Fogarty nails the clutch moment as Crows escape Hawks test
Hawthorn made it a slogfest but when a bit of polish was needed late to win the game, an Adelaide forward stepped up big time at Launceston on Sunday.
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ADELAIDE ice man Darcy Fogarty enhanced his reputation as one of the best set shots in the AFL with a pressure kick for the ages to rescue his side against a gallant Hawthorn at UTAS Stadium on Sunday.
After laying a season-record 87 tackles the Hawks look to have ground down Adelaide after taking a two-and-a-half goal lead into the closing minutes.
But after Izak Rankine’s sole goal of the game, Fogarty nailed a brilliant set shot from the pocket with two minutes left to kick his third goal of the game and steal a victory.
The Crows had won three straight games before the Launceston clash, and scored over 100 points in each.
But they were asked to roll up the sleeves and win ugly by a gallant Hawthorn, who will be hurting after falling just short for the second straight week.
Last Sunday they were denied by a late high-flying mark and goal from GWS’ Harry Himmelberg in a two-point loss in Sydney.
This will sting just as much, particularly given it was arguably the most stoic performance they’ve delivered under coach Sam Mitchell.
Full credit goes to Fogarty, who stepped up under extreme pressure and has now kicked 13.4 for the season.
CROWS STAND UP - JUST
It’s easy to get up for a sold out home match to open the inaugural ‘Gather Round’, against a top four fancy in Carlton.
The Crows entered Sunday’s match big favourites after that 56-point win, but they were asked to get dirty and win a slugfest against the gritty Hawks.
It looked like they would fall just short of overcoming the challenge but some fine late finishing from two of their best kicks - Fogarty and Rankine - grabbed their fourth straight win.
There’s no doubt the Crows will consider themselves lucky to secure their first road win of the season, the first time they’ve been away from Adelaide Oval since a round one loss to the Giants in Sydney.
Former skipper Rory Sloane was immense with 30 disposals, while Fogarty and Taylor Walker (four goals) provided the key tall options up forward the Hawks lacked.
HAWKS’ RESILIENCE BUILDING, BUT NOW TESTED
They’re certainly far from the most talented team in the competition and make more than their fair share of clangers, but there’s no questioning the Hawks’ commitment to the contest.
In the second quarter the Crows outpointed Hawthorn 6-1 in inside 50s at one point, but inaccurate kicking cost them and it helped keep the Hawks in the contest. The Hawks won the tackle count 32-19 in the first quarter and 48-40 for the first half, which allowed them to clean up some poor kicking coming out of defence.
They were rewarded for hanging in there with quick goals to Tyler Brockman and Fergus Greene late in the second quarter, and trailed by just three points at the main break.
The Hawks hit back to take the lead in the final term after the Crows led by 14 points in the third quarter, but for the second straight week some clutch kicking from their rivals denied them a deserved win.
Their commitment was questioned after a horror second half against Geelong on Easter Monday, but they were unlucky not to beat the Giants in Sydney last week and frustrated an Adelaide side which had scored over 100 points in three straight wins in the lead-up to the game.
In a football sense there’s plenty to work on, but coach Sam Mitchell has got the foundations in place in terms of the players’ commitment to the cause and each other.
Conor Nash was outstanding for the second straight week with 28 touches, seven tackles and seven clearances.
CONCUSSION A BIG WORRY FOR LYNCH
Head knocks are perhaps the biggest talking point in the game right now, and everyone in the football world has their fingers crossed Max Lynch recovers well after his terrible luck with concussions continued.
Lynch failed a HIA test and was subbed out in the second term, and it is the second time in as many years he’s suffered a head knock in Launceston. He missed multiple weeks after suffering a concussion in last year’s win over Brisbane at UTAS Stadium in May.
He would play just one more game after the Lions clash, against the Bulldogs in the final round of the season, and Sunday’s game was his first for 2023.
Lynch, who broke into the side against the Crows through dominant VFL form, has now suffered three concussions since round one last year. No doubt the Hawks will be extremely cautious going forward given his history.
The Hawks are blessed with deep ruck stocks, with Fremantle recruit Lloyd Meek omitted from the Crows game while Max Ramsden is progressing well in the VFL.
Mitchell Hinge also limped off with a leg injury late in the game for Adelaide.
COSTLY MISS FOR HAWKS VETERAN
Hawthorn continued to hang into the contest in the third quarter, despite Crows key forward Darcy Fogarty nailing two set shots to improve his season tally to 12.4
But the Hawks’ own sharpshooter, Luke Breust, inexplicably missed a snap from 30 metres out when he had plenty of time and space.
Just a couple of minutes later Taylor Walker slotted his third goal of the afternoon to give the Crows a 13-point buffer.
It was a moment which could have flattened the resolve of Hawthorn, particularly given Breust is arguably their most reliable kick on goal.
But goals to Brockman and Conor Nash got Hawthorn within just two points again.
When Karl Amon snapped truly to start the final term the Hawks led by a goal.
Although the Hawks rallied after Breust’s miss, it was one the goalsneak will look back on and rue given he kicks it 99 times out of 100.
HAWTHORN 2.1 5.4 8.8 11.10 (76)
ADELAIDE 2.3 5.7 8.9 11.13 (79)
Goals: Hawthorn - Fergus Greene 3, Tyler Brockman 2, Ned Reeves, James Worpel, Connor MacDonald, Conor Nash, Karl Amon, Jack Scrimshaw; Adelaide - Taylor Walker 4, Darcy Fogarty 3, Jordan Dawson, Luke Pedlar, Lachlan Sholl, Izak Rankine
Best: Adelaide - Rory Sloane, Darcy Fogarty, Jordan Dawson, Rory Laird Josh Rachele, Jake Soligo; Hawthorn - Conor Nash, Sam Frost, Jai Newcombe, Fergus Green, Jarman Impey, James Sicily
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