AFL Round 4 – Hawthorn v Fremantle: The Hawks are back

The Hawks are back! After yet another Round 1 loss to our arch nemesis Geelong, we had one two big games against West Coast in Perth and Collingwood at the G. The Round 1 loss behind us, the hawkers were playing some fantastic football and were once again rise back up as premiership favourites. Fremantle were coming into the game without their tall and talented timber in Aaron Sandilands and Matthew Pavlich missing. To add to Fremantle’s woes, Luke McPharlin was a late out and this was huge as McPharlin would have lined up on Buddy. This left debutant Tanner Smith to come in and face the daunting task of lining up on Franklin.

After big wins against both West Coast and Collingwood, the Hawks came into the game at Launceston as hot favourites. We were coming up against a strong Freo side that is coached by one of the masters of the game in terms of strategy. This was not going to be a walk in the park that’s for sure. As always, all eyes were on the hawks start, in particular Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin. The Hawks’ superstar was under a watchful eye as he becomes out of contract at the end of the season. He will certainly be looking to let his footy do the talking. Although he didn’t have a huge impact he still managed to kick 4 goals and rack up 20 possessions and as a forward that is just brilliant.

Grant Birchall is a much underrated defender. This bloke was an All-Australian last year, and in my opinion, the best running backman in the game. Now I’m not just saying that because I am a Hawthorn supporter, I am saying that as a viewer. He is such a great player for us and is a key to our success. Coming back to his home in Tassie, he didn’t fail to disappoint, racking up a staggering 37 possessions and providing the run and carry from the back. Mitch (Mitchell) was a work horse in the middle as always and Rioli was at his usual best.

Every time Hawthorn looked like kicking away, the dockers kept getting one back to keep that margin intact. The dockers not kicking a goal in the first quarter did not however set up a winning position. Remarkably, at one point in the final term they brought it back to a margin that had hawks fans feeling nervous. The dockers certainly had the talent to give the hawks a real test in the final term.
I look at the dockers’ side and see some real potential and talent. They have two fantastic talents in the midfield in Fyfe and Mundy. These two know how to win the ball and what to do with it. Despite the dockers brave effort they were unable to hold off the hawks as they finished it off in style.

So the Hawks continue to march on with 3 wins in a row and a clash against North Melbourne up next. Meanwhile for Fremantle, that was a second straight loss after a great start to the season and will be looking to bounce back and prove that they will be a major finals contender this year.

Comments

  1. Rick Kane says

    Hi Cody

    Good report and I agree with your sentiments about Birch. Like Sewell, he gets better every season.

    And yes, after a nervous moment or two in the last the Hawks “finished it off in style” as you so succinctly described it.

    Cheers

  2. Hi Cody,

    We are getting a spark from the new boys, anderson, hill and duryea.
    North game will be closer, I believe then looking forward to the GF rematch on a saturday night

    Hawky

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