Hawthorn takes care of Carlton in Sam Docherty’s final AFL game

Hawthorn fans rocked up to the MCG nervous the Blues would rise for Sam Docherty – but they didn’t. And, as Josh Barnes writes, you had to feel for the beloved veteran.

It was a long week of talk about Charlie Curnow but when it came to gametime the Carlton superstar did as his coach asked and did his job, if only for a half.

But his star-studded forward line was shown up completely by those at the other end in a 24-point loss to Hawthorn, that was even less competitive than the margin suggested.

Blues fans hoping for some sign of resistance from Curnow to reports this week that he was keen to leave the Melbourne cold for the Gold Coast sun saw little from the goalkicker in terms of demonstrative gestures.

While there was no jumper tug to accompany either of his first half goals, the Coleman medallist fought hard early in a dysfunctional forward line after the urging of Michael Voss pre-game.

Connor Macdonald and the Hawks flexed their muscle on Thursday night. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

Charlie Curnow competes with Tom Barrass. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

“I think the art of any performer is that despite what talk there is surrounding a game, what the lead up to the week has been … all the talk is put aside,” Voss told Fox Footy pre-game.

“And then it is about what you do next, and when you walk inside that line it is the game and the game has to do the talking.

“What we expect as performers is we go out there as competitors and we have got to get the job done and we narrow our focus on the task.”

Curnow did that role fine early against the Hawks.

Roaming further up the field than usual with tall forwards Harry McKay and Tom De Koning in the forward-50, he was one of few Blues threatening to connect the arcs.

But he went missing for most of the second half, registering one disposal – a goal – after half time

It was a flat finish to a flat night of footy.

Curnow is going nowhere in a trade – Carlton has been very clear about that, as was the man himself post-match – and he looks like a player who needs a big bag of goals for a confidence boost.

Before Curnow played out the night on a chilly MCG, Suns coach Damien Hardwick was spruiking the “unbelievable lifestyle up here” on the Gold Coast.

For most Blues fans, a warm mid-season holiday sounds nice right about now.

The week wasn’t meant to be about Curnow for Carlton, it was supposed to be about two other warrior mainstays.

You had to feel for Jacob Weitering in his 200th game.

Less than 10 minutes into the second term he was wrapped up by Mitch Lewis and wobbled from the field and into the rooms nursing sore ribs, with his team already down by 34 points.

But post match, he told teammates and club staff that he and wife Isabel are expecting their first child in January, news which received cheers in the rooms.

Calsher Dear takes a huge mark against the Blues

You also had to feel for Sam Docherty.

When some Hawks fans rocked up the MCG nervous the Blues would rise for the beloved veteran in his last game.

Instead, it was Calsher Dear who rose to take a hanger over the top of Docherty just before the quarter-time siren.

At least Docherty did get his moment, dribbling goal in the third term and enjoying a heartfelt bow in one of the last moments of a long, difficult, but beautiful football journey.

Docherty was carried from the field by skipper Patrick Cripps and ex-teammte now Hawthorn assistant Kade Simpson, a moment Curnow said would stick with him.

“It was a pretty awesome moment with Kade Simpson coming off the boundary, that was pretty good to watch,” he said.

“It has been amazing (playing with Docherty). I got to the club, I had a few struggles with my knee injuries and he had a similar time with his knee injuries and we got to bond a lot off the field.

“You get to experience Sam Docherty and his journey and his comebacks, so he is leaving the club and knowing he is influencing a lot of people outside the club and inside the club.”

Sam Docherty kicks a goal in his final AFL game

Jacob Weitering and Sam Docherty chaired off the MCG. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

The Blues fought on on Thursday night, refusing to get blown away even as the Hawks threatened to open them up multiple times.

They were never really a threat to win the game but there was no white flag.

Hawthorn wasn’t especially crisp either, but had plenty of good news to enjoy, with Dear, Mitch Lewis and Jack Gunston combined so much better in the Hawks attack than the more-heralded trio of Curnow, McKay and De Koning at the other end.

James Sicily played his best game of a turbulent season, with his marking and kicking looking much better than before a mid-season rest.

Originally published as Hawthorn takes care of Carlton in Sam Docherty’s final AFL game