AFL 2021 Hawthorn v GWS: Debut cut short as teammate alerts docs Denver Grainger-Barras is not right

A Hawthorn teammate has ended Denver Grainger-Barras’s stunning debut against the Giants in extraordinary circumstances after noticing he was displaying concussion-like symptoms.

Owen Leonard

5 min read

June 27, 2021 - 8:51PM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 27: James Worpel of the Hawks fends Isaac Cumming of the Giants off illegally during the round 15 AFL match between the Greater Western Sydney Giants and the Hawthorn Hawks at Melbourne Cricket Ground on June 27, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

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Hawthorn debutant Denver Grainger-Barras has been taken off the field after a teammate noticed the first-gamer’s concussion-like symptoms, coach Alastair Clarkson has revealed.

“It was one of our teammates that alerted the docs that perhaps Denver wasn’t quite right, so he’s a concussion protocol, which will unfortunately mean he won’t be able to back up his first game next week,” the coach said.

It is unclear when Grainger-Barras suffered the concussion.

Clarkson spoke glowingly of his debut, and said the 19-year-old’s efforts combined with Tim O’Brien’s jaw-dropping screamer inspired Hawthorn’s senior players.

“Early in the game, when we needed some inspiration, it was young Grainger-Barras in his first game, who competed in a couple of really important contests for us,” Clarkson said.

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Subbed out Denver Grainger-Barras and club champion Shaun Burgoyne, who replaced the debutant. Picture: AFL Photos via Getty Images

“Just his aggression on the footy, he took a mark, and I don’t know why it wasn’t paid a mark — there must’ve been a free kick somewhere — the excitement for our fans but also the disappointment when the free kick was paid against, it was such a tremendous mark.

“He and Will Day, perhaps our two youngest players, their commitment to the contest was outstanding, and that’s an inspiration for the older guys.”

He was later joined by Chad Wingard on the sidelines, who will be sent for scans during the week to determine the extent of a hamstring injury.

Grainger-Barras’s entertaining debut had a little bit of everything.

Alastair Clarkson says Grainger-Barras was an inspiration before coming off.

Wingard was pulled from the field at three-quarter time with hamstring tightness and replaced by veteran Shaun Burgoyne, who was the medical sub in his 399th game.

Alastair Clarkson was confident post-match that Wingard would not be sidelined for an extended period, and suggested subbing the 27-year-old out of the game was a precautionary measure.

“We don’t think it was a serious soft-tissue injury, but having said that we’ll get scans there,” Clarkson said.

“He came off the field and we just didn’t want to take a risk. We knew that we had Shaun Burgoyne there as the sub, so we activated him right on three-quarter time.”

Wingard appears unlikely to face his old club, Port Adelaide, on Saturday night.

Hawthorn’s return from the bye has delivered two wins from three games, in an impressive turnaround from a win-loss ledger that read 2-9 after round 11.

“We were really disappointed with our first half of the year,” Clarkson said.

Grainger-Barras and Bobby Hill wrestle during the young Hawk’s eye-catching debut. Picture: Getty Images

“We just didn’t play anywhere near the footy that we thought we were capable of playing.

“We had a correction at the halfway mark, and thus far we’ve played three really competitive games of footy.”

Clarkson contributed pressure on the opposition and improved levels of composure as the main catalysts for the Hawks’ return to form.

“We needed to fix some things up with all areas of the game, but the most significant part was our pressure around the ball and stopping opposition from being able to move the ball so fluently.

“We needed to be a little bit smarter with our ball use so that we weren’t so bold and attacking with the ball, strangely enough. If you go too quick, sometimes you just can’t defend it on the rebound.”

Rejuvenated Hawks swoop to clip Giants’ finals hopes

An inspired Hawthorn has denied GWS a golden chance to break into the top eight, overcoming an early 23-point deficit to produce a dazzling three-goal victory.

The Hawks were lacklustre early and conceded the opening four goals of the match, but stormed back into the contest and survived a series of momentum swings to eventually run away from the Giants and record the 13.12 (90) to 11.6 (72) win.

Captain Ben McEvoy led from the front with eight marks (three contested), 19 touches and a goal, while ball-magnet Tom Mitchell amassed 40 disposals through the midfield.

Jai Newcombe celebrates a goal during Hawthorn’s upset win. Picture: Getty Images

Jack Scrimshaw’s class across halfback was again impressive, disposing of the ball 28 times at 85 per cent efficiency and taking a pair of contested marks.

The Giants had a golden opportunity to cement themselves into finals contention and take eighth spot from the out-of-form Richmond, but the loss means they will again face an uphill battle to feature in September.

The game lacked atmosphere initially, as Bobby Hill’s impressive opening goal was met with the quiet applause of the ‘home’ cheer squad, whose orange and charcoal colours stretched little more than a few rows at the Punt Road end.

Conditions were perfect for football nonetheless, and when Hawthorn lacked early tenacity, the Giants were presented the chance to make a statement with an early 23-point lead.

The Hawks, however, soon came to life, and stunned their opponents with eight of the next nine goals.

It began with an explosive James Worpel goal, and gained momentum when Tim O’Brien launched to take a stunning, old-fashioned ‘speccy’ in the goalsquare.

O’Brien booted the next two goals, and as the previously lifeless crowd found considerable voice, it was now the Giants on the ropes.

An inspired Hawthorn captured momentum and built a 22-point lead of their own, but true to the seesawing nature of the contest, their advantage was soon erased with the Giants’ Toby Greene landing a double blow to reduce the margin to only three points by the last break.

The Hawks broke away again to start the last, fought off yet another Giants fightback, then booted three of the last four goals to claim an exciting triumph.

IT’S A BIRD, IT’S A PLANE, IT’S TIM O’BRIEN

It might have been an off-Broadway game in front of a paltry crowd, but Tim O’Brien’s showmanship had Hawks fans off their seats and Giants defenders on their toes with a stirring Mark of the Year contender.

A contest formed in Hawthorn’s goalsquare midway through the second term, and most saw a scrambling pack. But O’Brien saw a step ladder, and he leapt to its pinnacle to claim a rousing grab.

Minutes later, Giants defenders — clearly wary of O’Brien’s air threat — illegally pushed the key forward out of another marking contest, effectively gifting the number 23 another major as the Hawks ensured a halftime lead.

Tim O'Brien takes a spectacular mark at the MCG. Picture: Getty Images

A FIRST GOAL FOR THE AGES

When third-gamer Jai Newcombe was tasked with a set shot from outside 50 early in the last quarter, he lined up for goal like a 200-gamer. And his finish resembled that of a seasoned veteran, too, with the 55-metre bomb sailing through to give the Hawks an early final-term gap.

DEBUTANT DENIED

Debutant Denver Grainger-Barrass almost claimed a Mark of the Year nomination of his own in the second term, when he channelled Nick Riewoldt by charging into a pack and hanging on for a screamer.

But the umpire showed no interest in the theatrics, holding firm and paying the Giants’ Daniel Lloyd a free kick for high contact.