AFL Round 12 Hawthorn v Adelaide: Hawks celebrate Jack Gunston’s milestone with win over hapless Crows
The Crows’ MCG hoodoo lives on, but despite the loss of Taylor Walker, coach Matthew Nicks is giving his team no excuses for an effort he said he hadn’t seen all year.
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Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks says it was “extremely disappointing” the way his side rocked up for the first half of their encounter against Hawthorn as they conceded 10 of the first 12 goals to lose by 27 points on Saturday afternoon at the MCG.
The Crows were down in most of the major statistics following the first half, losing inside 50s (30-18), contested possessions (65-59) and marks inside 50s (7-2).
“Probably more so the way we played in that first half, it’s as bad as we have played all year, there is no excuse for that, so that’s where it sits in the guts at the moment,” he said.
“We had a lack of contest, we didn’t have our usual dare, we got beaten up around stoppage, we seemed to lack energy for whatever reason.”
Nicks said his side would need to improve around the contest following the 12.8 (80) to 16.11 (107) loss.
“Sometimes it comes back to an energy and contest that you expect,” he said.
“Sometimes it’s as simple as let’s just win or halve a contest and we weren’t able to do that for 60-odd minutes.
“We were dominated in that first half, we haven’t seen that this year yet.”
It was rather unexpected the performance as well after the efforts Nicks’ side had produced in previous weeks with four wins from five matches heading into the encounter.
“We had consistent form coming in so to perform at such a low level, at halftime the game was almost done,” he said.
“We nearly proved that was wrong but to be in that position is something that we will look at this week.
“We have come here and played and we haven’t had good results here but we have walked off reasonably proud of what we have put out there but today was not one of those days at all.”
Nicks said Jordan Dawson was fine to play the game despite undergoing fitness tests pre game and finishing with 15 touches.
“He is pushing through and leading by example, I thought he fought, he has been challenged this week,” he said.
“He has had some soreness but at the same time I thought he pushed through for his teammates today.”
Tall forward Taylor Walker (back) was subbed out at half time and is touch and go for the Crows next game against Richmond on Thursday.
“It seized up unfortunately, so that’s one that he will have to have a really good look at, we are into a five-day break now so it is going to be quite challenging for him to get right now,” he said.
CROWS ALL BUT GIVE UP FINALS DREAM AS HAWKS KEEP THEIRS ALIVE
Hawthorn has scored its fourth win in five games after defeating a flat-footed Adelaide by 27 points on Sunday to celebrate Jack Gunston’s 250th game in style.
Gunston scored three goals in the milestone encounter to power the Hawks to their first win at the MCG this season as the Crows have their finals hopes faded after a slow start to the game.
The Hawks kicked 10 of the first 12 goals of the match to power out to a game-high 48-point lead early in the third term.
Gunston kicked two of the Hawks’ opening 10 goals against the club he was drafted to as Dylan Moore was sublime with three first-half goals and five for the game.
It was the Crows’ second loss in six games and 10th straight loss at the MCG where they haven’t won since 2017.
Crows tall forward Taylor Walker was subbed off in the match in another blow to Matthew Nicks’ side.
The Crows sparked a comeback through back-to-back goals Brayden Cook in the third term and then a Chayce Jones snap from the boundary to cut the margin to 26 points.
Hawk Jack Ginnivan fired up, however, with a goal on the brink of three-quarter time to push the margin back out to 33 points.
It was one of Ginnivan’s best performances in Hawks colours, powering two goals and 22 touches, continuing his good form from last week where he had 23 disposals and a goal.
The Crows got the first major of the fourth term but a pinpoint Luke Breust 45-metre set shot for the next goal midway through the final term sealed the 16.11 (107) to 12.8 (80) win.
“I was really pleased that we kept the foot down for the majority of the game; I think we’re showing more and more maturity as a group,” Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell said.
“The players have a great understanding of what our best looks like and how we can produce it – we are doing that more and more often.
“It’s taken us time to get to this point but we are finally at a point now where we should be competitive against every side.”
