Curnow declares he is staying at Blues; Docherty bows out as Hawks win comfortably

Hawthorn have introduced the most vital card to their premiership pack, Will Day, at the right time of the season only to sub out last year’s finals star, Jai Newcombe, after he passed a fitness test before the game. Hawks coach Sam Mitchell said the midfielder would be fine to play Adelaide next week.

It was that sort of night for the Hawks, who comfortably won a flat encounter by 24 points in a game that carried as much tension as a morning cup of tea on a beach holiday.

Hawthorn’s Calsher Dear takes a spectacular mark over Carlton’s Harry O’Farrell.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images

Day, the club’s best player, was the final, and most important cog, to be re-introduced to the fray after being sidelined with a navicular injury since round three.

His return followed last week’s reappearance of key forward Mitch Lewis, just one round after the hugely talented Calsher Dear found form against Fremantle in his second game for the season.

The win over Carlton was the first time the three players had played together.

The match was a perfect tune-up as the disjointed and dispirited Blues aren’t capable of providing the sort of resistance the Hawks can expect if they make it to September for a second successive season.

At least the Blues can take one small win from the night as Charlie Curnow declared he would be staying at the club after reports he had explored a possible trade.

Day received a cheer when he won his first touch in the opening quarter as you’d expect for a player who is so important to the Hawks, who have won 17 of the 21 matches he has played since the start of 2024.

Carlton’s Oliver Hollands and Hawthorn’s Will Day (centre) scuffle.Credit: Getty Images

He is skilful and tough with his tackling a feature early.

Dear is a future star, his spectacular mark on the quarter time siren a contender for mark of the year. He was exciting in the air, taking three memorable grabs in the first half and then a huge grab in the final quarter. He is a lock for one of the key forward posts.

Lewis was impressive too, kicking his first goal since round 18 last season after taking a strong grab early in the game.

He is mobile and demands the ball and will be challenging Mabior Chol for a key forward post in the finals. Jack Gunston kept winding back the clock in an outstanding season, and the trio of key forwards combined for seven goals.

Despite all that happening, the Hawks were not convincing. Once they opened up a five-goal margin in the first quarter they seemed content to turn the match into a holding pattern.

It was disappointing as there was an opportunity to build percentage in a season where it actually matters, as the Hawks were 40 points up early in the match.

They won by just four goals when the lead seemed to be more than 10 goals for most of the match.

The Blues may have wanted to put on a show for veteran Sam Docherty’s retirement and Jacob Weitering’s 200th match, but they were incapable.

Carlton’s Sam Docherty is chaired off the ground after his final game.Credit: Getty Images

The Blues dominated contested ball early but were torched on the outside of the contest with Hawthorn running them ragged.

They threw Tom DeKoning forward alongside Harry McKay while Curnow roamed far and wide, but it didn’t work.

Tom Barrass, Jack Scrimshaw and James Sicily thrashed them taking intercept mark after intercept mark before distributing the ball to any of their runners Jarman Impey, Karl Amon and Massimo D’Ambrosio.

It was Barrass and Sicily’s best games for the season. At half-time McKay had one disposal, Jesse Motlop just two and DeKoning five.

But Carlton’s midfield was competing, young defender Harry O’Farrell was having a serious dip and Will White showed enthusiasm when he kicked the first of his two goals.

The sting seemed to leave the game until Docherty provided a nice moment when he kicked a goal in the third quarter and took a bow in front of an appreciative crowd.

He played well giving his all as only he can, but his teammates weren’t quite on the same page with Curnow having just one touch in the second half, his mind seemingly on sun and surf. He finished the game on the bench.

But the main interest lies in Hawks who are hanging in the top eight and hoping for a lift in performance.

They will hope Newcombe’s injury is minor and that Day, Lewis and Dear can recover and help the team build momentum into finals.

That’s all we have for you tonight.

Thanks for following along this evening and please join us again tomorrow night for our Friday footy blog.

Bye for now.

Carlton star Charlie Curnow has declared he is not going anywhere as he moved to shut down the prospect of being traded to Gold Coast, Sydney or Geelong when the Blues’ miserable season finally ends.

He stood tall in front of reporters post-game and said the words most Blues fans wanted to hear after the club lost its 12th match for the season.

Charlie Curnow of the Blues is congratulated by Ashton Moir after kicking a goal.Credit: Getty Images

“I obviously want to be here … I’m playing at Carlton next year boys, there you go, done,” Curnow said.“Nothing is happening. So [I will] pretty much put in my time into playing footy at this club next year and the future years.”

