In a Tweet

The Rundown

Hawthorn and Sydney clashed in this all-important Round 19 match-up, as both sides jostled for places in the finals. With both the Swans and the Hawks suffering winless opening months to their respective seasons, they had found themselves in range of a finals berth, and even a top-four berth for the Swans.

It was the Hawks who looked the stronger side to open proceedings, taking an eight-point lead into quarter time.

After a strong second term, the Hawks’ 21-point lead at the main break seemed too much for the Swans, who had only managed four goals in the first half.

But the Swans clawed their way back with a fierce second-half performance.

In the final quarter, there were numerous occasions where it looked as if the Swans were poised to overrun the Hawks, but the Hawks clung on and were able to keep their faint finals hopes alive with an impressive six-point victory at the MCG.

The Star

Jarryd Roughead’s influence on this game was huge. The Hawks skipper had his cheek opened up with a nasty gash after a head clash with teammate Daniel Howe early in the game, but returned to have a match-defining impact for his side. He finished with 24 disposals, eight marks, three tackles and two goals.

The Moment

With 38 seconds remaining in the game, Swans ball-user Nic Newman had the ball on his side’s back flank. Looking to spark a potent forward foray, Newman kicked the ball into the corridor, looking to find teammate Luke Parker. But Jack Gunston, revelling in his new role in defence, read the play and came across to take a spectacular overhead mark over the Swans’ star midfielder. Composed, Gunston instructed his teammates to run down the remaining time on the clock, which they were able to do and therefore register a second impressive victory over their rivals in the 2017 season.

The Coach

"They've been head and shoulders above everyone for the last 10 or 11 weeks so from that point of view it was really pleasing that we were able to grind out a win”.

- Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson

HAWTHORN   4.3       8.6       8.8       10.12 (72)
SYDNEY         2.7       4.9       6.10     9.12 (66)

GOALS
Hawthorn: Burgoyne 2, Schoenmakers 2, Roughead 2, Shiels 2, O'Brien, Duryea
Sydney: Papley 3, Hewett 2, Hayward, Sinclair, Franklin, McVeigh

BEST 
Hawthorn: Roughead, Shiels, Hodge, Sicily, Burton, Brand, McEvoy
Sydney: Parker, Heeney, Papley, Newman, Mills

INJURIES 
Hawthorn: Roughead (cut cheek), Hardwick (concussion), Mitchell (left ankle)
Sydney: Lloyd (hip tightness) replaced in the selected side by Robinson, Rohan (back spasms) replaced in the selected side by Foote, Naismith (knee), Kennedy (left thigh), Sinclair (ankle)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Stevic, Williamson, McInerney 

Official crowd: 52,181 at the MCG