HAWTHORN 6.4 12.5 15.9 18.11 (119)
COLLINGWOOD 4.5 9.8 9.11 12.12 (84)
GOALS
Hawthorn: Franklin 4, Smith 3, Gunston 2, Whitecross 2, Rioli, Breust, Hale, Puopolo, Hill, Roughead, Lewis
Collingwood: Cloke 3, Blair 2, Beams 2, Lynch, Elliott, Thomas, O'Brien, Swan
BEST
Hawthorn: Hodge, Sewell, Franklin, Gibson, Birchall, Whitecross, Smith
Collingwood: Pendlebury, Macaffer, Swan, Beams, Grundy, Brown
INJURIES
Hawthorn: Brent Guerra (knee) replaced in selected side by Max Bailey
Collingwood: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Hawthorn: Shane Savage replaced Max Bailey during the third quarter
Collingwood: Sam Dwyer replaced Ben Sinclair in the third quarter
Umpires: Rosebury, Stevic, Nicholls
Official crowd: 71,533 at the MCG
Who played?
HAWTHORN
B: B.Stratton B.Lake G. Birchall
HB: S.Burgoyne J.Gibson T.Duryea
C: I.Smith S.Mitchell B.Whitecross
HF: L.Hodge L.Franklin J.Gunston
F: L.Breust J.Roughead C.Rioli
FOLL:D.Hale B.Sewell J.Lewis
I/C: M/Bailey B.Hill S.Savage P.Puopolo
COLLINGWOOD
B: N.Brown N.Maxwell H.Shaw
HB: B.Macaffer L.Keeffe T.Goldsack
C: H.O'Brien L.Ball J.Thomas
HF: S.Sidebottom Q.Lynch J.Elliott
F: D.Beams T.Cloke B.Reid
FOLL: B.Grundy S.Pendlebury D.Swan
I/C: J.Blair B.Sinclair S.Dwyer M.Williams
Hawthorn overcame a persistent Collingwood by 35 points in the last meeting between the two sides, in Round 21 last year.
It was the fifth consecutive win for the Hawks over the Pies since the 2011 Preliminary Final.
Hawthorn set up the win with a three goal to zero third quarter to extend their 15-point half time lead to 34 points at the final change, a margin the Magpies couldn’t overturn.
Alastair Clarkson again identified Collingwood running defender Heath Shaw as the player to stop, sending utility Brendan Whitecross to the star Pie – a move that was lauded in the aftermath of the win.
Shaw was held to just nine disposals for the night, while Whitecross was one of Hawthorn’s best with 17 disposals, eight marks and two goals. Collingwood’s ability to generate run and carry was significantly hindered by the move, which enabled the Hawks to allow no easy ball into the Collingwood forwards.
Aside from some match-up wins for the Hawks, it was their polish with ball in hand and ability to use that to slice through Collingwood’s defensive set-up that allowed Clarkson’s team to run away with victory.
Isaac Smith and Cyril Rioli were of particular importance in this area, with their run Hawthorn’s most damaging weapon and their ability to hit the score board also invaluable. Smith finished with three goals and Rioli one, but the latter’s impact on the game was profound.
In the midfield, Luke Hodge continued his string of outstanding performances against the Pies with a team-high 28 disposals and eight marks despite a broken thumb, and Brad Sewell was also good in the middle with 27 touches and eight clearances.
Lance Franklin was the dominant forward on the ground with four goals, while Jarryd Roughead was quiet with just one goal that came in the dying minutes of the game.
For Collingwood, Travis Cloke started well but was well held in the second half, he finished with three goals as Jarryd Blair and Dayne Beams chipped in with two.
But overall, Collingwood’s forward line was dominated by Josh Gibson who was outstanding in defence and Grant Birchall ran riot across half back in his first game back since Round 13.
Dane Swan picked up 35 disposals, eight clearances and five inside 50s, Scott Pendlebury had 31 and six clearances and Dayne Beams had 25 and six clearances.
