AFL round 12: Josh Barnes analyses Collingwood’s win over Hawthorn

Hawthorn was left to rue one of the poorest tackling efforts of the year as it succumbed to a rampant Collingwood. Josh Barnes examines what the blowout means for both clubs.

The message was sent to Hawthorn this week to tackle and pressure more, but it was left on read.

Stung by a poor loss last week, Hawthorn came into Friday night knowing it needed harass the opposition better and instead trailed in as a clinical Collingwood powered to a 51 point win.

Told to physically impact the opposition more, the Hawks barely laid a glove on the Pies until ruck Lloyd Meek’s clumsy attempted spoil left Pat Lipinski concussed, and left Meek likely facing a suspension that could stretch to three weeks.

A Meek ban couldn’t be timed worse, with the Hawks slumping in the middle of a potential season defining stretch, and the Western Bulldogs and Adelaide waiting in the next fortnight.

In a poor loss to Brisbane last Saturday, Hawthorn put up a dismal five tackles in the third term as the game slipped away, and ended that match with 36 in total.

At halftime on Friday, after the Magpies had opened up space inside-50 over and over to boot 10 goals, the Hawks trailed in the tackle count by 18.

Jamie Elliott kicks fifth goal vs Hawthorn

By the end of the game, Hawthorn was thumped in the stat 38-82, and surely Sam Mitchell will have those numbers written on his whiteboard at Waverley this week.

A dozen Hawks laid less than two tackles in four quarters of play, after nine didn’t stick a single one last week against the Lions.

Jamie Elliott continued his outstanding season for the Magpies.

Josh Battle and the Hawks defence were under pressure all night.

Charting that stat to put a finger on performance is always iffy – you can only tackle if the opposition has the ball – but the Hawks zeroed in on it during the week but Mitchell’s team didn’t fix it.

“We definitely didn’t tackle enough last week and as you know this game is a game about pressure and being able to get the ball off your opposition and being able to hurt them when you do that,” Hawks footy boss Rob McCartney told SEN pre-match on Friday.

While the Hawks seemed to wander behind their man like a dog at dinner time, the flag-favourite Magpies were right in their face when they had to be.

Hawthorn won several first-quarter clearances, only to run into a black and white wall and watch it bounce over their heads.

“The pressure is so good if you win a clearance it is on Collingwood’s terms and you are under the pump to make a quick decision,” goalkicking legend Jason Dunstall gushed on Fox Footy in the first quarter.

Jack Ginnivan clashes with Bobby Hill

By the third term, Dunstall declared the pressure gap was the “difference in the game”: “The tackling efficiency of Collingwood has just been too good”.

The Magpies came to the MCG hungrier than a road tripping family pulling into Maccas, and the Hawks weren’t with them.

Collingwood is not the right team to run into if your pressure is not on point, as they sucked the Hawks into Craig McRae’s ‘Fly Trap’ and swept the ball away with ease.

In career-best form, Jamie Elliott had acres of space to lead up into on his way to 5 goals, leaving Josh Battle helpless in stopping him.

Almost done last year with a foot injury, Elliott is a nightmare match-up and was just lethal on the lead with four first-half goals.

There wasn’t a lot Hawthorn’s defenders could do as the well-drilled Pies slashed through the midfield, the damage was done further up the field.

The good news for Hawthorn fans doubles as the only bad news for Collingwood fans.

It is only May.

Lloyd Meek cleans up Pat Lipinski

Nick Daicos goal

The Pies are the best side in it right now, and have to manage their way to being the best side in it in four month’s time.

For the Hawks, they are not playing like a top four team and need a scalp to find their edge again.

They entered a five week rough fixture patch knowing they could prove something and so far have gone 0-3 against Gold Coast, Brisbane and Collingwood, with the Dogs and Crows to come.

They just have to get a grip on their game, and their opponents.

Originally published as AFL round 12: Josh Barnes analyses Collingwood’s win over Hawthorn