In a Tweet

The Rundown

Staring down the barrel of their worst start to a season since 1970, the Hawks were desperate to secure their first victory after a winless first four rounds.

The Hawks started with the opening two goals of the game and held an eight-point lead at the first break, with the side’s improvement on previous weeks obvious from the outset.

Two goals each to Tim O’Brien and James Sicily in the second term helped the Hawks push away with a six-goal-to-three quarter, while Ben McEvoy also proved dominant in the ruck against Nathan Vardy.

By three-quarter time the margin sat at 31 points but the Hawks piled on a further seven goals in the final term, with O’Brien, Luke Breust, Jarryd Roughead and Jack Gunston all finishing with three goals apiece as the Hawks ran away with a relieving 50-point victory.

The Star

Recruit Tom Mitchell continued his outstanding start to the 2017 season, gathering more than 30 disposals for the fourth time in five games with the Hawks.

Mitchell finished with 37 disposals, 18 contested possessions and six clearances as he ran rampant through the midfield, eventually receiving two Brownlow votes for his display.

The Moment

Early in the final term Cyril Rioli palmed the ball down to teammate Liam Shiels from a marking contest on the wing, who then sent the ball deep into the Hawks’ forward line.

Outmanoeuvring his Eagle opponent, Tom Barrass, captain Jarryd Roughead marked the ball 20 metres out, directly in front to line up for his 500th career goal.

Going back and kicking truly, Roughead’s milestone moment pushed the margin out to 43 points and put the result beyond doubt, all but securing the Hawks their first win for 2017.

The Coach

“We did it tough in the last couple of weeks in particular, but today was pleasing they got some reward for four or five weeks of hard work," Clarkson said.

  • Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson

HAWTHORN        3.4   9.8   12.9   19.11 (125)      
WEST COAST       2.2   5.5    7.8    11.9    ( 75)

GOALS
Hawthorn: O'Brien 3, Breust 3, Roughead 3, Gunston 3, Sicily 2, Shiels, Puopolo, Burgoyne, McEvoy, Rioli   
West Coast: Darling 4, Shuey 2, Hill 2, Cripps, Kennedy, Redden     

BEST 
Hawthorn: Mitchell, O'Brien, Rioli, Burgoyne, McEvoy, Breust, Gibson
West Coast: Shuey, Priddis, Darling, Barrass, Gaff 

INJURIES
Hawthorn: Smith (knee)
West Coast: Sheppard (knee), Cripps (leg)    

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Foot, Fleer, Pannell  

Official crowd: 28,997 at the MCG