AFL 2024 Round 21: GWS defeats Hawthorn in Canberra to leap into top four

At three-quarter-time, Hawthorn was doing the maths on if it could slide into the eight. Two hours later, a one-two punch has their season on the brink and Sam Mitchell ‘extremely frustrated’.

A surprise Essendon win at the MCG gave Hawthorn an extra hurdle to jump in the quest to play finals but coach Sam Mitchell declared the season is “still in our hands” after being swamped by the Giants in Canberra.

The Hawks are now a game out of the top eight after giving up a 28-point final quarter lead on Sunday and have a season-defining clash against Carlton next Saturday before matches against cellar-dwellers Richmond and North Melbourne in the final two rounds.

Giving up seven final quarter goals left Mitchell “enormously frustrated” knowing a win could have had his team outside the top eight on percentage only, just under the Blues.

Instead they are 10th, two points behind the Bombers, making next weekend’s MCG clash an absolute must-win.

“Three quarters, as we learned today, is not enough and three quarters of a season is what we’re relying on being enough for us because the first quarter was obviously not what we would hope for,” he said, reflecting on the 0-5 start to the season which has left his red-hot team playing catch-up.

Sam Mitchell was left frustrated by the Hawks’ performance on Sunday. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images.

“So right now, I hope the season is still in our hands.

“We play against a Carlton side who are gonna feel very similar to us, licking their wounds after a loss last night (against Collingwood) and it’s a game I’m sure everyone’s looking forward to and can’t come quick enough to be honest because I’d like to get over this one.”

Mitchell said his young team was continuing to learn lessons about the need to play four quarters against the best teams, having prepared for the orange tsunami, which is the GWS running game, but still being overwhelmed by it.

The Giants went into the game on the back of a five-match winning streak, and took that confidence through to the end, leaving Mitchell to lament what might have been.

“I mean I’m enormously frustrated and disappointed,” he said.

“I think the standard you have to hold yourself to is so high this season and the competition is so even,” he said.

“It’s not a technical or tactical lesson that we have to learn, it’s one of our standards. If you want to play against the very best sides, as a whole football department, whether it’s coaches, whether it’s players or staff, we need to be able to help the players play at the highest possible level they can for four quarters every single week.”

GIANTS SWOOP ON HAWKS’ FINALS CHANCES

A remarkable late surge from the GWS Giants in the nation’s capital has catapulted Adam Kingsley’s side back into premiership calculations as they chased down a five goal deficit to defeat Hawthorn by two points for their fifth win in a row.

In front of a sold out crowd at Manuka Oval, the Hawks machine, which had looked so effective yet again, was finally broken down in the last quarter due to a masterful Kingsley move that altered the contest completely.

The Giants coach through Brent Daniels onto the ball as he tried to resurrect a 28 point gap in the last quarter and it worked to devastating effect as the dynamo had 12 final term touches and six score involvements.

Along with Daniels, Jesse Hogan was outstanding yet again kicking five majors to move past Charlie Curnow and into outright first in the Coleman Medal race.

Two of his majors came in the last quarter as the Giants ran over a Hawks side that went into their shell a touch, with captain Toby Greene continuing his excellent second half of the season with two goals of his own late for three majors all up.

The matchwinning moment though came courtesy of the favourite son in Canberra in local boy Tom Green.

With time ticking down, Green roved a pack inside attacking 50 superbly and snapped an effort on his left foot for what would prove to be the deciding shot at goal.

Along with Green’s goal, a superb tackle at half-back by Jack Buckley on James Sicily late on as the Hawks captain went forward to try and win them the game, would prove vital in the heroic victory.

The defeat is a devastating one for the Hawks but once more their slick set-up defensively and efficient movement going forward was on show as they suffocated the Giants run for most of the afternoon.

They extended their lead at every break of the game with Jai Newcombe their best with 30 touches and 11 clearances.

Jesse Hogan kicked five for the Giants. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images.

Their clash next Sunday against Carlton at the MCG is a salivating one and with Richmond and North Melbourne to come in their final two games, Sam Mitchell’s side can still feel positive about a place in September despite having their three-game winning run ended in heartbreaking fashion.

Jack Gunston was as deadly as usual for the Hawks up forward kicking four goals straight while Massimo D’Ambrosio was excellent yet again with 22 touches and two majors.

The Giants have a tough run in headlined by an away trip to Brisbane next week and then games against Fremantle and the red hot Western Bulldogs.

Lachie Whitfield was excellent again with 37 disposals off half back and ten score involvements.

LACHIE’S APOLOGY

Lachie Ash could only hold his hand up and say sorry in the final term for an uncharacteristic error as he turned the ball over straight to Hawthorn inside his own defensive area. The accurate Gunston eventually made him pay for what looked like a momentum changing goal, only for the Giants to respond superbly.

ENGINE ROOM ISSUES

As brilliant as the Giants were they’ll have a tough task against Brisbane at the Gabba next week if they don’t get Stephen Coniglio and Josh Kelly back. Finn Callaghan had a good second half but only had 17 disposals while Callan Ward and James Peatling had similar numbers. The Daniels move into the middle may be the way to go moving forward.