boys" at the upper echelon of the ladder. The Hawks, having defeated the Suns by 99 points at Carrara in round four, didn't win by quite as much this time at York Park, finishing 53 points clear, but the victory was equally as emphatic ion many respects.

Gold Coast started the match off in a very competitive fashion, and led by a point at quarter time, all this was as much to with Hawthorn's inaccuracy as the Suns' good play, with the score 2.5 to 3.0. The Suns continued to stay with the Hawks for much of the second term too, and when Charlie Dixon goaled at the 17-minute mark, scores were level. Amazingly, though, the Suns would kick just one more goal from that moment until the verge of time-on in the final term. The Hawks closed out the first half with the last four goals of the first half, then kicked 5.5 to 1.0 in the their quarter to take a 59-point lead into the last change. That lead was extended to 76 points before a quartet of late goals from the Suns gave their final deficit an element of respectability.

Skipper Luke Hodge was outstanding for the Hawks, with 26 disposals and three goals, while Isaac Smith (nine tackles, 27 possessions) and Jordan Lewis (28 touches and two goals). As always for the Suns, Gary Ablett shone with 45 disposals and six tackles, with David Swallow (11 tackles and 28 touches) and Jaeger O'Meara (26 disposals, four tackles) also good four-quarter players.

The win took the Hawks to the top of the ladder (courtesy of the Power' shock loss to the Crows) and stand-in coach Brendon Bolton's record to 5-0, where it will stay for some time after it was Alastair Clarkson would return to the helm from illness in round 16. Hawthorn will meet North Melbourne at Docklands on Friday night. Gold Coast remains a game clear in the eight despite the loss, and will take on Collingwood at Carrara next Saturday.

GOALS
Hawthorn: Breust, Hodge 3; Smith, Roughead, Lewis 2; Rioli, Burgoyne, Ceglar, Birchall
Gold Coast: Lynch, Ablett, Dixon 2; Bennell, Martin, Smith, Prestia

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Hawthorn: Hodge, Lewis, Ceglar, Smith, Sewell, Shiels
Gold Coast: Ablett, Rischitelli, Swallow, O’Meara, Prestia

BEST - THE SUNDAY AGE
Hawthorn: Hodge, Lewis, I Smith, Ceglar, Burgoyne
Gold Coast: Ablett Rischitelli, O'Meara, Swallow.

INJURIES
Hawthorn: Rioli (hamstring) 
Gold Coast: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Hawthorn: Grant Birchall replaced by Taylor Duryea in the fourth quarter.
Gold Coast: Greg Broughton replaced by Jesse Lonergan in the third quarter.

REPORTS: Jarrod Harbrow reported for striking Luke Breust in the final quarter.

UMPIRES: Stevic, Schmitt, O’Gorman

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Hamish McLachlan, Basil Zempilas, Andrew Welsh