Curnow admitted he had experienced a frustrating season after the effects of three surgeries in pre-season lingered and he battled to find his feet.

“I feel like as a team we probably haven’t really found our feet also, and it has been obvious,” Curnow said.

Contracted until 2029, the Blues had made it clear they would not trade Curnow under any circumstances and he said ending the season well was important as they needed momentum heading into next year.

He said he appreciated the frustration Blues’ fans would be feeling.

“It’s a hard one for them to cop for sure but grow with us, have fun with us. We’re trying. We’re trying hard out there. We do really want to have a crack for them. Stick with us and something good will happen,” Curnow said.

The Blues farewelled Sam Docherty and paid tribute to Jacob Weitering in the rooms while Carlton coach Michael Voss said they still had plenty to play for with four rounds remaining.

Curnow, 28, kicked two goals to take his season tally to 32 from 18 matches.

Blues coach Michael Voss laments that his side’s whole season could be surmised as “sometimes, not always”.

The season has been one to forget and Voss said he knows his side has to change that starting with their last few games of this season.

Blues coach Michael Voss walks off the ground.Credit: Getty Images

“That’s been most of our season. We’ve been sometimes, not always. We’ve had patches when we are great and patches where we have let ourselves down and that’s almost been the story of our season.

“That’s the gap we’ve got to bridge.”

Voss said his players had to take all they could from their remaining matches, especially when they face finals-bound teams.

“There is always something to play for and there is no protect or save here, we are running right up to the line,” Voss said.

Hawks coach Sam Mitchell asked for permission before subbing Jai Newcombe out of tonight’s game and he said the star midfielder would be fine to face Adelaide in a crucial game next Friday night.

Newcombe passed a fitness test before tonight’s match and he was rested for the second half.

Jai Newcombe of the Hawks warms up.Credit: Getty Images

“I spoke to him on the phone and said I was thinking of subbing him off and he said, ‘That might not be a bad idea’,” Mitchell said with a laugh.

“He was cramping in his hips or something, but he was fine and could have kept playing.

“But if we could get some game time into some other players we should do it.”

The return of Mitch Lewis means the Hawks will face some difficult decisions when it comes to their forward line with Mabior Chol out of recent games despite doing well this season.

Mitchell said the Hawks would be picking the best team for their opposition and the ground they are playing on.

“We are going to have to make some tough decisions but it will often come down to how we pick the team and what the conditions are like,” Mitchell said.

“If you look at the best teams in the league, they all have good players not in the side and we would like to think we are one of those sides.”

Sam Docherty revealed having Kade Simpson carry him off was a very touching moment.

“It’s something I’ll take with me for a long time, was Simmo chairing me off at the end, that was pretty special,” Doherty told Fox Footy.

Sam Docherty of the Blues is chaired from the field after his final game by Patrick Cripps of the Blues (left) and Kade Simpson.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images

“Patrick Cripps told him he had to do it and Sam Mitchell took a bag from him and pushed him over.

“He helped me when I was a kid, he was my idol as a player and I loved my time playing with him. I tried to follow what he taught me to do, it’s a very special moment.”

On what he will do next, Docherty isn’t completely sure.

“I don’t know. I might be on the other side of the screen,” Docherty said.

“But I want to take some time to see what is next, play some golf and spend time with family. I’m fortunate that I’ve met a lot of special people and I’m sure something will pop up that will interest me.”

Carlton star Charlie Curnow has moved to end speculation he wants to leave the Blues telling reporters post game he will definitely continue his career at Ikon Park.

“I’ll be playing at Carlton next year boys,” Curnow said.

Charlie Curnow of the Blues is congratulated by teammates.Credit: Getty Images

He admitted the season had been frustrating but said “things can turn quickly” and he was determined to push through the adversity.

MORE TO COME

Will Day spoke to Fox Footy post game.

On his return from injury:

It was awesome to be out there, it was a bloody slog but to be back out there, with Mitch Lewis on the MCG, it was pretty special.

Did helping the coaches out aid in your return to the game?

I just wanted to stay as involved as I could and being a leader of the club, I wanted to have an influence on the group.

Oliver Hollands of the Blues and Will Day of the Hawks wrestle.Credit: Getty Images

How are you feeling?

You can do as many tough rehab sessions as you like, it’s not the same, so to get that one out of the way was good.

I wouldn’t say we had it on our terms for most of the game, especially in the midfield. We had to do some problem solving on the run. But our forwards and backs held up well.

On James Sicily’s return to form:

We never had any doubts about him, he’s a great leader for us and we all knew he was going through a patch and to see him out the other end of it is no surprise to anyone.

