Australian Football

Match Report

Hawthorn has kept its faint hopes alive and in the process virtually extinguished those of Fremantle, thrashing the Dockers by 52 points at Subiaco on Saturday night. The Hawks went into the match as slight favourites but most would have expected Fremantle to at least put up a solid showing in front of a home crowd. But the Dockers conceded the first four goals of the match and were on the back foot for the rest of the night, rarely looking like they might threaten.

Nevertheless, by three-quarter time they were 28 points behind, still just within striking distance of the Hawks, and a strong last quarter might have seen them jangle some Hawthorn nerves. But it was the Hawks who turned it on in the final term, powering away to kick five of the last six goals of the match to record an easy win, one which keeps them within a game and a half of the top eight.

It took only a minute and a half for Hawthorn to hit the scoreboard, with Ryan Schoenmakers receiving a free kick and converting to give his side an early lead, and from there, the Hawks just kept attacking. After behinds to Liam Shiels and Tom Mitchell, Daniel Howe snapped Hawthorn's second, and with captain Jarryd Roughead and Ricky Henderson following up with further goals, the Hawks were suddenly ahead 26-0 after 15 minutes, the home side in deep trouble. Fremantle finally hit the scoreboard with a mark and goal to Cam McCarthy at the 16-minute mark, and another major to teammate Kersten four minutes later had the Dockers back within 15 points. Hawthorn added the only score in time on, a behind, to lead by 15 at the first break.

With Fremantle's defence shored up after the Hawks' early onslaught, the second term became a dour affair with goals few and far between. Third-gamer Ryan Nyhuis slotted one for the Dockers at the three-minute mark after a mark, cutting the margin to nine points, but the only two other majors for the quarter went Hawthorn's way, to Luke Breust at the 15-minute mark, and Breust again seven minutes later. At half time, the visitors held a comfortable 20-point lead.

The Hawks threatened to blow the game open early in the third term when Howe kicked his second goal courtesy of a brilliant handball from Tom Mitchell but a turnover from Billy Hartung saw Hayden Ballantyne register his first at the four-minute mark to keep Fremantle in touch. Hawthorn wasted a couple more chances over the next few minutes, with misses to Schoenmakers and Shiels, and when Kersten snapped his second from the goal square, the Dockers were back within 17. But Hartung made amends for his earlier error with a goal at the 16-minute mark, and another goal nine minute later to Henderson had Hawthorn's lead out to 28 points at 'orange time'.

A long goal to Jack Gunston extended the Hawks' lead beyond 30 two minutes into the final quarter, but a quickly reply from captain Nat Fyfe gave Fremantle some hope. The Dockers could not find a follow-up goal, however, and when Shaun Burgoyne marked and goaled at the 16-minute mark, the Hawks' lead was back to 34 and they were as good as home. With Fremantle's spirit broken, the Hawks rattled on four more goals to the Dockers' one from there, sprinting to the finish line to record an easy win.

Gunston played an outstanding game for the victors, picking up 35 disposals and taking eight marks, while the Dockers best included Connor Blakely (29 possessions, nine marks) and Bradley Hill (25 touches, nine marks).

Hawthorn will attempt to keep its finals hopes alive when it hosts Sydney at the MCG on Friday night. The Swans are in red-hot form, having lost just one match since round six, but that loss was to the Hawks, so the match promises to be an enthralling encounter. For the Dockers, things are unlikely to get any easier in round 19, as they will travel to the Sydney Showground to take on GWS on Saturday afternoon. The Giants have been struggling of late, but only the bravest of tipsters will be picking a Fremantle win in that match.

GOALS
Hawthorn: Breust, Roughead, Henderson, Burgoyne 2; Smith, Gunston, Schoenmakers, Hartung, O’Brien, McEvoy, Howe.
Fremantle: Kersten, McCarthy 2; Fyfe, Nyhuis, Ballantyne.

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Hawthorn: Gunston, Mitchell, Shiels, Breust, Howe, Roughead, Hodge, Sicily.
Fremantle: B. Hill, Fyfe, Neale, Blakely, Logue, Hamling.

BEST - WATODAY.COM.AU
Hawthorn: Gunston, Mitchell, Sicily, Howe, Breust, Henderson
Fremantle: Blakely, Neale, Hamling, Fyfe, Darcy, Kerste

INJURIES
Hawthorn: Nil
Fremantle: Walters (leg)

UMPIRES: Margetts, Ryan, Dalgleish

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Adam Papalia, Jason Dunstall, Matthew Pavlich, Brian Lake