Australian Football

Match Report

Hawthorn has very much seemed to make a habit of recording narrow wins in 2016, and Saturday's match at York Park against Carlton reinforced that perception with the Blues very much in the hunt until late in their contest against the Hawks on Saturday afternoon. In tricky conditions marred by a strong breeze, Hawthorn eked out a 19-point win, one that did little to improve its percentage but, with the Hawks holding a two-game break at the top of the ladder, that is unlikely to be a negative factor for them.

The Hawks totally dominated proceedings in the early stages of the match and, by midway through the first term had had seven scoring shots to nil. Fortunately for Carlton, though, they missed several shots at goal, and were only 17 points clear, 2.5 to 0.0 after 15 minutes. The trend of the match reversed from that point, with the Blues holding sway across the ground but they too suffered from inaccuracy, with Nick Graham, Matthew Kreuzer and Zac Tuohy (twice) all missing as Hawthorn went to the first break lead 2.5 to 0.4.

Goals continued to be hard to come by in the second quarter, with two rushed behinds going the way of Carlton in the first 10 minutes and the Hawks scoring one behind through Jack Gunston. Dylan Buckley finally broke the goal drought with a mark and accurate kick from 20 metres out at the 12-minute mark but that was to the only major of the term as each side added two further behinds before the long break. At half time the two sides had managed a combined score of just 3.16, with Hawthorn leading 2.8 to 1.8.

In a complete contrast to the first half, the third term was a virtual goal-fest. Hawthorn looked like making it a classical 'premiership' third quarter, with Jonathon Ceglar, Shaun Burgoyne. Luke Breust and Jordan Lewis all kicking majors in the first 12 minutes to see the Hawks out to a 32-point lead. A blowout looked to be on the cards at that stage but Carlton turned things around dramatically over the next 15 minutes. Andrejs Everitt, Bryce Gibbs, Patrick Cripps and Kreuzer all goaled in that period to close the deficit ti just seven points before a late goal to Jack Gunston had Hawthorn ahead by an even two goals at the last break.

The vital first goal of the final term went the way of Hawthorn, Ben McEvoy marking and goaling from a tight angle at the two-minute mark. A fine mark and goal from young Jack Silvagni had the Blues back within 12 points just two minutes later, though, and it was 'game on'. Carlton couldn't find a follow-up major, though, and when Ceglar marked strongly and kicked truly at the 15-minute mark, the Hawks looked home. A mark and goal to Liam Sumner gave Carlton brief hope at the 23-minute mark but skipper Luke Hodge sealed the deal for Hawthorn with the last goal of the match three minutes later. 

Jordan Lewis (27 possessions, nine marks) and Shaun Burgoyne (25 touches, eight marks) were vital in getting the Hawks across the line, while Patrick Cripps (31 disposals and four marks) was a great contributor for Carlton.

At the head of the ladder with the luxury of a two-game break, the Hawks next assignment will be a match against co-tenants Melbourne at the MCG, while the Blues, winless since round 11, will look to return to the victors' list against St Kilda at the same venue the next day. 

GOALS
Hawthorn: Breust, Ceglar 2; Duryea, Lewis, Burgoyne, Gunston, Hodge, McEvoy
Carlton: Buckley, Gibbs, Kreuzer, Cripps, Everitt, Silvagni, Sumner

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Hawthorn: Burgoyne, Lewis, Birchall, Gunston
Carlton: Cripps, Tuohy, Gibbs, Simpson, Kreuzer, Curnow

BEST - THE SUNDAY AGE
Hawthorn: Lewis, Breust, Burgoyne, Smith, Birchalll, Frawley, Gunston
Carlton: Cripps, Simpson, Gibbs, Tuohy, Docherty, Plowman

INJURIES
Hawthorn: Nil
Carlton: Nil

UMPIRES: Hosking, Chamberlain, Mitchell

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Dwayne Russell, Alastair Lynch, Jonathan Brown, Ben Dixon