AFL Round 14 – Hawthorn v Brisbane: Tassie turns on Hawks

It may not have registered, as even a blip, on the Melbourne AFL Richter Scale with all the Jobe AOD-9604 stuff going on but over here we bi-cranials have much more significant contemporary issues to digest. The Hobart footy establishment was beating up on our Hawks. The confederate mongrels!

The diaper coloured front page headline in the local non confederate rag on the Saturday morning said it all. “Hawks boss slams Wade slur”. This is apparently code for – the Hawks are just a little bit grumpy over an ex player’s, and now AFL Tassie Grand Poo-bah’s, apparent insistence that a Melbourne based AFL team must play eight games each season in Tasmania, insisting that Hawthorn “did not add any value to our talent pathway”. We can’t even service our education and health needs over here yet now we are expected to foot the bill for life support for another of the AFL’s Melbourne business failures.

There would be few people fully familiar with this feline Phantom who would not be aware of my feelings for Hawthorn. That they, and their’s, ‘severely irritate me’ could be considered an extremely mild prognosis. But wait for it; it is my unequivocal belief that Hawthorn certainly have delivered to Tasmania. (Am I really saying this?)

Firstly, there’s the small matter of that flag they delivered to York Park during Jeff’s (ten year) 2008 dynasty (uuurrrg), continuous good performances at fortress Launceston, as well as a constant stream of players and resources graciously provided for doting young locals at grass roots development level.

There is cack yellow and poo brown everywhere down here. I am looking at it all around me at the moment as I stoically sit amongst three thousand of their more elite bloody (or is that Buddy) screaming fans in the (what was that forestry company’s name?) stand. Really, why would sensible grown-ups make poor trusting little ones dress like that? There should be a law against it.

They certainly have kept their part of the deal, so get a life Scott. Stop your continued stuffing football in Tasmania and respect the opinions of people north of Oatlands for a change, rather than just your own ego.

Right (breath in…….and out….. slowly……..again………) now I have that off my chest, I can deal with the matter at hand; Hawthorn vs Brisbane.

As I sit cocooned from the humming Hawk hype around me I reflect. For me, at least, this significantly will be the last time I get to see two great players in their current colours. Jonathon Brown and Lance Franklin. I briefly consider who was the best? It is of course a ‘lay down misere’, yet I doubt whether those around me who are soon to mourn the loss of one of their nearest and dearest to another tribe, as we of the Cat clan did, would agree.

After an uninspiring start the home side, as expected, get greedy, treat the ball as their own and skip away to a ten goal win after six unanswered third quarter goals. Poor conversion may well have kept the margin below three figures. Their spread and delivery to mobile or strategically placed options is outstanding.

They are ruthlessly business like in their quest for four points that will just about assure them a high top four spot as well as equalling their club record of twelve straight wins. They play like worthy flag favourites.

Their usual York Park scoring suspects, Franklin, Roughead, Breust and Savage (they seem to always be dangerous when I am there) were amongst the goals but Brian Lake certainly makes his presence felt as a key defender. Could he be the key to the door that was cruelly slammed in their faces in the dying moments of last year’s grand final?

Lion King Brown kicked four goals and is still effective when the ball is delivered directly to his big mits but he now lacks the youth which enabled him to prowl the forward line and kill at will. Daniel Rich’s blond hair was prominent bobbing around, journeyman Brent Maloney was a hard nut in and around stoppages and Matthew Leuenberger as always contributed but the Lions are just not quite there at this time.

Finally if anyone doubts the success of the Hawthorn assimilation into the northern part of Tasmania they have no eye for either detail, or history. If any sceptics feel that Hawthorn have not been able to win the hearts and minds of the locals they haven’t heard the chant when the home side take control of a game, or been drawn into the lava flow of gold and brown as it relentlessly oozes down the steps, past the merchandise concessions, through the gates of their home ground and out onto the local streets.

 

Hawthorn : 3.8    8.9   15.15    21.17 (143)

Brisbane:    1.2    5.5     7.7      12.13  (85)

Goals: Hawthorn: L. Franklin, J. Roughead 4; L. Breust, S. Savage 3; D. Hale, B. Hill, J. Gunston, J. Lewis, L. Shiels, J. Simpkin. Brisbane: J. Brown 4: M. Golby 2; S. Black, P. Hanley, J. Lisle, D. Rich, T. Rockliff, E. Yeo.                                                                      Best: Hawthorn: B. Lake, S. Mitchell, L. Breust, B. Sewell, I. Smith, L. Franklin.  Brisbane: D. Rich, B. Moloney, J. Brown, M. Leuenberger, P. Hanley.                           Crowd: 15,796 . Umpires: Jason Armstrong; Scott Jeffery, Leigh Fisher.

Malarkey Medal Votes: B. Lake (Haw) 3, D. Rich (Bris) 2, S. Mitchell (Haw) 1.