Who sizzled?
Hawthorn full-back Brian Lake was brought to Hawthorn as the final piece in a premiership puzzle, and on Saturday at the MCG, that piece slotted snugly into place. The big defender spent some time on Matthew Pavlich and some time as a loose man behind the ball, and proved unpassable. He finished with 10 marks, 22 disposals and nine one-percenters in a near-perfect back half performance.

Lake wins Norm Smith Medal

Who fizzled?
Fremantle small forward Hayden Ballantyne has forged a reputation as a forward line terror, but he managed only two tackles in the biggest game of the year. Further, he missed chances at crucial stages, finishing with 0.2.

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The moment
Isaac Smith had made a mess of a set shot from close-range during the first quarter, so when he marked 50 metres from goal five minutes into the final term, few in the 100,000-strong crowd expected much. But the hard-running wingman backed himself, connected sweetly, and sent his shot sailing through the middle, bringing Hawks fans to their feet. It gave Hawthorn a crucial 17-point lead, and when Luke Breust sharked a stoppage four minutes later and snapped his first goal, Alastair Clarkson's men had one hand on the premiership cup.

The stat
16. Jordan Lewis was relatively quiet in the first half, but when the heat lifted after the main break, so did he. The Hawks vice-captain had 16 disposals, including five clearances, in the second half, proving crucial as his team held a surging Fremantle at bay.

3-2-1
Three votes: Brian Lake. Incredible performance from the former Bulldog.

Two votes: Jack Gunston. On a difficult day for key forwards, Gunston was the best by a mile. The young dead-eye booted four goals, and looked dangerous whenever he was near the ball.

One vote: David Mundy. The best-performed Docker, Mundy was clinical at stoppages, racking up a team-high seven clearances.

What the banners said

Hawthorn: Time to hunt. It's ours for the taking.

Fremantle: United, resilient, uncompromising. Freo, one to go.

The replay they won't want to see
Ballantyne had a moment to forget in the second quarter when he marked 45 metres from goal. Hawk Grant Birchall rushed to man the mark, leaving his opponent Michael Walters all alone in the goal-square. But rather than give the pass over the top, Ballantyne chose to go back and have his shot – and missed. Walters was not happy.

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Overheard
"'Pav' starting to have a big say in this game. It's a little bit nasally." – Triple M commentator James Brayshaw pokes some good-natured fun at Matthew Pavlich's distinctive voice, as the Dockers captain starts to exert some influence during the third quarter.
 


Jordan Lewis and the Hawks celebrate their redeeming flag win. Picture: AFL Media

The tone-setter
It wasn't a particular individual act, but rather a collective effort from Hawthorn. Fremantle's pressure and contested ball-winning ability had been the talk of the town all week, but the Hawks got on the front foot from the outset, racing to a 10-5 lead in clearances by quarter-time. 

The quote
"It's highly satisfying. It just makes everything I've done valid, and I can't thank this club enough for what they've done for me. I've just really got to thank Alastair Clarkson for sticking fat with me and keeping the faith. It's paid off now." – Hawthorn ruckman Max Bailey, on overcoming three knee reconstructions to finally claim a premiership medal.