AFL Round 9: Hawthorn defeats Carlton in Jarman Impey’s return from injury
Master coach Alastair Clarkson knew his club had been “bashed from pillar to post” amid a four-game losing streak, but he had a defiant message for those pushing a divide at the Hawks after a stunning comebck win over Carlton.
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Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson says trying to divide the Hawks is a “fruitless exercise” after his players showed resolve and rebounded from a horror month with a breakthrough win against Carlton on Friday night.
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The four-time premiership coach said his club had been “bashed from pillar to post” during a four-game losing streak that saw his willingness to rebuild the ageing list questioned.
Clarkson said the scrutiny on Hawthorn’s performances had been warranted, but everyone at the Hawks remained on the same page.
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“Most of it (criticism) has been directed at me, so that’s been a little fortunate in that the players have been sheltered from it,” Clarkson said.
“But trying to push a divide between anyone at our football club is a fruitless exercise really, because we are so strong and tight from the board right through to the coaching area and the players.
“We know where we are going. At the appropriate time, if we think we’re not going in the right direction, we’ll pivot and go in a different direction.
“Those sort of nudges and pivots, we have been making for 15 or 16 years and if we need to do so again, we will.”
Clarkson said the Hawks showed their true capability on Friday, coming from 31 points down in the first quarter to win by that margin at Optus Stadium.
He said he was pleased for the players and staff after the sacrifices they had made to relocate to the Perth hub, where they will remain for matches against Fremantle and West Coast after a bye in round 10.
“We’ve been getting bashed from pillar to post everywhere, including on the ground. But for the resolve of the group to stand up when you’re five goals down 20 minutes into the game, it says a little bit for the group and the character of them,” Clarkson said.
“It’s reward for a lot of people who are doing a lot of hard yards.
“They know their hometown of Melbourne is doing it really tough at the minute with the virus and the escalating concern there and that has concerns for our immediate family and a lot of family and friends.”
Clarkson said the Hawks would take no risks with champion Shaun Burgoyne, who left the ground late with a tight hamstring.
Carlton coach David Teague says the Blues need to find a way to respond when challenged after the Blues had the Hawks on the ropes in the first quarter.
“It’s disappointing. We played such good footy (early) and we won the contest … but our ability to maintain that at the moment is an issue, so we need to keep addressing it and keep training it,” Teague said.
“I thought the second quarter they just beat us at the contest and I thought they beat us convincingly.
“Around the stoppages we won it on the inside but we couldn’t get any ball movement to the outside.
“Right now we know when we (execute our game style) well it works for us, but we need to find a way to do it for longer, and when challenged is probably the area where we need to find a way to break even.”
The Blues dominated clearances (11-5) and contested ball (41-28) in the first quarter but were overrun on those areas after quarter-time by a Hawks midfield that ran deep.
The Hawks were able to clamp star midfielder Patrick Cripps during the second quarter and hold him to three possessions, with the Blues lacking an even spread.
“We didn’t have enough guys get their job done today. As simple as that,” Teague said, with Cripps lifting again after halftime to finish with a team-high 27 possessions (19 contested), eight clearances and a late goal.
“I thought he (Cripps) was strong around the contest. He was a big body, I thought he got his hands on it and won it on the inside.
“It was probably the ability to get some outside ball and take territory that we [missed].
“I thought Hawthorn owned the outside better than us. We need to have a look at our method there.”
IMPEY FEEL-GOOD STORY OF HAWKS’ BLUE BOUNCE-BACK
Hawthorn snapped a four-game losing streak and continued Carlton’s rollercoaster run, mounting a stunning comeback to win a memorable clash by 31 points at Optus Stadium on Friday.
The Hawks lifted themselves off the canvas and came from 31 points down in the opening quarter to win 14.5 (89) to 9.4 (58) in a 62-point turnaround.
Coach Alastair Clarkson and his men entered the Perth hub under fierce scrutiny, but prolific midfielders Tom Mitchell and James Worpel spearheaded an important win that could turn their season around.
The Blues, who will rue repeated turnovers when the game was on the line, continued their unpredictable 2020 and are yet to win back-to-back matches this season, missing a chance to move into the top eight.
IMPEY THE FINISHER ON RETURN
Bringing speed and clean ball use, Jarman Impey was an important inclusion for the Hawks, returning for his first game since tearing the ACL in his right knee against Geelong in July last year.
The 25-year-old took time to work into the game, but his class was on display halfway through the third quarter when he took possession at 50m and converted a nice goal on the run, giving the Hawks a 25-point lead they didn’t look like surrendering.
Every Hawk on the field ran to congratulate Impey, who returned after three practice matches and should now be in a position to boost the Hawks through the second half of the season.
SENIOR HAWKS LAUNCH STUNNING SURGE
It was triple-premiership star Shaun Burgoyne who got the tide to turn in the second quarter, racking up nine possessions and three inside 50s as the highly-scrutinised senior Hawks got moving.
Premiership teammates Jack Gunston, Liam Shiels and Isaac Smith all lifted as the Hawks went on a thrilling seven-goal run, pouncing on the Blues’ repeated turnovers and running the ball forward in a no-fuss style that paid dividends.
Smith was superb during the surge, converting a set shot from 50m on the boundary, and later getting on the end of a Chad Wingard handball to kick the goal that put them ahead for the first time.
CRIPPS LEFT TO DO IT ALL
Blatantly held off the ball against North Melbourne last week, Patrick Cripps was given unusual freedom early against the Hawks, and he made them pay.
The star midfielder had 11 possessions in the opening quarter, winning seven in contests and racking up three early clearances as the Blues raced to a 31-point lead with the opening five goals.
The Hawks then rotated midfielders Shiels, Worpel and Jaeger O’Meara on Cripps at stoppages, holding him to three possessions in the second quarter.
The skipper wasted two scoring opportunities and got himself in tangles as he tried desperately to lift him team. It was clear he needed more support.
A disappointed Carlton coach David Teague rued the Blues’ poor ball-use during the crucial second quarter, which saw Hawthorn kick a run of six unanswered goals.
Teague said the Blues lacked a spread of contributors, with star midfielder Patrick Cripps fighting an even Hawthorn midfielder and finishing with a team-high 27 possessions and eight clearances.
“We didn’t have enough guys get their job done today. As simple as that,” Teague said.
“I thought we probably lacked a bit of composure at times from guys who have been really strong in that area.”
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SCOREBOARD
CARLTON 5.1 6.2 7.4 9.4 (58)
def by
HAWTHORN 2.0 8.3 11.4 14.5 (89)
GOALS
Blues: Casboult 3, Newnes 2, Martin 2, Cuningham, Cripps
Hawks: Gunston 3, Shiels 2, Smith 2, Breust 2, Day, O’Meara, O’Brien, Impey, Wingard
NATHAN SCHMOOK’S BEST
Blues: Cripps, Curnow, Martin, Casboult, Docherty
Hawks: Mitchell, Worpel, Shiels, Smith, Gunston, O’Meara, Burgoyne
NATHAN SCHMOOK’S VOTES
3 — T Mitchell (Haw)
2 — J Worpel (Haw)
1 — L Shiels (Haw)
INJURIES
Blues: Nil
Hawks: Nil
