AFL Cairns: Dynamic midfield trio Kirtley, Moore and Hatcher propel Saints past Hawks, Coombe boots four
It was a ferocious game of footy at Griffiths Park, where the Saints, led by four goals from spearhead Andrew Coombe, surged past the Hawks by 46 points (92-46). See the game breakdown.
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It was a ferocious game of footy at Griffiths Park, where the Saints, led by four goals from spearhead Andrew Coombe, surged past the Hawks by 46 points (92-46).
What started as a fine day turned into a rain-infested dogfight between both sides’ tough midfield brigades.
Saints’ big man Marcus Macdonald-Camden dominated the hit-outs early (game-high 43 hit outs and four clearances), giving his side first use, but the gutsy in-and-under players from either side made winning clearances no simple task.
Saints on-ballers Connor Kirtley (18 disposals and nine tackles), Ash Moore (23 disposals and 11 tackles) and Jack Hatcher (21 disposals and eight marks) were everywhere, laying tough tackles, gaining territory with possession and each adding a goal.
Riley McCall also put on suffocating pressure on the inside (six clearances and nine tackles).
Meanwhile, Joshua Welsford (24 disposals, nine clearances and seven tackles) and Hawks captain Troy Barbero (30 disposals, seven clearances and eight tackles) were outstanding, throwing themselves into every contest making second, third and even fourth efforts throughout the game.
Hawks veterans Michael Martyn, Sam Mccorkell and Danial Anderson also made their presence felt with tough tackles.
Hawks livewire Kila Rawali kicked a stunning goal from the boundary early in the game.
Saints swingman James Huts (two goals) caught a case of white line fever and set the tone of his side’s aggression.
Defenders Dane Watmuff (game-high six intercept marks) and Hayden Case-Peach were particularly composed in the backline with Watmuff, donning the number 88, putting his name up for best on ground.
Colossal Coombe, Swingman Frank
Despite multiple goalkickers (nine) for the Saints, key forward Coombe led his team with strong marks (six for the game), goals from all angles and a game-high tally of four goals.
Recruited from South Australia for the 2024 season, he has helped with the huge losses of sharpshooters Adam Gross, Cade Wellington and Zac Straker who were all phenomenal for the Saints in their charge to the grand final in 2023.
Coombe leads the Saints goalkicking with 19 for the season and sits sixth in the race for the Matthew Walsh Medal.
Hawks leading goalkicker Ezekiel Frank (game-high 31 disposals) currently sits fifth in the race with 22 goals for the season.
Frank booted two goals in the first half, finishing with three goals for the match, before being switched to play a loose role in the backline.
Frank was equally effective intercepting possession and launching counter-attacks (three intercept marks and 10 marks in total).
The versatile Hawks swingman has been shuffled between positions all season and you can’t help but wonder what the Hawks would be like if they had two Frank’s at either end of the field.
Rising Star Battle: Langham v Thompson
The match showcased Cairns’ burgeoning footy talent, highlighted by the engaging duel between freak of nature Frederic Thompson and Hawks gritty defender Justin Langham.
Polar opposites in the way these two risings stars play, but an astounding contest nonetheless.
It was a battle between athletic X-factor and a gutsy backman who never gives up on a contest.
The 17-year old Hawk had strong moments throughout but 16-year old Thompson claimed the highlight of the day with a remarkable snap from the boundary in the second term.
18-year old Hawks winger Jack Ormay had his best performance of the season and capped it off with his best Dustin Martin impression, executing a ‘don’t argue’ move midway through the second quarter.
Impending Tribunal
Saints mindfielder Hatcher was blindsided off the ball by Hawks forward Ali Aniba-Hodges late in the second term, triggering a brief brawl near the 50-metre mark.
Hatcher sat out the second half after a damaging first half after Aniba-Hodges made no attempt for the ball and should face a tribunal decision in the coming days.
It is his second incident with the Saints this season after a dispute with Saints coach Wes Glass in round three.
Match summary
Cairns Saints 5.6 9.8 11.12 13.14 (92)
Manunda Hawks 1.1 2.5 3.7 6.10 (46)
Goals
Saints: Coombe 4, Huts 2, Hatcher, Ballis, C. Hepworth, Kirtley, Moore, Tanner, Thompson
Hawks: Frank 3, Barbero, Moloney, Rawali
Elsewhere, the Tigers handed the Cutters their first loss of the season with 50-62 victory.
Meanwhile, a 12-goal Kye Chapple performance inspired the Crocs to a 142-point victory over the CTB Bulldogs (38-180).
Originally published as AFL Cairns: Dynamic midfield trio Kirtley, Moore and Hatcher propel Saints past Hawks, Coombe boots four
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