Hawks ready to build Tassie rivalry after record win at Launceston

Hawthorn continued their strong record at Launceston with a record-breaking win over a hapless West Coast, but the Hawks coach admitted he’s ‘torn’ by Tasmania’s looming new team.

Sam Mitchell and Jarman Impey share a moment before Sunday’s Indigenous Round win over West Coast at Launceston. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

THEY’VE made UTAS Stadium a fortress, but Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell says he’s “torn” about Tasmania’s new AFL franchise after the Hawks’ brutal 116-point demolition of West Coast on Sunday.

The bottom two sides entered the contest with just a win apiece, but the Hawks were ruthless against a depleted Eagles who simply didn’t bring acceptable effort or pressure in one of the worst losses in club history.

Mitchell was rapt with how his team maintained the pressure and application throughout, booting the last 12 goals in the 22.10 (142) to 4.2 (26) win, West Coast’s biggest defeat during coach Adam Simpson’s tenure.

Key forward Mitch Lewis returned to his best with a six-goal haul in his fourth game on return from a sprained ACL, while Irishman Connor Nash (30 disposals, eight clearances, eight tackles), Cam Mackenzie (22 disposals, two goals) James Worpel (26 disposals, eight clearances, one goal) and Jai Newcombe (23 disposals, one goal, nine tackles, seven clearances) showed why the club has put faith in them during their rebuild.

The Hawks’ two wins this year have both come at Launceston, with the other in round three against the Kangaroos, while only a late goal prevented them from beating Adelaide at UTAS Stadium in round six.

Tasmania was granted the 19th AFL license earlier this month, but the move has caused division in the state.

Protests were held in Hobart last week, while two Liberal MPs defected to the backbench as independents which saw the government lose its majority.

The Hawks’ partnership with Tasmania spans more than two decades, and the club has always maintained there’s room for both teams in the state going forward.

“I’m a little bit torn with this because now they’ve been given a license, I sort of think of them as the enemy, to be honest,” Mitchell said.

“We’re going to be playing against them and it’ll be a great rivalry. I think we have 8000 memvers in Tassie and I’ll be doing everything in my power to keep those 8000 members as Hawks fans.

“As much as we’re excited by a new Tassie team, of course we are, I’ll be more excited to keep our 8000 fans and be able to fill whatever stadium it is.

“I’m far from an expert but I think there is a role to play (for the Hawks in Tasmania). I’ve been coming here for 20 years or so and the role of Hawthorn in Tasmania is too good to throw away.”

Mitchell was rapt with the professional approach his side adopted against the Eagles, and how they took a rare chance to put their foot on a rival’s throat.

“I was really proud of the boys, we played the right way for the vast majority of that game,” he said.

“As a coach of a club going through a learning and building phase, you need those wins and we’ll spend the next 24 to 36 hours enjoying the victory.

“It’s out of our control, we were able to keep the pressure factor up for most of the game. The relentless nature of the way we played meant we got scoreboard ascendancy quite early.

“I look at our 80,000 members and you try and play in a way that make them proud.

“I think we were able to do that today. I hope all the Hawks members and fans watched what we did today and said ‘I can see what this group’s going to become’.”

Josh Weddle was also a standout in his fourth AFL game, booting two first quarter goals despite playing in defence and amassing 28 touches and seven marks.

Mitchell said the young brigade, particularly in the midfield, are justifying the faith they put in them when making drastic cuts to their list.

“With the midfield we were very strategic in what we wanted to do, and we want to build a team that wins finals and wins premierships,” he said.

“Last year we were 18th in most midfield statistics. We could have kept going to the well and trying to do the same thing, but we thought if we rejuventated the midfield in particular it’s an area we can improve pretty quickly.

“Some of those young guys, I jsut hear them (in the rooms) getting into each other about who’s going to get the first Rising Star nod.

“Seamus Mitchell (19 touches) has been really consistent, he’s become a staple of our backline so quickly, Cam Mackenzie and Josh Weddle (played well today).

“To be able to play with the level of confidence and love of the game they are - we suspected they’d become the players they’re becoming and they’re doing it quickly.”

Hawthorn defender Sam Frost was reported in the second quarter for high contact on Connor West after the Eagle executed a handball, while ruck Ned Reeves (ankle) was subbed off as a precaution in the third quarter.