ISAAC Smith has previously been known for his line-breaking dashes through the midfield but his game in Sunday’s win over GWS took on a different look.
Playing predominantly as a forward, Smith relinquished his usual role on the wing to spend most of his time inside 50, a role in which he excelled.
Smith booted four goals and gathered 23 disposals in Hawthorn’s narrow 7-point victory over the Giants and kicked goals at crucial stages including in the last minute of the third term to give the Hawks a one-point lead at the final change.
The 25-year-old was able to kick goals with just an inch of space, a part of his game on Sunday that helped the Hawks scrape over the line in what was a tough encounter with the league’s expansion club.
Smith was deemed to be the best performed Hawk on the day, receiving eight of a possible maximum 10 votes from Brendon Bolton and Leon Cameron.
But while the Hawks eventually overcame a gallant GWS, Smith was one of only three Hawthorn players to poll votes in the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year award.
Skipper Luke Hodge was Hawthorn’s highest possession-getter on the ground with 26 disposals, while he also managed five clearances.
He received two votes from the coaches.
But perhaps the most encouraging of the vote getter was Angus Litherland who polled two votes in just his third game of AFL footy.
Rotating on a number of GWS forwards throughout the match, Litherland spent a lot of his time on gun forward Jeremy Cameron and was able to restrict his influence on the game by winning key one-on-one battles.
While Litherland was impressive in the opening three quarters, where he saved a certain GWS goal, it was in the last quarter that his performance really shone.
Litherland was able to win vital one-on-one battles with Cameron and then clear the ball from Hawthorn’s defensive 50 to relieve the pressure. When the game was there to be won in the dying stages, he was one player who stood up and got the Hawks over the line.
He finished with 19 disposals, nine one percenters, eight tackles and five rebound 50s.
Devon Smith was deemed the best player on the ground, receiving the maximum 10 votes from the coaches for his four-goal, 26 disposal and 10 tackle performance.
Smith was his team’s most dangerous forwards on the ground, and provided headaches for the Hawks for the majority of the day.
Former number one draft pick received six votes for his 32-disposal performance, the equal highest possession getter on the ground, while co-Captain Callan Ward received two votes.
The votes: Hawthorn v GWS
10 Smith (GWS)
8 Smith (Haw)
6 Whitfield (GWS)
2 Hodge (Haw)
2 Litherland (Haw)
2 Ward (GWS)
Round 11 Leaderboard
55 Gary Ablett (Gold Coast)
52 Josh Kennedy (Sydney)
48 Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood)
43 Travis Boak (Port Adelaide)
41 Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide)
38 Joel Selwood (Geelong)
37 Matthew Priddis (West Coast)
35 Nathan Fyfe (Fremantle)
34 Nathan Jones (Melbourne)
33 Ben Cunnington (North Melbourne)
