Australian Football

Match Report

Hawthorn, already premiership favourites before it travelled to Stadium Australia on Saturday night, is now clearly the team to beat in the eyes of almost anyone with a knowledge of the AFL, after it dismantled the Sydney Swans by 89 points on Saturday night. The Swans matched the Hawks in many statistical areas in the match, but Hawthorn's clinical use of the ball in the forward line saw it rack up a total of 23.8.146, leaving Sydney's 7.15.57 far behind. 

Ben McEvoy got the first goal of the match for the Hawks at the two-minute mark, after which Sydney attacked for a return of two behinds. The tone of the match was set after the 10-minute mark with Hawthorn piling on five goals in 12 minutes, three to Jack Gunston and one each to David Hale and Jarryd Roughead. The Swans stemmed Hawthorn's flow after that but could not make any impact on the scoreboard themselves and it was 37-2 Hawthorn's way at quarter time. 

Sydney matched it with Hawthorn in general play in the first half of the second quarter but couldn't translate that onto the scoreboard. The Hawks got the only major in that period, via Issac Smith and led by 42 points at the 17-minute mark. But then Lance Franklin burst onto the scene to bring the match to life. 'Buddy' kicked three goal in the space of three minutes and when Jarrad McVeigh added another several minutes later, the Swans were suddenly within 18 points and with all the momentum. They would have been keen to take that momentum into half time but late goals to Angus Litherland and Cyril Rioli swung it back the other way and Hawthorn went into the long break five goals clear. 

When the third quarter began it was as though Sydney's burst had never existed. The Hawks regained total control and goals to Rioli and Roughead had them back out to a 42-point lead after 10 minutes. The Swans fought back to an extent with two of the next three goals but the last five of the quarter went Hawthorn's way and the Hawks' lead at the last change of ends was a massive 55 points. 

The reigning premiers did not let up in the last term, with Gunston, Luke Breust, Roughead and Matt Suckling kicking majors in the first 10 minutes. Josh Kennedy gave the Swans brief respite with a goal at the 16-minute mark but Hawthorn closed out the match with goals to Breust, Roughead and McEvoy to record a crushing victory and continue its push towards a top-two place. 

Luke Hodge (30 possessions and eight marks) and Rioli (eight tackles, three goals) were outstanding for the winners while Kennedy (30 disposals, nine tackles) and Adam Goodes (23 touches and six marks) were good contributors all night for Sydney.

Hawthorn will be odds-on favourite to make short work of Carlton at Docklands next Friday night while the Swans have another touch encounter coming up against second-placed West Coast at Subiaco on Sunday.  

GOALS
Sydney: Franklin 3; McVeigh, Parker, K. Jack, Kennedy
Hawthorn: Roughead 5; Gunston 4; Rioli 3; Breust, McEvoy 2; Hale, Smith, Litherland, Schoenmakers, Shiels, Puopolo, Suckling

BEST - SMH.COM.AU
Sydney: Goodes, Kennedy, Hannebery, Franklin
Hawthorn: Hodge, Birchall, Rioli, Roughead, Smith, Mitchell, Lewis

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Sydney: Kennedy, Parker, Hannebery, Goodes, Jetta, McVeigh
Hawthorn: Rioli, Birchall, Hodge, Roughead, Mitchell, Gunston

INJURIES
Sydney: Craig Bird (calf/achilles), Tippett (hand)
Hawthorn: Bradley Hill (corked calf) replaced in selected side by Angus Litherland

SUBSTITUTES
Sydney: Zak Jones replaced Craig Bird in the second quarter
Hawthorn: Billy Hartung replaced David Hale in the last quarter

REPORTS: Ted Richards for striking Sam Mitchell in the first quarter

UMPIRES: Stevic, Hosking, Pannell

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

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