HAWTHORN has continued its impressive pre-season by easily accounting for Richmond by 41 points in a spirited NAB Challenge match in Shepparton on Friday night.
A crowd of 6,000 packed into Deakin Reserve and watched Hawks dynamo Cyril Rioli put on a superb show in the midfield.
Rioli more than ably filled in for missing teammates Luke Hodge, Chance Bateman, Shaun Burgoyne and Jordan Lewis as his team prevailed 12.17 (89) to 7.6 (48).
Hawthorn's Michael Osborne booted three goals, while Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead chipped in with two each.
Recruits David Hale, Cameron Bruce and Kyle Cheney were all impressive contributors for the Hawks. Hale booted a goal and took a number of strong marks up forward.
"In the last half, [Franklin and Roughead] were just rotating on and off," Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson explained after the final siren.
"Both of them weren't on the ground together at any stage. We tried Hale and [Brent] Renouf up forward a little bit more tonight. This period is really about trialling a few things and seeing how they go.
"Probably the most pleasing thing is when you get through these games reasonably unscathed.
"We didn't get any injuries, but we got a lot of good game-time into our players."
The Hawks dominated the opening stages of the match as the blustery conditions proved too much for Richmond to overcome.
It took the Tigers 12 minutes to record their first inside-50, and if not for Cotchin they would have trailed by far more than 10 points at the opening change.
Hardwick's team, which was missing reigning Coleman Medalist Jack Riewoldt and skipper Chris Newman, narrowed the margin to under a goal when Vickery started the second quarter with a strong mark and a straight kick.
However, Hawthorn pulled away thanks to the creative play of Osborne and Rioli and by half-time the difference had blown out to 31 points.
"[Rioli's] had a really good summer and a great block of training," Clarkson said. "Hopefully he can take that some of that early season form into the early rounds."
The intensity dropped off in the second half, with Hawthorn looking in far superior shape than the Tigers as round one looms.
"We were really, really poor in the first half," Hardwick admitted. "I thought we were really, really flat.
"We gave them a slight bake at half-time and I think they came out and showed a little bit.
"We've got a bit of work to do. We gave the ball back far too easily at times."
HAWTHORN 3.5 8.10 10.13 12.17 (89)
RICHMOND 2.1 4.3 6.5 7.6 (48)
GOALS
Hawthorn: Osborne 3, Franklin 2, Roughead 2, Hale, Savage, Shiels, Young, Mitchell
Richmond: Vickery 2, Cotchin, Morton, Graham, Nahas, Miller
BEST
Hawthorn: Rioli, Osborne, Roughead, Hale, Mitchell, Cheney, Shiels
Richmond: Cotchin, Martin, Vickery, Conca, Graham, Foley
INJURIES
Hawthorn: Nil
Richmond: Farmer (ankle), McGuane (concussion)
Reports: Nil
Official crowd: 6,108 approx. at Deakin Reserve, Shepparton
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of the club
