Hawks sneak past Eagles in thriller
Hawthorn have won the battle, but there is the feeling their war with West Coast has only just begun.
PT1M33S 620 349HAWTHORN 2.3 5.5 8.8 13.10 (88) WEST COAST 5.3 6.5 9.6 11.8 (74)
Goals: Hawthorn: L Breust 3, B Hartung 2, S Burgoyne 2, C Rioli, G Birchall, J Ceglar, J Roughead, L Shiels, P Puopolo. West Coast: J Kennedy 4, J Cripps 2, J Darling 2, L Shuey, M Hutchings, M Rosa.
BEST: Hawthorn: S Mitchell, L Shiels, L Bruest, J Lewis, C Rioli, G Birchall West Coast: L Shuey, A Gaff, M Priddis, J Kennedy, S Lycett, J McGovern.
Injuries: Hawthorn: J Gibson (wrist), B Lake (soreness) replaced in selected side by M Suckling, J Frawley (head). West Coast: C Sinclair (knee) replaced in selected side by M Hutchings, J McGovern (hamstring).
Reports: M LeCras (WC) reported for rough conduct on J Frawley.
Umpires: Simon Meredith, Dean Margetts, Brendan Hosking.
Official Crowd: 34,843 at Domain Stadium.
The cream is rising to the top.
A West Coast v Hawthorn Friday night qualifying final seems a strong chance. Photo: Getty Images
Hawthorn now has a massive look at a top-two spot after they came from behind to beat West Coast by 14 points at Domain Stadium on Saturday night.
The Hawks trailed for most of the night and by 18 points at the 20-minute mark of the third term when Josh Kennedy kicked his third goal, but the reigning premiers stepped up a gear from that moment.
They kicked seven of the last nine goals of the game, including five to two in the final term.
Hawthorn took the lead for the first time eight minutes into the final term when Liam Shiels ran into goal after Jarryd Roughead appeared to have taken the ball out of bounds.
Cyril Rioli, in his 150th game made it a 10-point margin a couple of minutes later.
The Eagles bounced back, through Kennedy's fourth goal, but the Hawks train had a full head of steam up by this stage.
Experienced players in Shaun Burgoyne and Roughead kicked important goals in the run home and Rioli had important touches. Brad Hill, rarely seen in the first half, worked his way into the game also and was good after the main break.
The win sees the Hawks just two points out of second spot with four qualifying games to play.
Hawthorn face Geelong next week at the MCG and the Eagles face top side Fremantle, possibly without Jeremy McGovern and Mark LeCras.
McGovern, returning from a two-week lay-off with a hamstring injury, hobbled off the ground midway through the final term and didn't return. LeCras was reported for making high contact with Hawks defender James Frawley.
For the second consecutive week Frawley was subbed out of the game at a tense time to take a concussion test.
A loss to the Dockers will see the Eagles potentially fighting to remain in the top four. But they showed that if they can hold on to a spot in the top four they can play a massive part in the finals.
They led the reigning premiers by 18 points at quarter-time, albeit with the use of a strong breeze.
And they maintained a six-point advantage at half-time – all without their two first-choice ruckmen, Nic Naitanui and Callum Sinclair – who have been crucial to their performances this season.
Both pulled out late – Naitanui due to the unexpected death of his mum on Friday and Sinclair due to injury.
Scott Lycett in his 27th game and just his fifth of the season, was forced to lead the ruck, with support from McGovern.
The extra workload in the ruck would not have helped McGovern with his hamstring.
Brian Lake was another late withdrawal. The Hawks' key defender didn't train with the team on Friday afternoon at Domain Stadium.
And it looked a crucial move in the first term when the Eagles led by three goals and Jack Darling had kicked two goals, and Kennedy one. The Eagles were very effective in attack in the opening 30 minutes. They had 4.2 on the board after just 15 minutes and from just six entries.
The Hawks had gone into attack the same number of times in the same period of time, but had just 1.3 on the board from five shots on goals.
Jack Gunston, usually a reliable shot on goal had 0.1 next to his name from two set shots inside 50.
Billy Hartung kicked the Hawks' first goal, after nearly 12 minutes of play, courtesy of some quick hands from Rioli out of a pack.
The Eagles had 5.3 at quarter time to and were lucky not to have led by more than three goals, with two behinds hitting the post.
For the Hawks, Sam Mitchell was everywhere, 16 touches for the half and Jordan Lewis had 15. But Hill had only three in the opening half, Isaac Smith four, Rioli six and Luke Hodge, who had five possessions after just four minutes of the game starting, had only six.
But as all good sides do, they manage to find a way.
