1. Career-best haul for Howe
Second-year Hawk Daniel Howe collected a career-best 26 disposals against the Bombers.
Howe has been in and out of the senior side in 2016, playing seven of 12 games at AFL level.
But in finding 16 kicks, 10 handballs and four clearances, Howe showed his ability to win the ball on the inside and the outside, taking another step in he development.
2. How do you split Rioli, Breust and Puopolo in 2016?
We won’t even try.
Ranking Cyril Rioli, Luke Breust and Paul Puopolo’s efforts in 2016 is near impossible – all three have been exceptional.
All three have impacted the scoreboard, with Breust (29 goals) just out in front of Rioli and Puopolo (both 24).
The trio combined for 11 goals – and 14 tackles – against the Bombers, again showing why they are among the most dangerous small forwards in the competition.
3. O’Brien, Sicily switch it up
Emerging talls Tim O’Brien and James Sicily have both switched between attack and defence in 2016, and both had an impact against the Bombers.
O’Brien was prominent in attack this week, reached plenty of contests to finish with 2.1 from 11 disposals and four marks.
Sicily found plenty of the ball across half back, racking up a career-best 25 disposals and sending the Hawks inside 50 on five occasions.
4. Goal assist of the year contender
There’s no award for ‘goal assist of the year’ contender – but Paul Puopolo’s final quarter assist would take some beating.
Somehow, Puopolo received a handball in a high-pressure situation, spun, and (with one arm pinned) cheekily toe-poked the footy into the path of teammate Luke Breust.
Simply brilliant.
5. The stand-in skipper keeps finding the ball
The captaincy has sat well with Jordan Lewis in 2016.
Lewis has led the Hawks in eight matches this year in the absence of Luke Hodge – seven of them wins – and has found his best form over the past three weeks.
After a 42-disposal, best-on-ground performance against Brisbane Lions in his 250th match, Lewis has had influential roles in wins against Melbourne (29 disposals) and Essendon (35 disposals) over the past fortnight.