West Coast 1.3 6.6 12.6 15.8 (98)                  
Hawthorn 6.1 11.2 15.7 23.10 (148)          

Goals: West Coast: Kennedy 5, J Hill 3, Darling 3, Cripps, Embley, Sinclair, Gaff
Hawthorn: Rioli 4, Franklin 4, Breust 4, Roughead 2, Birchall 2, Hale 2, B Hill 2, Burgoyne, Smith

Best: West Coast: Masten, Priddis, Hill, Shuey, Kennedy
Hawthorn: Mitchell, Hodge, Rioli, Schoenmakers, Gibson, Birchall, Breust

Hawthorn defied the odds on Sunday afternoon as it defeated West Coast in a commanding display at Patersons Stadium the last time the Hawks met the Eagles.

Coming off a six-day break, the Hawks travelled west and showed no signs of fatigue after a gruelling Round 1 contest against the Cats.

The Hawks had a specific game plan set out by Coach Alastair Clarkson and executed it to perfection.

From the opening minute of the game, the Hawks were slick and precise with their ball movement, ferocious with their pressure and relentless with their attack on the man and the ball.

A hallmark of Hawthorn’s game style last year was their ability to use the ball well across the ground and that effectiveness was back on Sunday as their ball use to set up teammates in space and inside forward 50 gave it the opportunity to kick a winning score.

Despite the Eagles mounting a number of challenges throughout the game, the Hawks showed great mettle and mental strength to withstand the pressure and the impact of a hostile West Coast crowd.

The return of Captain Luke Hodge was another positive to come out of the match as he was the general in defence. Hodge gathered 25 disposals across half back and was as courageous and dangerous with ball in hand as ever.

Pleasing too for the Hawks was the effectiveness of its forward set up, with Lance Franklin, Cyril Rioli, Luke Breust, Jarryd Roughead and David Hale combining to kick 16 of the side’s 23 goals for the game.