O’Brien makes his mark
In just his 22nd career game, Tim O’Brien put in a monumental performance to help the Hawks get over the line against the Demons on Sunday.
A dominant force in the air, O’Brien took a game-high ten marks, five of which were contested, in what was undoubtedly the best performance of the 23-year old’s career to date, also collecting 13 disposals, three tackles and two goals.
Déjà Lew
Jordan Lewis delivered a typical Jordan Lewis performance on Sunday.
The former Hawk was among Melbourne’s best, gathering 30 possessions, 10 of which were contested, and kicking two goals, including the last of the game as Melbourne threatened to snatch the lead off the Hawks.
Read: Five talking points Melbourne v Hawthorn
Old firm stay strong
Alastair Clarkson stuck to his guns. Despite all the external pressure telling him to do otherwise, the four-time premiership coach backed his senior players and was rewarded for it.
As good as many of the Hawks’ youngsters were, it was the experienced heads of Hawthorn who truly stepped up when the whips were cracking in the crucial stages of the final term.
Luke Hodge finished with 26 hard-fought disposals, Isaac Smith was back to his hard-running best with 23 touches and a team-high seven inside 50s, Shaun Burgoyne had 23 possessions and a team-high seven clearances and captain Jarryd Roughead was vital with four goals.
They were extremely encouraging signs for Hawks fans, as every player in the brown and gold played their part towards a Hawk victory.
Another blow for Birch
In what made the Hawks win all the more impressive, they were without four-time premiership star Grant Birchall for the majority of the game.
In his first game back from a broken jaw, Birchall copped a knock to his right knee midway through the first term and, though he tried to play on, his afternoon was deemed over by the first break.
A sour note on an otherwise outstanding day, coach Alastair Clarkson told his press conference scans could clear Birchall to play next week but added that he could also miss six weeks.
