Round 1: Hawthorn v Collingwood
Hawthorn 2.1 10.6 14.10 20.17 (137)
Collingwood 2.7 7.9 12.16 16.19 (115)

Goals - Hawthorn: Franklin 5, Rioli 2, Lewis 2, Whitecross 2, Savage 2, Smith 2, Birchall, McCauley, Burgoyne, Gunston, Osborne.
Collingwood: Blair 3, Fasolo 2, Cloke 2, Pendlebury 2, Jolly 2, Thomas 2, Shaw, Swan, Paine.

Best - Hawthorn: Mitchell, Birchall, Sewell, Rioli, Franklin, Whitecross.
Collingwood: Pendlebury, Ball, Blair, Swan, Cloke, Jolly.

Crowd: 78,464 at MCG

The Hawks defeated the Magpies by 22-points in a scintillating, fast-paced match that had the crowd glued to their seats. The match was full of momentum swings, with the Hawks’ ability to kick a winning score the result of winning some key stats on the night.

Collingwood dominated the first quarter, but failed to make the most of their opportunities in front of goal, something that proved to be costly at the end of the match. The Magpies, with the help of premiership ruckman Darren Jolly dominated at the stoppages in the first term, resulting in numerous forward efforts that enabled the Magpies to have nine scoring shots to three.

In the second term, the Hawks, through star midfielder Sam Mitchell were able to break even at the stoppages, with the Hawks midfielder finishing the match with an impressive 11 clearances - second only to Magpie Scott Pendlebury (13).

The Hawks midfielders were able to get on top of the Magpies after the first term, and as a team managed to gather 49 more disposals than their opponents, a total of 369 to 320. Those numbers were key, considering the supreme foot skills of the Hawks.

Those foot skills enabled the Hawks to finish the match with disposal efficiency at a staggering 77 per cent, the highest of any team in Round 1.

Tackling is often used as a barometer by coaching teams to assess how their side has shown their desire for the contest. On Friday night, there was no doubting the endeavour of the Hawks, finishing with 75 tackles to the Magpies’ 68.

Highlighting the Hawks’ endeavour, the Club finished with a staggering 57 one percenters to Collingwood’s 30. Defender Josh Gibson illustrated Hawthorn’s willingness to work as part of a team and sacrifice through selflessness throughout the night. He finished with a game high 11.

The second term set up the match for the Hawks, as they piled on eight goals to six in a frantic quarter that will be remembered for Cyril Rioli’s electrifying mark and goals that sparked his side. It was not only the work off his own boot that allowed Rioli to leave his mark on the match, it was also his famous pressure around the ball carrier that resulted in scoring opportunities for the Hawks. He finished the game with four tackles, and three one percenters.

What Alastair Clarkson said: “We struggled to move the ball into our forward half in the first quarter, and when we were able to control the stoppages a little bit better in the second quarter - we weren’t winning the ball much in the first quarter from stoppages and when we did it meant that we were able to hit the scoreboard.”

What Cyril Rioli said: “I got my work rate up in the second quarter, in the first I was a bit down but I was able to lift in the second quarter.”