One man crucial to Hawthorn ending Swans’ winning run

HAWTHORN and Sydney went toe-to-toe in an epic Friday night clash and a crucial matchup was the difference.

Lance Franklin of the Swans and Luke Hodge of the Hawks get heated.

HAWTHORN have ended Sydney’s AFL winning streak, downing the Swans by a goal in a nailbiting MCG contest.

The Hawks trailed midway through the fourth quarter, before Liam Shiels claimed their first major for the half when he sent home a loose ball in the goal square.

Sydney appealed and the decision went to a score review, but the vision was inconclusive and the Hawks went on to claim a 10.12 (72) to 9.12 (66) victory.

The hard-fought win keeps 12th-placed Hawthorn’s slim finals hopes alive, while bringing Sydney’s seven-game winning streak to an end.

Daniel Howe of the Hawks handballs while being tackled by Jarrad McVeigh.

While the game saw a number of key match-ups across the ground, it was the one between the coaches that Hawks legend Dermott Brereton says proved the difference in the outcome of the match.

Maligned at the start of the season, Alastair Clarkson outwitted his Swans’ counterpart, John Longmire to keep the Hawks in touch with the top eight.

“He’s (Clarkson) had a huge win in the (coaching) boxes tonight,” Brereton said.

“Hawthorn lose (Jarryd) Roughead for the first ten minutes on the bench, Howe goes off for the same thing. They had as many equal offsetting injuries as well.

“They outplayed them and let’s be honest, they had a win in the coaches box tonight.”

“The amount of times that Hawthorn were able to get isolated, I haven’t seen Sydney in a one-on-one contest, defensive, mismatched over the last ten weeks — happened six times tonight.”

Hawthorn led at every break of Friday night’s clash but were pushed to the brink in a tense final term.

Goals to Jarrad McVeigh and Tom Papley handed the Swans the lead in the early going, before Hawks midfielder Shiels snatched back the momentum with his scrubbing goal.

Minutes later, skipper Jarryd Roughead took a strong mark and kicked truly to extend the Hawks’ lead.

Sydney Swans coach John Longmire.

Ruckman Ben McEvoy was outstanding for the Hawks, finishing with 23 hit-outs, eight marks and 16 disposals.

Prime mover Tom Mitchell was well held in the early going but built his way into the game to finish with 26 touches.

The Hawks were a man down in the second half, with young defender Blake Hardwick suffering a concussion.

Luke Parker and Isaac Heeney impressed in the midfield for Sydney, while Papley booted three goals, but Hawthorn’s excellent pressure around the ball meant the Swans had few clean possessions.

Lance Franklin of the Swans and Luke Hodge of the Hawks push and shove.

Superstar forward Lance Franklin could find himself in trouble with the match review panel after tangling with former teammate Luke Hodge.

Luke Hodge earned a down-field free-kick after Lance Franklin was penalised for high contact. #AFLHawksSwans pic.twitter.com/ge2viEvW84

— AFL (@AFL) July 28, 2017

Franklin made his intentions clear in the opening minutes, striking Hodge with an open palm to the face as they contested a stoppage.

Minutes later, Franklin gave away a free kick when he cleaned up Hodge with a swinging forearm to the back of the head.

Sydney were forced to make two late changes with forward Gary Rohan suffering back spasms and hard-running midfielder Jake Lloyd managed for hip tightness.

- AAP

Originally published as One man crucial to Hawthorn ending Swans’ winning run