Hawthorn wins premiership it deserves with Grand Final victory against Fremantle

A LOSS would've been unfathomable for Hawthorn. The victory was an ascension to greatness.

THERE'S nothing quite like the roar at the MCG.

It's unleashed with such a furious surge of relief and adventure and elation that, for Hawthorn fans, it will be something always cherished and always remembered.

The Hawks won their 11th AFL premiership.

It wasn't a classic, mind you, more a grafting premiership, where they won the first half, were challenged in the third, and ultimately were victorious in the last quarter against a team that would never would lay down.

Hawks hold off dogged Dockers

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If the Hawks fans were loud in the final quarter, the passionate travellers from across the continent could not be denied in the third quarter.

It was the quarter that had the Dockers believing a historic first premiership was not beyond them.

They got within three points when Michael Walters goaled just before the last break.

The noise from the Purple Army was something else and, at that moment, it was heard across the nation.

Always it's the noise on Grand Final day.

Ross Lyon

From the pre-game entertainment to the moment after the national anthem, from the first bounce, the first goal, to the first smell of victory, the noise grows and grows until it's a companion to the end.

The Hawks - both players and fans - rose as one in the final quarter.

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Fremantle player ratings

When Isaac Smith kicked a goal from 60m, when Luke Breust snapped truly from a stoppage and when Brad Hill found himself alone in the goal square, and dribbled the footy through for the game-winner, the noise was as deep and guttural as thunder.

And always, the biggest roar is for the end.

When captain Luke Hodge and coach Alastair Clarkson hoisted the premiership cup, it was the lifting of the monkey, so to speak.

A loss would've been unfathomable. The victory was an ascension to greatness. The Hawks were the best performed team this year, so, dutifully, the premiership flag was deserved.

As was the winner of the Norm Smith Medal.

Football is a family affair at Hawthorn, it always has been, and when Brian Lake gathered his children after the siren, and when he was announced as the medal winner, the scenes of utter love warmed the heart, Big Brian left the Bulldogs for a crack at a premiership.

Hawks 2103 premiers

It cost him $200,000. As he stood on the dais, the medal around his neck, he would've thought the moment priceless.

That's what premierships are, they're priceless.

As always, the victors go the spoils and the losers spend a lifetime thinking what-if.

The Dockers may have lost but didn't lose any admirers.

And they lost because, for the first two quarters, they were overawed by the occasion.

From the start, the Hawks were much more composed than the Dockers in a difficult environment because of a swirling wind in the air and a fierce pressure on the ground.

The Ryan Crowley-Sam Mitchell match-up was expected, the lack of real theatre involving the pair was not.

Mitchell found himself on the deck twice in the first half, as did Crowley, once courtesy of Lance Franklin, and both times Crowley and Mitchell got up.

Certainly, it wasn't the violent Grand Final as was tipped.

Jack Gunston kicked the first goal of the match - the first of four in a near best afield performance - and Franklin the second, the recipient of 50m penalty.

They were the only goals of the first quarter, and the signs were not good early for the Dockers.

So accomplished in the build-up, having taken down Geelong and Sydney, they were struck by the occasion, as happens to first-time grand finalists.

Skipper Matthew Pavlich didn't touch the ball in the first quarter, neither did Chris Mayne, they missed four shots at goal, Stephen Hill had three kicks and three clangers.

Their second quarter was worse.

While Gunston was a factor in the Hawks forward line, the Dockers were haphazard in execution.

Misses to Pearce, Ballantyne, Crowley, Pavlich, Fyfe and then a Pavlich shank a minute from halftime, would eventually haunt the Dockers.

They lost by 15 points in the end and there won't be player who won't blame themselves in some small way.

For Clarkson, it was reward for resilience. He is a cracking coach, highly respected in and outside his club, in spite of his sometimes difficult disposition.

Certainly, winning a second premiership makes him a legend of the club. Such is footy, a loss would've had him accused of underachieving.

For Dockers coach Ross Lyon, it was his fourth Grand Final loss in four attempts.

He, too, is a resilient bugger, but that won't soften the agony of defeat. The Dockers will learn. And Lyon will be back more demanding of his players than ever.

For the AFL, its wretched year culminated with yet another wonderful showpiece for the sport.

Both teams played in the manner expected: Passion, respect and a tenacity worth of the occasion.

In the end, the Hawks prevailed and, indeed, the noise was fitting for the MCG.