In a Tweet

The Rundown

With the Hawks in fourth position and the Saints in 15th, Hawthorn were favoured to notch its 14th win of 2018 in this Round 22 match-up. But a messy opening term saw both sides struggle to gain any flow. The Hawks built an early ascendancy to take a 19-point lead into the first change. The Saints held strong over the course of the next two quarters, not allowing the Hawks to push the margin to beyond doubt. A nine-point Hawthorn lead at three quarter time had fans nervous as the game entered the final stanza. But a low-scoring quarter saw the Hawks hold onto the lead, fending off a gallant Saints outfit to finish four-point victors.

The Star

Jack Gunston earned the three Brownlow votes in this game on the back of an impressive four-goal performance. As well as his dominance around goal, Gunston also collected 24 disposals and seven marks to ensure he was dangerous all over the ground for the Hawks.

Read: Hawks add to Board

The Moment

With 80 seconds of play left in the game, the Hawks were desperately clinging to a four-point lead. A boundary throw-in just outside the Saints forward 50 was cleared by midfielder Seb Ross as everyone inside Marvel Stadium moved towards the edge of their seats. But in a fitting defining moment for the match, it was Gunston who sailed across the pack deep in defensive 50 to cling onto a big contested mark and help the Hawks ice the game.

The Coach

"We were a bit disappointed with how we played, particularly in the last 40 minutes of the game. To be fair, I think the better side lost tonight. We're fortunate that whilst we didn't kick many goals in the 40 minutes of the game, neither did they - it was a pretty uninspiring last quarter. We're very, very fortunate we snuck away with four points out of that game." - Clarkson

 

ST KILDA              4.4        6.6       10.9      11.10 (76)
HAWTHORN          1.3       7.5        12.6      12.8 (80)

GOALS
St Kilda: Lonie 4, Membrey 2, Billings, Gresham, Newnes, Paton, Steele
Hawthorn: Gunston 4, McEvoy 2, Breust 2, Burgoyne, Impey, Nash, Worpel

BEST 
St Kilda: Steele, Lonie, Geary, Ross, Gresham, Steven, Billings
Hawthorn: O'Meara, Gunston, Burgoyne, Mitchell, McEvoy, Worpel

INJURIES 
St Kilda: Jake Carlisle (back/personal reasons) replaced in selected side by Sam Gilbert, Geary (concussion)
Hawthorn: Frawley (jarred back)  

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Margetts, Williamson, Glouftsis

Official crowd: 24,795 at Etihad Stadium