Australian Football

Match Report

The Dockers have slumped to an eighth loss in eight games to start the 2016 season, falling away against Hawthorn in the third quarter after a highly competitive first half at York Park in Launceston. Kicking into the win in the first term, Fremantle restricted the Hawks to a nine-point lead at quarter time and then used the advantage of the breeze in the second quarter well to take a narrow lead into the long break. But an eight-goal burst from Hawthorn in the third term broke the game open and the Dockers could not narrow the bridge the gap in the last quarter, eventually succumbing by 41 points.

Despite kicking into the breeze first, Fremantle started well, Chris Mayne scoring the first goal of the match after a free kick. Ben McEvoy responded for the Hawks, but two more majors from Stephen Hill and Hayden Crozier had the Dockers two goals ahead after 11 minutes. Hawthorn settled after that, and a brace of goals to Jack Gunston followed by another major to Luke Breust was enough to give the Hawks a nine-point quarter-time lead.

A lovely handball from Mayne to Ed Langdon in the goal-square gave the Dockers the first goal of the second term after a dour eight minutes, but Tim O'Brien responded for Hawthorn three minutes later with his first. Goals to Lachie Neale and Hayden Ballantyne had Fremantle ahead by the 20-minute mark and the lead was extended to eight points when Jonathon Griffin kicked his first four minutes later. A late goal to Breust narrowed the gap at half time to just two, however.

Facing a stiff breeze in the third term, a good start was vital for the Dockers and Ballantyne had the chance to give them just that but his shot after three minutes sailed wide. The Hawks, almost inevitably, then took control and majors to Josh Gibson, O'Brien and Grant Birchall to take a 16-point lead. They then added several behinds but the last 15 minutes of the term saw them straighten up and a burst of a further five goals had them ahead 51 points at the final change of ends.

Though they had the win in the final quarter, the Dockers needed a virtual miracle to get back into the match. Despite David Mundy and Michael Walters kicking the first two majors of the term, it wasn't to be. Fremantle ended the quarter kicking 4.5, but the Hawks also added 3.1, and the gap was eventually only narrowed by 10 points, Hawthorn recording a comfortable win, its sixth for the season.

Isaac Smith was outstanding for the Hawks, with 27 touches and a goal, while Walters (26 disposals and seven tackles) and Neale (38 possessions, five tackles) played fine games for Fremantle. 

Despite their 6-2 record, the Hawks are still only sixth on the ladder and will look to push for a top-four spot when they take on fourth-placed Sydney at the MCG on Friday night. Fremantle will look to finally open its 2016 account at home against Richmond on Saturday night.

GOALS
Hawthorn: Breust, Gunston 3; O’Brien, McEvoy 2; Puopolo, Lewis, Gibson, Hill, Birchall, Smith, Sicily
Fremantle: Walters 2; Mayne, Hill, Crozier, Langdon, Neale, Griffin, Ballantyne, Mundy, Weller

BEST - HERALDSUN.COM.AU
Hawthorn: Smith, Gibson, Lewis, Gunston, Mitchell, Birchall, Howe, Hartung, Shiels
Fremantle: Neale, Mundy, Walters, Hill, Spurr, Griffin

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Hawthorn: Smith, Shiels, Lewis, Gibson, Gunston, Mitchell
Fremantle: Walters, Mundy, Neale, Spurr, A Pearce, Griffin

INJURIES
Hawthorn: TBC
Fremantle: Stephen Hill (leg)

UMPIRES: Edwards, Pannell, Mollison

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Dwayne Russell, Jonathan Brown, Gerard Healy, David King