Hawthorn’s 2024 turnaround complete in North mauling

Hawthorn has capped off a stunning turnaround, booking its place in September after brushing aside the Kangaroos.

Hawthorn has booked its spot in September after a dominant 124-point win over North Melbourne, 26.14 (170) to 7.4 (46).

Sam Mitchell’s side exploded with an eight-goal second term to lead by 66 points at half-time. The Hawks didn’t look back, stacking on another 10 goals in the fourth quarter of the UTAS Stadium demolition.

Jack Ginnivan (two goals, 23 touches) starred early among Hawthorn’s nine dual goalkickers, including four majors to Dylan Moore and three each to Nick Watson, Mabior Chol and Connor Macdonald.

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After starting the year 0-5, the Hawks won 14 of their last 18 matches to seal their place in the finals for the first time since 2018.

The AFL’s form team proved their swarming, high pressure game translates to all conditions after they ran rough shod over the Roos on a sodden ground.

Hawthorn dominated the Roos to book its finals berth.

They’re renowned for their brashness and flair, but this was another professional outing from the Hawks when complacency may have set in.

Like last week against bottom side Richmond, they put the result to bed early and demolished what little confidence their lowly opponent may have from the outset.

The party got underway with 10 goals in the last quarter in the ideal tune up for finals.

It was their biggest ever victory over North Melbourne, eclipsing the previous best of 115 in 2012 at the same venue.

In the wet, the match could have turned into a contested scrap.

But Hawthorn proved its ball movement can be effective in all conditions and its speed was too much for the Kangaroos to handle on the UTAS Stadium’s wide expanses.

And so after starting the season 0-5, the now 14-9 Hawks have completed the most remarkable of turnarounds.

“It’s a pleasure to watch, on top of all facets of their game leading into September,” triple premiership Lion Jonathan Brown told Fox Footy.

“They’re so connected, I really like the way they go into their forward line.

“They’ve had plenty of forward half turnover and been able to score from stoppage.

“You’d be happy with that balance of stoppage and turnover scores.”

So damaging was Hawthorn’s win and percentage boost that Sam Mitchell’s side climbed all the way into fourth position on the ladder.

And while Geelong’s beatdown of West Coast guarantees the Hawks won’t stay in the top four, Hawthorn’s first final is still likely to be at the MCG.

It’s a ground that suits their game style and they’ll fancy their chances against anyone at their home venue.

Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley praised Mitchell’s Hawks for having “a couple of modes” they can go into.

“They’re not shy on taking yardage when they’re under pressure,” Buckley told Fox Footy.

“They know their forwards have already worked forward of the ball, so they back them to win an even numbered contest.

“Then they’ve got the other mode where they change the angle and are in open field and run and carry. They lower the eyes and find the uncontested marks.

“They’re very strong in the turnover game.”

The Hawks’ pressure was brilliant throughout, even when the result was well and truly official, and their game couldn’t be in better shape to try to launch a premiership tilt from the bottom half of the eight.

The win also meant the Hawks won all four games in Launceston this year, the first time they’ve done so since 2016.

Originally published as Hawthorn’s 2024 turnaround complete in North mauling