On Calshear Dear’s play:

Some of the marks he is taking, taking them one-handed is pretty stupid.

To see the things he has done so early in his career, I’m very bullish on him, he’s got a good career ahead of him.

On Jai Newcombe being subbed out:

Just a bit of management. We want him at the pointy end. To get him off, It scared us a little bit as they were getting on top of us in the midfield but it was the right thing to do.

On his fitness:

I’ve still got a little left in the legs, so that gives me some confidence for next week.

Hawthorn have introduced the most vital card to their premiership pack, Will Day, at the right time of the season only to sub out last year’s finals star, Jai Newcombe, after he passed a fitness test before the game. Hawks coach Sam Mitchell said the midfielder would be fine to play Adelaide next week.

It was that sort of night for the Hawks, who comfortably won a flat encounter by 24 points in a game that carried as much tension as a morning cup of tea on a beach holiday.

Hawthorn’s Calsher Dear takes a spectacular mark over Carlton’s Harry O’Farrell.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images

Day, the club’s best player, was the final, and most important cog, to be re-introduced to the fray after being sidelined with a navicular injury since round three.

His return followed last week’s reappearance of key forward Mitch Lewis, just one round after the hugely talented Calsher Dear found form against Fremantle in his second game for the season.

The win over Carlton was the first time the three players had played together.

The match was a perfect tune-up as the disjointed and dispirited Blues aren’t capable of providing the sort of resistance the Hawks can expect if they make it to September for a second successive season.

At least the Blues can take one small win from the night as Charlie Curnow declared he would be staying at the club after reports he had explored a possible trade.

Day received a cheer when he won his first touch in the opening quarter as you’d expect for a player who is so important to the Hawks, who have won 17 of the 21 matches he has played since the start of 2024.

Carlton’s Oliver Hollands and Hawthorn’s Will Day (centre) scuffle.Credit: Getty Images

He is skilful and tough with his tackling a feature early.

Dear is a future star, his spectacular mark on the quarter time siren a contender for mark of the year. He was exciting in the air, taking three memorable grabs in the first half and then a huge grab in the final quarter. He is a lock for one of the key forward posts.

Lewis was impressive too, kicking his first goal since round 18 last season after taking a strong grab early in the game.

He is mobile and demands the ball and will be challenging Mabior Chol for a key forward post in the finals. Jack Gunston kept winding back the clock in an outstanding season, and the trio of key forwards combined for seven goals.

Despite all that happening, the Hawks were not convincing. Once they opened up a five-goal margin in the first quarter they seemed content to turn the match into a holding pattern.

It was disappointing as there was an opportunity to build percentage in a season where it actually matters, as the Hawks were 40 points up early in the match.

They won by just four goals when the lead seemed to be more than 10 goals for most of the match.

The Blues may have wanted to put on a show for veteran Sam Docherty’s retirement and Jacob Weitering’s 200th match, but they were incapable.

Carlton’s Sam Docherty is chaired off the ground after his final game.Credit: Getty Images

The Blues dominated contested ball early but were torched on the outside of the contest with Hawthorn running them ragged.

They threw Tom DeKoning forward alongside Harry McKay while Curnow roamed far and wide, but it didn’t work.

Tom Barrass, Jack Scrimshaw and James Sicily thrashed them taking intercept mark after intercept mark before distributing the ball to any of their runners Jarman Impey, Karl Amon and Massimo D’Ambrosio.

It was Barrass and Sicily’s best games for the season. At half-time McKay had one disposal, Jesse Motlop just two and DeKoning five.

But Carlton’s midfield was competing, young defender Harry O’Farrell was having a serious dip and Will White showed enthusiasm when he kicked the first of his two goals.

The sting seemed to leave the game until Docherty provided a nice moment when he kicked a goal in the third quarter and took a bow in front of an appreciative crowd.

He played well giving his all as only he can, but his teammates weren’t quite on the same page with Curnow having just one touch in the second half, his mind seemingly on sun and surf. He finished the game on the bench.

But the main interest lies in Hawks who are hanging in the top eight and hoping for a lift in performance.

They will hope Newcombe’s injury is minor and that Day, Lewis and Dear can recover and help the team build momentum into finals.

Blues great turned Hawks assistant coach Kade Simpson teamed with Patrick Cripps to chair Sam Docherty off the ground.

Jacob Weitering was also carried off in his 200th game.

Docherty then took a moment to run over to the Carlton chair squad to thank them for their support.

Now he is walking off the ground.

What a farewell.

Sam Docherty of the Blues bows to the crowd after kicking a goal.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images