Despite leading most of the night, the Hawks weren’t home-and-hosed until late in the final quarter, the Eagles rallying bravely to lead early in the final term but ultimately falling short, 11.8 (74) to 7.14 (56).
With the match starting in heavy rain and both sides intent on a hard-at-it display, it was clear from the opening exchanges possession would be at a premium.
The full house at Aurora Stadium had to wait until the 11th minute for the first goal of the match, but the wait was worthwhile for the Hawks faithful, Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin making no mistake with a set-shot from 40 metres after marking on the end of a clever cross-field lead.
The Eagles’ goal duck was eventually broken by Andrew Embley with a snap shot in traffic helping to establish his team’s two-point quarter time lead.
Despite territorial domination early in the second quarter, the Eagles could only muster a couple of behinds, their performance in front of goal wasteful given the dominance of ruckman Dean Cox whose influence at the stoppages was starting to show.
Given the chance to rebound through the likes of the busy Sam Mitchell, Hawthorn began using the ball better, twice hitting Franklin on the lead. But the superstar full-forward failed to add to his first-quarter goal from the two set-shots.
Forward pressure from the Hawks reaped rewards during the middle-stages of the quarter. Garry Moss was the major beneficiary, the goalsneak snapping truly either side of Jarryd Roughead’s first for the night.
Ben McKinley’s toe-poke after a Ryan Giggs-like cross from teammate Mark Le Cras, provided the Eagles with their only major for the second term.
With superstar midfielder Daniel Kerr being held to three touches for the half by Chance Bateman, the Eagles lacked midfield drive and went to the break eight points down and in need of a spark.
Burly forward Quinten Lynch provided it with a trademark booming to open the second-half scoring, but again it was Moss who produced the response, getting loose in the forward 50 and goaling to give the Hawks an almost-instant reply.
Jordan Lewis and Brad Sewell began to take control of midfield with early possessions but it was a penetrating Stewart Dew kick inside 50m that allowed Roughead to snap his second and send the Hawks 14 points clear
For all their domination around the ground, Hawthorn were unable to push further ahead and with the match developed into a real arm wrestle.
A second to McKinley put West Coast right back in touch and moments later the margin was a solitary point with Matt Priddis the recipient of a 50m penalty after an indiscretion from the otherwise impressive Jordan Lewis.
A strong mark and goal to Adam Hunter within a minute of the last quarter commencing breathed life into the contest, the Eagles going four points up and giving the Hawks faithful plenty to worry about.
But three goals in five minutes to the Hawks settled nerves. Roughead nailed a snap and goaled from a strong mark on the lead before Moss chipped in with a pack-busting effort to send the Hawks three-goals clear.
With the Hawks threatening to blow the game open, the Eagles were forced to dig deep and were rewarded when McKinley snapped his third from close-range.
A free-kick on the edge of the goal square and subsequent Franklin goal snuffed out any chance of a late Eagles comeback and saw the Hawks home at their home-away-from-home.
Hawthorn 1.3 4.5 6.7 11.8 (74)
West Coast 1.5 2.9 5.11 7.14 (56)
GOALS
Hawthorn: Roughead 4, Moss 4, Franklin 2, Rioli
West Coast: McKinley 2, Embley, Lynch, Priddis, Hunter, Rioli
BEST
Hawthorn: Sewell, Bateman, Mitchell, Moss, Lewis
West Coast: Cox, Glass, Rosa, Wirrpanda
Reports
Hawthorn: Nil
West Coast: Adam Selwood reported for front-on contact on Chance Bateman by umpire Stefan Grun in the second quarter.
Injuries
Hawthorn: Young (hamstring)
West Coast: Kerr (cut mouth)
Umpires: Scott McLaren, Stefan Grun, Troy Pannell
Official crowd: 17,880 at Aurora Stadium
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
