AFL Grand Final 2015: Hawthorn defeats West Coast by 46 points at the MCG

MATCH REPORT: HAWTHORN secured its place in history with a third-straight premiership following a dominant victory over West Coast.

AFL Grand Final 2015

ONE suspicion going into this match was that premiership-hardened Hawthorn would better handle the pressure of a Grand Final.

And that’s exactly how it proved.

Another suspicion was that the Eagles’ defensive zoning would be less effective on the wide expanses of the MCG.

Jot that one down as confirmed, too.

And apart from two bursts of Eagles tenacity either side of halftime, Hawthorn dominated this contest so comprehensively that it proved another suspicion: that they are the equal of any great team of the AFL era.

The first half told the story.

The vastly experienced Hawks sized up the pressure of playing on football’s grandest stage, chewed it up and spat it out. Meanwhile, the Eagles choked on it.

There were countless examples. Shaun Burgoyne helped set the tone early by fearlessly running back with the flight for an overhead mark in front of the oncoming Nic Naitanui and Josh Gibson.

Isaac Smith did the same 30 seconds later.

Hawthorn players celebrate a third straight flag. Picture: Michael Klein

Whenever there was a loose 50-50 ball it seemed the Hawks were first to it, such as when Grant Birchall instinctively put his head down, attacked the Sherrin and charged through a hesitant Jamie Cripps on centre wing.

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The Hawks’ harassment whenever an Eagle took possession was superb, as Mark Hutchings would attest.

In quick succession during the second quarter he was chased down by Cyril Riloi, hip and shouldered by Burgoyne and wrapped up by David Hale as he tried to charge through a pack.

Cyril Rioli and Ryan Schoenmakers celebrate a Hawthorn goal.

In contrast, the Eagles at times looked overwhelmed by the occasion.

Moments such as Josh Hill, hemmed in against the boundary in the forward pocket, trying a ridiculously difficult soccer off the ground and kicking it out of bounds.

Or Jack Darling dropping an uncontested chest mark in the forward 50 just as the Eagles had a hint of momentum.

The best example of the difference between the teams came 20 minutes into the match, when Darling attempted to switch play across half-back only for his kick to miss the target.

Hawthorn swept the ball to full-forward and when it spilled to the turf the Hawks’ forwards laid three tackles in a row, pressuring Jeremy McGovern into scrappy kick to Sam Mitchell. His clever handball then set up a Grant Birchall goal.

A dejected Nic Naitanui after the game. Picture: Daniel Wilkins

Hawthorn had clean hands and the composure to hit its targets. West Coast had neither.

During a decisive 30-minute spurt in the first half, Hawthorn kicked nine unanswered goals while the Eagles wasted their chances, with senior players Shannon Hurn and Matt Priddis both pushing straightforward shots wide from 35m.

The Hawks also managed to use their precise short-passing skills to unpick what has become known as the “Weagles Web’’. They had 102 more uncontested possessions and 80 more uncontested marks.

Isaac Smith takes a flying mark over Taylor Duryea. Picture: Mark Dadswell

Not only that, but they played on quickly at half-back to deny the Eagles the chance to set up their defensive structure.

Norm Smith Medallist Rioli also showed that defensive zoning can be a risky business when you offer two metres of space to a matchwinner with scintillating speed.

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One suspicion that did not eventuate was that West Coast would be the team to run out the game stronger in the sapping heat.

Coach Alastair Clarkson used his bench 67 times to 49 in the first half and, with a sniff of history, the veteran Hawks players actually looked stronger as the match wore on.

By the time the margin got out to 50 points just before the final break the Hawk hat-trick was a formality and the sting went out of the contest.

Rioli was superb throughout in creating opportunities for teammates and setting up scoring chances, but Isaac Smith was not far behind. Mitchell was damaging with his usual swag of disposals and Burgoyne was one part silk one part granite, particularly when the match was won early.

Perhaps the loudest cheer of the afternoon came when sentimental favourite Ryan Schoenmakers flew on the Members’ wing to take the best overhead mark of his career late in the quarter.

In contrast, maybe the loudest cheer for an Eagle was the Bronx version that came when Coleman Medallist Josh Kennedy took a mark on the lead early in the last quarter. He was comprehensively outplayed by former Melbourne full-back James Frawley.

In the end, Schoenmakers and Frawley would be the two names added to the premiership pantheon, not the 19 new names at West Coast.

HAWTHORN 5.0 9.3 14.5 16.11 (107)

WEST COAST 1.5 3.8 5.9 8.13 (61)

GOALS

Hawthorn: Gunston 4, Smith 3, Rioli 2, Hodge, Roughead, Birchall, Schoenmakers, Hill, McEvoy, Suckling

West Coast: McGovern 2, Darling, Hill, Hutchings, LeCras, Shuey, Yeo

BEST

Hawthorn: Rioli, Smith, Mitchell, Burgoyne, Frawley, Hodge, Gunston, Gibson.

West Coast: Shuey, Gaff, Priddis, Hutchings, Le Cras.

Injuries: Nil. Reports: Nil.

Umpires: Dalgleish, Rosebury, Stevic

Official crowd: 98,633 at MCG

WARWICK GREEN’S VOTES

3 – Rioli (Haw)

2 – Smith (Haw)

1 – Mitchell (Haw)