Round 7 – Hawthorn v Melbourne: Icing on the cake
Icing on the cake
Hawthorn versus Melbourne
2.10pm, Saturday 16th May
MCG
Molly Lennon
My family have gone to the local footy to watch The Gap Dragons under-11s take on the Aspley Hornets. So I’m sitting here all alone on the couch for the Hawthorn-Melbourne match wearing my favourite scarf. Thankfully, I‘ve got our cat Finnbarr and my cuddly Hawks pillow pet, ‘Huddo’ to keep me company.
This is the first time I’ve been nervous watching Hawthorn take on the Demons in over two years. After all, last week we lost to the Giants!
Right before this nerve-racking game begins I go to the kitchen to make some icing to put on some biscuits and I obviously make them yellow (or gold) to help support my Hawks.
Hawthorn is all fired up. “Let’s go for the win,” I yell to Finnbarr.
There goes the siren. The game is off and it’s a quick start for the Hawks. Roughy takes a marvellous mark and goes for goal but he kicks it out on the full!
A Melbourne player breaks from a herd of Demons and Hawks and runs and runs to score the first goal of the match. Crikey! Melbourne is going for another goal and it’s deadly accurate. Hawthorn need to get their head in the game.
So they do. Hawthorn is just too good. Roughy gets the ball and handballs to Cyril who was right in front of the goals and kicks it. I love him.
I take a break to clean up my icing sugar mess which I’d gotten everywhere! Mum will be home soon.
The ball is kicked out to Sammy but somehow it ends up with Duryea, who shoots for goal. He misses, but big David Hale, playing his first match of the season, marks it on the line and gets the goal. Beautiful.
As the first quarter comes to an end, I started to eat my delicious biscuits. Yum!
The second quarter begins and Cyril kicks the opening goal to give Hawthorn the start they need. The Demons bring the ball forward many times but they don’t have the accuracy to get the goals they need.
It’s intense. Bradley Hill shows just how good he is and goes on the run, aiming for goal. Again, he’s so close there’s no way can he miss and of course he doesn’t disappoint. These biscuits are just the best.
Our ruckman Ceglar goes for a goal but it’s touched, however it doesn’t matter as Roughead quickly gets a goal afterwards. Billy Hartung and Hill use their running power to get the ball to Gunston in the forward line. Gunston misses but all that matters is the amazing team work from Billy and Hilly.
Puopolo scores a goal making the margin 45 points at half time. Oh dear, I’ve run out of biscuits.
And there goes the bounce. It’s a slow start to the third quarter but the ball goes into Langford’s hands. Yes Langford! He kicks the first goal of the quarter (only just).
Hawthorn is on fire. Sammy gets a goal not long after Langford. Rioli goes for a mark but misses and it goes to Langford, who marks the ball while being clawed to the ground, and takes the goal. Mighty Will!
Puopolo uses all his might and jumps on two Demons’ shoulders taking a great mark and then kicking an even better goal. He must have had some of my good luck biscuits!
Even though there are only thirty seconds left in the quarter, both teams are putting in the hard yards to win the ball. I think I need some more iced biscuits!
We lead by eighty-six points at three-quarter time and there are still only two goal-kickers from Melbourne and a whole bunch for the mighty Hawks.
The family arrived home from the footy just as the last quarter began, so Dad sat down on the couch with me and Finnbarr. (The Gap lost to Aspley in a tight one but I’m told it was a good game).
Back to the TV and the fourth quarter began as the third quarter finished, with the Hawks dominating.
I was especially impressed with a beautiful intercept by Luke Breust to start off the last term. He swung on to his left and scored a great goal. This was followed by another great goal from Gunston splitting the sticks. Perfection.
Then Cyril took a bold mark from the Bradley Hill pass before he popped it through, making the margin over 100 points! Boy he’s good.
I ran out of biscuits as the game finished with an amazing margin of 105. What a cracker of a game and an easy one too. Yes we won! The game was even better than homemade icing on biscuits.
What a day. And that result was my icing on the cake!
Hawthorn 6.2 10.6 18.8 24.11 (155)
Melbourne 2.0 3.3 4.6 7.8 (50)
Goals
Hawthorn: Roughead 4, Breust 3, Rioli 3, Schoenmakers 2, Hale 2, Puopolo 2,Langford 2, Suckling, Ceglar, Mitchell, Hartung, Hill, Gunston
Melbourne: Garlett 3, Pedersen 3, Bail
Best
Hawthorn: Rioli, Mitchell, Hartung, Hill, Roughead, Langford, Ceglar,
Melbourne: Garlett, Pedersen, McDonald
Umpires: Rosebury, Edwards, Ryan
Official crowd: 41,935 at MCG
Our Votes: Rioli (Haw) 3, Hartung (Haw) 2, Mitchell (Haw) 1
Loved the ‘biscuit’ theme running through your story. Including the lucky biscuits.
It all sounded so familiar to people like us who watch most of our footy in the lounge-room.
Particularly rushing to clean up the icing sugar before your Mum gets home. In my case it would be rushing to clean up before my wife got home.
Extremely well-written enjoyable report.
Excellent report young Molly. But of course, I am bias.
Worth noting Ed – this piece follows Molly’s ‘official’ Almanac debut last year, and her ‘Peter Hudson’ piece in the book. Just brilliant! :-)
Sasha
PS why wasn’t I offered a biscuit?
I love your story Molly…. I know you worked hard writing this Saturday and Sunday. Well done.
I’m wondering why I didn’t get offered biscuits either…. or was the icing sugar left all over the bench my gift ? :)
Go hawks… and I can’t wait to see more of your stories Molly.
Lisa
Thanks Sasha, the intro has been amended accordingly.
That’s a terrific report. People that young shouldn’t be allowed to write that well… or support Hawthorn.
As a Melbourne supporter I started reading his with trepidation. But I’m pleased to say the article was very even handed and gave credit where credit was due. I was at the game and I reflected on times in the past when Melbourne has been shellacked by 100 points or more. Then you could put it down to the fact they were hopeless. Now they aren’t playing too bad – just outclassed by a better team. Thanks for a very enjoyable read – very well written.
Fabulous work Molly.
I am so impressed with your writing style which makes this such an enjoyable read.
Loved the biscuit theme throughout as well.
Well done’
xx
Great report, Molly. I’m looking forward to you being a commentator on FoxSport as well as a writer for The Age.
I thought Hale and Hill were terrific, together with our usual stars.
I had dinner tonight with a couple of Demons supporters. Pure gold.
I’ll look forward to your next report, Molly.
Biscuits and footy. YUM!
Hopefully your Hawks don’t win by 100 this weekend, Molly!
I’m a Sydney Swans supporter, you see, and feeling a bit nervous. The last time vs you guys was not good! Perhaps I’ll make some biscuits on Saturday arvo too and wait for the game to ice them. That way I have an excuse to jump up and down, up and down, in and out of view.
Keep cheering and writing Molly.
Yes Molly, it was a fantastic game, and you brought colour and life to it with your words. A marvelous kick by kick account of a brilliant game.
To think you are not yet twelve years of age, and have such a great command of words and how to use them is just brilliant. I love watching the game through your eyes.
Well done darling, as per usual, you did a wonderful job.
Would love to have tasted your ”Lucky biscuits” xoxoxoxo