In a Tweet
Keep gws to 1 goal in the 2nd half ✔
— Naim the Chad (@goldandbrown4) May 12, 2019
Keep the leading goal kicker in the afl goalless ✔
Keep one of the best teams in the afl to 5 goals in a whole game ✔
Great win boys #AFLHawksGiants
The Rundown
It was a tough week for the Hawks heading into their Round 8 clash with the Giants.
A loss to Melbourne by five-points the week prior left the Hawks in thirteenth position on the ladder and former captain Jarryd Roughead was relegated to the VFL for the first time since 2007.
The Giants were looking to face their MCG hoodoo having lost 13 of their last 15 games at the ground.
GWS had beaten the Saints by 44 points in Round 7 and key forwards Jeremy Cameron, Jeremy Finlayson and Harry Himmelberg were creating headaches for their opponents.
The Star
James Frawley returned to the team for his first game since injuring his hamstring in Round 4.
The big-bodied defender lined up on the Giants’ Jeremy Cameron who was in red-hot form having kicked six goals one against St Kilda the week before.
Not only did Frawley keep Cameron goalless, but he kept the key forward to his equal lowest disposal tally for the year at the time.
The Moment
It was the start of the final quarter and the Hawks were leading by 22 points.
The Giants hadn’t kicked a goal in the third quarter and the Hawks were on their way to an unexpected victory.
Jonathon Ceglar put the win beyond doubt. The ruck-forward kicked two goals in the first five minutes of the final quarter.
His two majors extended the lead to 34 points, a significant margin in a low scoring game and it looked like it was game over from there.
The Coach
"The game was really based around the spirit and endeavour of our players and just hanging in there and trying to deny them the space that they usually utilise so well. That was a really pleasing performance.” – Clarkson
HAWTHORN 3.1 5.5 7.9 10.11 (71)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 1.3 4.4 4.5 5.8 (38)
GOALS
Hawthorn: Impey 2, Ceglar 2, O'Meara, Gunston, Breust, Lewis, Cousins, Sicily
Greater Western Sydney: Finlayson 3, Greene, Lloyd
BEST
Hawthorn: Sicily, Henderson, Frawley, Cousins, Ceglar, Shiels, Impey
Greater Western Sydney: Finlayson, Kelly, Shaw, Coniglio
INJURIES
Hawthorn: Scrimshaw (neck)
Greater Western Sydney: Nil
Reports: Frawley (Haw) reported for rough conduct on Cameron (GWS)
Umpires: Foot, Stevic, Gavine
Official crowd: 14,636 at the MCG