Only three Hawks remain from the 2008 Grand Final side that overcame Geelong by 26 points in what was a famous victory for the club.
We take a look back to see what Grand Final week and the game itself looked like for three then-youngsters, now-champions of Hawthorn, Jarryd Roughead, Grant Birchall and Cyril Rioli…
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It is Grand Final day, 2008.
Geelong and Hawthorn are set to do battle in what is truly a tale of two sides.
Geelong, the reigning premiers, have won 42 of their past 44 matches. Last week, seven Cats were named in this year’s All Australian side, illustrating the class they have in every area of the ground. A Round 9 loss to Collingwood is the only blip on an otherwise perfect season. A dynasty is emerging.
While Hawthorn is a more youthful outfit. The talent is clearly there, highlighted by a 21-year old Lance Franklin claiming the Coleman Medal with 102 home and away season goals, but the reality is the club has only played two finals games in the past six seasons.
The crux of this young nucleus is made up of names such as Jarryd Roughead, Grant Birchall and Cyril Rioli.
In his fourth year in the AFL, Jarryd Roughead has enjoyed a break-out season, kicking 73 goals from his 24 outings to finish with the fourth-most goals of any player in the competition. With 82 games under his belt and 131 career goals, the 21-year old has been on a tear in the past three weeks kicking 12 goals, including four in the preliminary final win over St Kilda.
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The second pick in the 2004 National Draft will take his place in a potent Hawks forward line that features Franklin and Mark Williams, who has kicked 43 goals for the year. Although they will have their work cut out for them with three All Australians, Tom Harley, Matthew Scarlett and Corey Enright, among the Cats’ defensive line.
Grant Birchall has quickly built a reputation as one of the elite ball-users of the competition, averaging 21.2 disposals this season at 83.5% disposal efficiency. Consistency has underlined the 20-year old’s 2008 campaign, with the defender having had less than 20 touches in only five of his 24 outings.
Since being taken with the 14th pick in the 2005 National draft, Birchall has been a staple item of the Hawthorn defence, playing in 64 of a possible 70 games since his arrival at the club. In the month leading up to today, Birchall has averaged 24.3 possessions, 7.3 marks and 2.8 bounces per game.
The 193cm left-footer has been named on the Hawthorn back flank that he has made his own over the past three seasons.
In his first year at the club, Cyril Rioli has been a revelation for the Hawks, playing every game on his way to the Grand Final. His frenetic defensive pressure combined with brilliant offensive flair make him a match-up nightmare. Taken with the 12th pick in last year’s draft, the 19-year old has averaged 13.8 disposals, 3.5 tackles and almost a goal a game in his debut year.
With the outstanding pedigree of being the nephew of two Norm Smith Medal winners in Maurice Rioli and Michael Long, Rioli is destined to thrive on the biggest stage. The speedster will be the youngest player in today’s Grand Final but his performances this year have proven that he will unlikely be overawed by the situation.
As the ball bounces, Roughead, Birchall and Rioli all take their place on the field. Roughead is the first of the trio to have an impact on the game as he kicks the Hawks third goal of the game to help the Hawks gain a 13-point ascendancy midway through the first term.
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Birchall has been prominent in the early stages while Rioli has also settled into the game strongly.
Rioli’s first big moment of the game comes in the opening minutes of the second quarter, as he calmly slots an important set shot from 35 metres out to draw the Hawks back to even with their rivals.
The small forward soon again has the 100,000-strong crowd on its feet as a second, third and fourth effort play in front of the MCC wing sees him win a free kick for holding the ball on Max Rooke.
Birchall is having no issue finding lots of the football, going on numerous runs to cut through the Geelong defence.
With the Hawks holding a two-point lead at the main break, the third quarter promises to be an all-important chapter in the story of this game.
The game remains at a stalemate for the first half of the term as neither side is able to mount any considerable scoreboard pressure.
But a Luke Hodge goal at the 15-minute mark seems to break the game open as the Hawks begin to get on a roll.
Cyril kicks his second goal of the game after crumbing a Franklin contest, gathering cleanly and waltzing to the goal line to boot through an important Hawk major.
Rioli’s goal sets off a six-minute period of Hawk dominance as they pile on four goals in quick succession.
With this sudden flurry of offensive power, driven by Stuart Dew who has a hand in all four goals including kicking two himself, Hawthorn open up a 30-point lead before the final break.
The Hawks continue to have it on their terms in the final stanza as Geelong struggles to produce any offensive drive.
Grant Birchall’s seven bounces for the day, bettered only by teammate Clinton Young’s eight, typifies the game style that looks likely to deliver the Hawks their first premiership in 17 years.
The Hawks have taken 38 running bounces to Geelong’s eight.
Roughead puts the cherry on top of a magnificent day for the Hawks as he outbodies Harry Taylor to take a strong contested mark in the goalsquare before kicking truly for his second major of the day.
The final siren sounds minutes later with the Hawks victors by 26 points. In what could only be described as a dramatic upset, the Hawks were led by Norm Smith Medallist Luke Hodge and club stalwart Shane Crawford.
This day was meant to be the launch of a Geelong dynasty as the Cats sought a back-to-back flag but instead it has ignited the possibility of a golden Hawthorn era as this young side took one massive step on this famous day in September.