The Hawks jump to a fifth win of the season to put themselves in finals contention, while the Crows decline to 4-1-7 record.
HEADBUTT REPORTED
A headbutt from Changkuoth Jiath on Mitchell Hinge late in the second term not only cost his teammate Jack Ginnivan a shot a goal but could also have the dashing halfback at risk of missing a game on suspension.
After Ginnivan laid a big tackle on his former Collingwood teammate Mark Keane with three minutes left in the first half, he immediately got in the face of the Crows instead of going back to take the shot at goal.
Ginnivan’s teammates then joined the push and shove including Jiath who ended up giving away an undisciplined free kick and Ginnivan’s free kick was reversed.
The umpire placed Jiath on report on the field which puts him at risk of missing a game as head butts are usually graded as intentional rather than careless.
“Spoke about Sam Mitchell going bonkers in the box, I tell you what he wouldn’t be happy after that,” Jack Riewoldt said on commentary.
No goals were kicked for the remainder of the half as the Hawks went into the break with a 29-point lead.
It could be another setback for Jiath who only just returned to the side from a long term injury.
HOLDING THE BALL
The Hawks were dominating the opening quarter up until the closing minutes of the term when Lachlan Murphy got a free kick for holding the ball under the new interpretation.
But commentators and fans were left surprised as Hawks defender Seamus Mitchell barely had any prior opportunity before he was caught in the tackle.
Fox Footy caller Garry Lyon said it was “the most aggressive implementation” of the rule he had seen since the beginning of the round.
Cam Mooney said Mitchell had no prior opportunity as Sam Mitchell was left shaking his head in the coaches’ box.
The Crows went on to score their first goal of the game from the decision with three minutes left in the opening quarter.
Another goal minutes later from Harry Schoenberg had the Crows avoid their lowest-scoring opening term of the season.
“We had a lack of contest, we didn’t have our usual dare, we got beaten up around stoppage, we seemed to lack energy for whatever reason,” a disappointed Matthew Nicks said of the Crows’ slow start.
GUNSTON MILESTONE
A late goal to Gunston was the perfect finish for Hawks fans on a terrific afternoon for Sam Mitchell’s side.
Gunston scored 3.1, had 14 touches and seven marks in the encounter as his premiership teammates from the 2014 Hawks flag were in attendance.
Luke Breust and James Sicily were their to chair him off in front of Crows and Hawks players.
“It’s a great story, a bit of a fairy tale for him today,” Mitchell said of Gunston.
“Regardless of the goals that he kicks, I have been so consistent in saying his biggest value is what he is doing off the field, he is like an extra assistant coach for us.
“He is helping that forward line chemistry that you mentioned, he is helping us to continue building that.
“If you look at our forward line today, Dylan Moore kicks five and has 20-odd and Jack Ginnivan had five or six shots at goal and had over 20 and it’s all off the back of the learning that they are getting from Jack Gunston and Luke Breust.”
Scoreboard
Hawthorn 5.4 7.5 12.9 16.11 (107)
Adelaide 2.2 2.6 7.6 12.8 (80)
HATZOGLOU’S BEST: Hawks – Moore, Ginnivan, Newcombe, Gunston, Sicily, Day. Crows – Crouch, Hinge, Sholl, Soligo, Borlase.
GOALS: Hawks – Moore 5, Gunston 3, Ginnivan 2, Macdonald, Dear, Breust, Hardwick, Nash, Reeves. Crows – Burgess 3, Cook 3, Fogarty 2, Jones, Murphy, Schoenberg, Sholl.
INJURIES: Crows – Walker (back).
UMPIRES: Dalgleish, Meredith, Dore, Bailes
CROWD: 36,086 at MCG
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Max Hatzoglou’s votes
3. Moore (Hawks)
2. Ginnivan (Hawks)
1. Crouch (Crows)
Originally published as AFL Round 12 Hawthorn v Adelaide: Hawks celebrate Jack Gunston’s milestone with win over hapless Crows
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