Australian Football

Match Report

In a pulsating match at the MCG on Saturday night, the Sydney Swans have held on to defeat Hawthorn by four points, in a match fitting of a final, if not a Grand Final. The Swans got the jump on Hawthorn early, but the Hawks clawed their way back into the game, hitting the front in the last quarter before Sydney kicked the last three goals of the match to win a thriller and exact some measure of revenge for last year's Grand Final loss.

Sydney made the early running in the match, with Gary Rohan and Kurt Tippett goaling within the first four minutes. The Hawks settled after that, but several forward opportunities resulted in just three behinds. The Swans then made them pay with late goals to Ben McGlynn, Adam Goodes and Tippett giving them a 27-point lead at the first break. 

McGlynn set the Hawthorn alarm bells ringing at the start of the second quarter, with his second goal extending the margin to 32 points at the four-minute mark but from that moment the Hawks began to work their way back into the match. Luke Breust got the ball rolling with a goal at the nine-minute mark, and then Ryan Schoenmakers, Jonathon Ceglar and Will Langford followed up with majors over the next 11 minutes, with additional behinds reducing the margin to just four points. The Swans regained some control after that, closing out the half with three behinds and a goal to Sam Reid, giving Sydney a 13-point buffer at the long break.

Hawthorn wrested back the initiative when the second half began, although neither side managed a goal in the first 10 minutes of the third quarter. Hawk Jack Gunston broke the drought with a goal at the 15-minute mark and Schoenmakers following up with another two minutes later. Reid responded for the Swans with his second at the 19-minute mark, but the last two goals of the quarter went Hawthorn's way - to Paul Puopolo and Cyril Rioli, giving Hawthorn the lead for the first time in the match. The Hawks took a four-point margin buffer into the last change.

When the last quarter began the Hawks pressed hard and it appeared that they were the ones that would finish the match full of running, after Rioli gave them a 12-point lead with the first goal of the quarter at the nine-minute mark. But the Swans dug their heels in and came again. Jarrad McVeigh cut the difference back to an even goal at the 12-minute mark and, after Gunston behind at the 16-minute mark, kicked his second to bring the Swans within one point. Five minutes later, Luke Parker returned the lead to Sydney with his first major of the night. The Hawks attacked several times after that and Luke Breust had a chance to give them the lead with a set shot at the 27-minute mark, but his kick sailed left. Not long after, the final siren sounded, Sydney holding on for a memorable four-point victory.

Dan Hannebery was magnificent for the Swans, with 36 possessions and four tackles, while Parker (26 disposals, six tackles) and Josh Kennedy (29 touches, six tackles) also played fine games. For the Hawks, Sam Mitchell (32 disposals, five tackles) and Rioli (16 possessions, two goals) were very good, as was Jordan Lewis, who had 31 touches. 

The Hawks, who find themselves unfamiliarly in the middle section of the ladder with four wins and four losses, will host Gold Coast at York Park next Saturday, while Sydney (6-2, third on the  ladder) will play Carlton at the SCG on Friday night, the Blues under the coaching leadership of caretaker John Barker for the first time after the sacking this week of Mick Malthouse.

GOALS
Hawthorn: Schoenmakers, Rioli 2; Breust, Ceglar, Langford, Gunston, Puopolo
Sydney: Tippett, McGlynn, Reid, McVeigh 2; Rohan, Goodes, Parker

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Hawthorn: Rioli, Mitchell, Frawley, Smith, Langford, Ceglar
Sydney: Hannebery, Parker, Reid, McVeigh, Kennedy, Richards

BEST - THE SUNDAY AGE
Hawthorn: Mitchell, Rioli, Lewis, Hill, Roughead, Ceglar
Sydney: Hannebery, Parker, Kennedy, McVeigh, Reid, Richards

INJURIES
Hawthorn: Lake (knee)
Sydney: NIl

SUBSTITUTES
Hawthorn: Billy Hartung replaced David Hale at three-quarter time
Sydney: Harry Cunningham replaced Gary Rohan at three-quarter time

UMPIRES: Meredith, Pannell, McInerney

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Brian Taylor, Luke Darcy, Matthew Richardson, Cameron Ling