Max Bailey - 4
The ruckman faced an enormous task – in every sense – against an in-form and fit Aaron Sandilands. The Fremantle big man definitely got the honours but Bailey can hold his head high after battling it out before being subbed out of the game at three-quarter time.
Grant Birchall - 7
Birchall gave good run and drive through half-back early on and finished as his side's leading possession winner. Spent significant chunks of time on a number of Fremantle's dangerous forwards, including Michael Walters, Chris Mayne and others like Tendai Mzungu and Nat Fyfe when they floated in there. Had 26 touches, 11 marks and took the ball out of his defensive 50 five times. Great performance.
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Luke Breust - 6
Breust didn't have a huge day with only 13 disposals but his impact with them was solid. Tackled hard and won a free kick in the second term for applying pressure and also tried to subdue Michael Barlow at stages when pushing up the ground. A little shaky after his set-shot misses last week in the preliminary final, he took a mark inside 50 in the third quarter but passed to teammate Jarryd Roughead, who duly converted the shot. His goal in the last quarter sealed the premiership for the Hawks, with Breust reading the ball off the pack and snapping truly.
Shaun Burgoyne - 6
After his starring role in last week's preliminary final win, Burgoyne started in defence, and matched-up against Hayden Ballantyne. Had only 14 touches but they were classy, and his effort in and around the packs was huge, like an important smother in the second term. Also nullified Ballantyne's influence. His experience was important all year and again on Saturday.
Lance Franklin - 7
Had a fortunate start to his game when, in the first term, he marked just inside the 50-metre arc and had a shot at goal. His shot skewed off his boot but he was awarded a 50-metre penalty when Luke McPharlin jumped over the line. Was a bit haphazard in his attack on the contest but continued to present for opportunities and finished with 18 disposals. Had a chance to kick perhaps his final goal in the brown and gold when he booted it long after a handball from Rioli in the last quarter, but the shot hit the post.
Josh Gibson - 6
Played the sort of game that Gibson has perfected: floating deep in defence when he had to, beating his man one-on-one when required, and setting up attack as well. Gibson moved onto Pavlich when Sandilands went forward in the third term, and again played on the Freo skipper in the last. He outmarked Pavlich at the start of the quarter in a sign of his ability to beat the best forwards out there.
Brent Guerra - 5
Guerra recovered from a hit to the shoulder in the first term, which forced him down to the rooms, to play an important role. Spent time on Mayne and Danyle Pearce, and although he did a serviceable job, he was one of the quieter players on the ground.
Jack Gunston – 9
Finished second in the Norm Smith Medal voting, and only one vote behind winner Brian Lake. Booted the first goal of the game, and then set up another chance when he took a strong mark on the wing, shrugged a big tackle attempt, and was composed under pressure. Gunston finished with four goals from 16 disposals and his contribution was particularly valuable given the low scoring nature of the game. His goal in the third term, when he won a one-on-one, scrambled in the goalsquare and sneaked through the kick under pressure, was enormous. Kicked 11 goals in three finals to underline his status as a star of the competition and would have also been a worthy winner if judged best afield.
David Hale - 6
Toiled hard to have an influence. Marked strongly in the first term, and attacked the contest hard in the second term when he threw himself at the ball on the ground. Once again was important in holding his own in the ruck but also providing options further up the ground.
Bradley Hill - 7
Started the game matched against his brother, Fremantle's Stephen, and began well. Had the first chance for a shot at goal, but showed poise to spot up Isaac Smith. Throughout the game Hill was active, energetic and threatening, and his work was rewarded in the last term when he gathered the ball on the goal line to seal the win.
Luke Hodge - 8
The captain set the tone with a bone-crunching tackle on Pearce early in proceedings. As expected, Hodge was tough and hard, and had 12 touches to half-time. He played it smartly, too, and knew when to push himself deeper into defence when Fremantle was charging, and when to place himself at the centre bounce. Had 21 disposals and a big influence.
Brian Lake - 10
Won the Norm Smith Medal after a standout performance in defence. Lake, who was traded from the Western Bulldogs last year, started on Matthew Pavlich who was swiftly blanketed. But that was only part of his brilliance throughout the game, in which Lake wound back the clock to his best days at the Dogs. He took mark after mark as Fremantle sent the ball into attack, and managed to to read it better than anyone. In total, Lake took 10 grabs, had 22 disposals, and was always there when his side needed him.
Jordan Lewis - 8
It seemed a strange role for Lewis early on, with some time spent running against Pearce, and David Mundy as well. But slowly he came into his own and the hard Hawthorn midfielder had another excellent game. Was up to 19 disposals by three-quarter time but was unassuming with them. Lewis also moved onto starring Docker Nat Fyfe and quelled his impact.
Sam Mitchell - 4
Was targeted by Ryan Crowley, and the Fremantle stopper got the honours in their duel. Mitchell was restricted to only 12 disposals, his lowest tally since round two, 2009. But he didn't give in, and was crucial in a couple of smothers, tackles and one-percenters. He also didn't allow Crowley to have any offensive influence.
Paul Puopolo - 4
Puopolo earned a standing ovation from the Hawthorn crowd in the last term when his forward pressure kept the ball in his side's forward pocket. But he didn't do a lot else, finding only 10 disposals and looking rushed with a few of them. Dribbled the ball forward in the last term which led to Hill's match-sealing goal.
Cyril Rioli – 8
Rioli had a quiet start with only one touch to quarter-time but kicked a goal in the second term after tackling Lee Spurr and catching him holding the ball. It got Cyril going. Made a crucial turnover in the third term when his handball missed its target and Fremantle rebounded with a goal, but his tackling was immense throughout and he won his own possessions. Of his 15 disposals, 11 were contested.
Jarryd Roughead - 6
Looked set to have a shocker after only three touches in the opening half, but he sparked up thereafter. Kicked two goals in the third quarter and had seven touches for the term to assert himself on the game. Missed a goal early in the last quarter which would have made it game over, but it didn’t end up mattering. The Coleman medallist ends a terrific year with a second premiership.
Brad Sewell - 6
The veteran midfielder wasn't as prolific as his last two Grand Final appearances, which have seen him average 30 disposals. In his third premiership decider, Sewell had 13 disposals but continued to fight to the end. Was moved to Fyfe briefly in the second term, but couldn't stop him.
Liam Shiels - 6
Never one to take the spotlight, Shiels spent most of his afternoon stopping some of Fremantle's most dangerous players. His versatility in moving from one job to another with little concern was impressive, and he had battles with Hill, Fyfe, and Mundy as well.
Jonathan Simpkin - 2
After playing in Box Hill's VFL premiership last week, Simpkin won a spot in Hawthorn's Grand Final side to replace the injured Brendan Whitecross. He was subbed into the game at three-quarter time, replacing ruckman Bailey. Had six touches in the last quarter and will be a happy man after securing his second flag in a week.
Isaac Smith - 7
Smith's goal in the last quarter will go down in Hawthorn folklore. After running to get the mark on the forward flank outside the 50-metre arc, Smith went back and coolly slotted the monster shot. As soon as it hit his boot he knew it was bound for a goal, and immediately celebrated. Had 18 disposals and, as always, ran hard from start to finish.
Ben Stratton - 6
Was physical early on with a strong tackle on Fyfe in the first quarter, before matching up on Walters for a lot of the game. Stratton's speed, agility and height make him hard to stop, and he did bolt out of the backline on a couple of times. Once, in the third term, he was caught by Paul Duffield, but he continued to back himself. His effort was obvious in the last term, when he chased down Crowley in the final 70 seconds of the game to affect his kick as he was running into an open goal.
