Signs of unsociable Hawks in tough Tasmania win against St Kilda

HAWTHORN soaked up the best St Kilda could throw at it in Launceston then powered away to send a reminder to its top-four rivals.

James Worpel of the Hawks.

THE contested beast was back with a vengeance for Hawthorn in Launceston as the Hawks’ ferocity wore down a stubborn St Kilda at UTas Stadium.

It wasn’t quite unsociable football the Hawks were once renowned for, but it was the next best thing.

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Hawthorn bounced back from its loss to North Melbourne last weekend to topple the Saints by 35 points, put one foot inside the top four and put a huge dent in St Kilda’s hopes of September action.

Wingman Isaac Smith was at his brilliant best with his run and stun that produced four goals and two amazing runs from 24 possessions.

The game was tight and physical, scores were level midway through the third term and there was only nine points in it at the final change.

Luke Bruest brings down St Kilda captain Jarryn Geary.

Tom Mitchell finished with 45 hard-won disposals.

After being well held by Nathan Brown, Jack Gunston announced his arrival with two goals in five minutes in the last term which, along with a goal from Daniel Howe and Smith’s fourth, gave Hawthorn a matchwinning buffer.

The star of the show was Tom Mitchell.

Mitchell passed 20 touches six minutes into the second term and by the half he had 27 with five marks and numerous involvements for which stats do not account.

St Kilda changed tack in the second half, assigning Luke Dunstan to tag Mitchell and the Hawk did not thrive under the hostile attention of the Saint.

Isaac Smith kicked four brilliant goals.

Dunstan’s constant scragging, holding, bumping and occasional body punch upset the star Hawk, who only had six possessions in the third term and 12 in the last for 45 all up.

Hawk Luke Breust started as the most dangerous forward on the ground. He had three marks inside 50m and three shots at goal for 1.2 in the first 12 minutes.

The Saints switched Shane Savage for Jarryn Geary, who stemmed the flow to Breust, who went to halftime having taken one mark and kicked one goal on the St Kilda veteran. He ended with three on the night.

St Kilda went goalless in the opening term and was lucky that Hawthorn’s control of the game did not translate to the scoreboard, the Hawks kicking only three in the first.

The Saints looked set for their opening goal five minutes into the second.

However, Tim Membrey produced one of the biggest howlers in AFL history when he missed from five metres out, inside the goal square, with no angle to speak of.

Two minutes later he redeemed himself with a goal from a set shot 40m out, the first of three St Kilda goals and the Saints were in the contest, trailing 33-25 at the long break.

It will be a long flight home for the Saints.

Local lad Jimmy Webster was one of St Kilda’s best, racking up a career-high 19 possessions in the first half across half-back and going on to earn 25 touches in a fine return to senior footy.

Jack Steven gathered 29 disposals, five tackles and nine clearances, and key defender Jake Carlisle controlled the airspace in defence, landing seven marks and spoiling twice as many.

HAWTHORN 3.7 4.9 7.9 13.11 (89)

ST KILDA 0.4 3.7 4.10 7.12 (54)

BEST

Hawks: Mitchell, Smith, Morrison, Breust, Hardwick, Henderson.

Saints: Steven, Carlisle, Webster, Savage, Gilbert, Ross.

GOALS

Hawks: Smith 4, Gunston 3, Breust 3, Howe, Morrison, Impey.

Saints: Long, Billings, Sinclair, Steele, McCartin, Hickey, Membrey.

INJURIES

Hawks: Nil.

Saints: Nil.

REPORTS

Hawks: Nil. Saints: Nil.

UMPIRES

Meredith, Haussen, Donlon

CROWD

15,741 at Launceston

Originally published as Signs of unsociable Hawks in tough Tasmania win against St Kilda