Last time we met: 2012 Preliminary Final, MCG
Hawthorn 2.6 5.10 11.14 13.19 (97)
Adelaide 4.1 7.3 10.4 14.8 (92)
Goals: Hawthorn - Franklin 3, Breust 2, Gunston 2, Rioli 2, Young, Shiels, Burgoyne, Suckling
Adelaide - Tippett 4, Walker 4, Henderson, Sloane, Smith, van Berlo, Porplyzia, Johncock
Best: Hawthorn - Sewell, Rioli, Mitchell, Breust, Lewis, Birchall, Franklin, Young
Adelaide - Tippett, Dangerfield, Thompson, Porplyzia, Sloane, Vince, Douglas
Crowd: 69, 146 at the MCG
A place in the 2012 AFL Grand Final was at stake the last time Hawthorn met Adelaide and of course, it was the Hawks who triumphed in an MCG epic.
Hawthorn went into the game labelled as almost certainties to defeat the Crows and book its place in the 2012 decider, but no one told that to Crows Coach Brenton Sanderson and his players.
Adelaide seemed to have the right game plan against the Hawks, particularly in the first half as Hawks defender Josh Gibson was taken out of his comfort zone, and forced to play further up the ground thanks to the work by his opponents.
That meant Kurt Tippett was left isolated inside 50 against Ryan Schoenmakers and capitalised on his superior strength, ending the game with four goals.
But the Hawks were able to correct its defensive structure in the second half, and had Gibson working as the third man up more effectively, which turned the game.
The Hawks outscored the Crows 6.4 to 3.1 in the third term to set up a massive final term where bodies would be thrown at the footy and players showing complete disregard for their safety.
The Hawks were without inspirational skipper, Luke Hodge who was a late withdrawl from the side with gastro, but it wasn’t short of inspirational leaders who stepped up when the team needed them most.
Cyril Rioli, Shaun Burgoyne and Ben Stratton’s efforts in the final term are memories no Hawthorn fan will forget.
When the Crows hit the lead with 5 minutes to play, the trio took it upon themselves to get the Hawks into the Grand Final.
First it was Burgoyne who sharked the next clearance when Graham Johncock put Adelaide in front. He gathered cleanly, broke away from the stoppage, steadied and delivered to the hot spot.
That’s when Rioli stepped in.
Somehow, Rioli got rid of his opponent and leapt from a standing start to take a pressure over head mark and kick a crucial goal to give the Hawks the lead.
Then it was Stratton’s turn.
As Crows dynamo Patrick Dangerfield gathered inside 50 and tried to evade Stratton, the Hawks defender made sure Dangerfield couldn’t get goal side.
He corralled him and laid a diving tackle that saved a goal that would have given the Crows back the momentum.
From there, Matt Suckling cleared the ball to the Southern wing of the MCG. Liam Shiels released Luke Breust whose kick was too strong for Jordan Lewis.
But then Rioli appeared. He tapped it to his advantage, gathered with one hand, took a bounce, released to Lance Franklin who sealed Hawthorn’s place in the 2012 Grand Final.
