Hawks halt Swans in their top four tracks
If not for a Hawthorn victory in Round 10, the Swans would have entered this game unbeaten over their past 11 matches. The in-form side of the competition, the Swans were bristling with confidence entering this Round 19 MCG clash. But the Hawks again played party poopers to the Swans’ sensational season revival. The Hawks executed the perfect game-style, unravelling the Swans by owning the ball and being disciplined with their movement patterns.
The F-word
The Hawks’ win ensured that the possibility of an eight-straight finals appearance is not yet out of the question. The Hawks now sit just a game-and-a-half behind the eight-placed West Coast Eagles with four games remaining in the home and away season. Players and coaches inside the Ricoh Centre refuse to entertain the concept of finals just yet, but the facts are their second-half season resurgence has given them a faint chance of what would be a famous finals berth.
Read: Five talking points Hawthorn v Sydney
Swans suffer double injury hit pre-game
The Swans were dealt a double injury blow before the ball was even bounced on Friday night when, first, defender Jake Lloyd withdrew with hip tightness before speedster Gary Rohan began suffering back spasms in the warm-up that would force him to pull out of the game. The Swans medical staff continued to be kept busy throughout the match, with ruckman Sam Naismith, midfield star Josh Kennedy and big man Callum Sinclair all spending extended stints on the side-lines as physios attended to their troubles.
Old mates catch up
Perhaps former teammates Luke Hodge and Lance Franklin’s most famous interaction since Buddy left the Hawks came in the 2014 Grand Final, when the Hawks skipper at the time leant in and gave the Swan spearhead a kiss on the cheek. But on Friday night, the encounter between the superstar pair was much less loving, as Franklin seemingly targeted Hodge on two occasions, clipping his former fearless leader in a fiery first term. It was an uncharacteristically quiet night for the current Coleman Medal runner-up, who managed just 13 touches, five marks and a single goal.
Read: Stopping Buddy crucial, says Burton
Sicily sizzles in the heat
James Sicily was in everything on Friday night with the 22-year old forward-cum-defender seeming to revel under the game’s intense conditions. After a week of being in the headlines for a verbal tirade with teammate Taylor Duryea in last week’s win over Fremantle, Sicily showed a hot head at times again, giving away two free kicks including a 50-metre penalty that resulted in Franklin’s only goal. But, for the most part, Sicily was outstanding and a key reason for the Hawks coming away with the four points. Gathering 26 possessions and 14 marks, Sicily continued to thrive in his new position at the defensive end.
