Round 7
Hawthorn v Melbourne
May 16, MCG
HAWTHORN recorded its fourth win of the 2015 season, putting Melbourne to the sword with a 105-point triumph at the MCG.
The Demons kicked the first two goals of the game, but managed just five more after that, as the Hawks booted 25 goals to increase their lead at every change.
Vice-captain Jarryd Roughead starred with 30 disposals, 10 marks and four goals in a dominant performance.
Sam Mitchell also found the ball on 30 occasions, while Will Langford, Billy Hartung and Liam Shiels had 26 disposals apiece.
Shiels laid a game-high 13 tackles, while Hartung was rewarded for his efforts with the NAB AFL Rising Star nomination.
Thirteen individual goal-scorers got involved, as the Hawks posted what would be their second-biggest win for the season, in Grant Birchall’s 200th AFL match.
HAWTHORN 6.2 10.6 18.8 24.11 (155)
MELBOURNE 2.0 3.3 4.6 7.8 (50)
Goals: Roughead 4, Breust 3, Rioli 3, Schoenmakers 2, Hale 2, Puopolo 2,Langford 2, Suckling, Ceglar, Mitchell, Hartung, Hill, Gunston
Best: Mitchell, Hartung, Hill, Roughead, Burgoyne, Langford, Shiels, Ceglar
Injuries: Isaac Smith (illness) replaced in the selected side by Jonathan Simpkin
Substitite: Jonathan Simpkin replaced David Hale in the third quarter
Round 8
Hawthorn v Sydney Swans
May 23, MCG
WITH a two-goal lead midway through the final term, Hawthorn looked like recording consecutive victories for the first time in 2015.
However, in the first grand final rematch for 2015, the Sydney Swans bounced back with the final three goals of the game to claim a thrilling four-point win in one of the matches of the season.
A five-goal-to-one opening term saw the Swans scoot ahead to an early 27-point lead, and the first major of the second term saw that margin extend beyond five goals.
But the Hawks willed their way back into the contest, before falling desperately short at the final hurdle.
Sam Mitchell (32 disposals) and Jordan Lewis (31 disposals) were outstanding for the Hawks, while Cyril Rioli produced a magical mark and goal – to go with 16 disposals – in the final term.
HAWTHORN 0.4 4.9 8.11 9.15 (69)
SYDNEY SWANS 5.1 7.4 8.7 11.7 (73)
Goals: Schoenmakers 2, Rioli 2, Breust, Ceglar, Langford, Gunston, Puopolo
Best: Rioli, Mitchell, Frawley, Smith, Langford, Ceglar
Injuries: Lake (knee)
Substitute: Billy Hartung replaced David Hale at three-quarter time
Round 9
Hawthorn v Gold Coast Suns
May 30, Aurora Stadium
AS had been the trend in the opening rounds of the season, the Hawks bounced back from a narrow loss with a comprehensive win.
At Aurora Stadium, the Hawks proved too strong for Gold Coast Suns, claiming a 53-point win.
Liam Shiels produced one of his best performances for the club, racking up 28 disposals and a career-best 14 tackles - the equal-most ever recorded by a Hawthorn player (1999-2015), before Shiels broke the record later in the year.
Sam Mitchell (36 disposals) Bradley Hill (33 disposals), Luke Hodge (30 disposals) and Isaac Smith (30 disposals) all found plenty of the ball against the Suns.
Exciting youngster Daniel Howe made his senior debut, coming off the bench as the substitute to finish with 12 disposals at 100 per cent efficiency.
The Hawks racked up 474 disposals to the Suns’ 307, and 65 inside-50s to 39, in a dominant team display.
HAWTHORN 3.0 6.4 12.7 14.9 (93)
GOLD COAST 2.1 4.2 5.3 6.4 (40)
Goals: Breust 3, Hale 3, Gunston 2, Suckling, Burgoyne, Hodge, Smith, Shiels, Rioli
Best: Shiels, Mitchell, Hodge, Hill, Duryea
Injuries: Jordan Lewis (bruised shoulder) replaced in selected side by Matthew Suckling, Puopolo
Substitute: Cyril Rioli replaced by Daniel Howe in the final quarter.
