Hawks supporter Simon Erskine reviews the clash between Hawthorn and Western Bulldogs.
It wasn’t an easy week for Hawthorn. Somehow we had snatched defeat from the jaws of victory against Port Adelaide and they had snatched our September get out of jail free card. The players had taken the loss hard and us supporters harder. A mass of calculations were being performed across footy forums and water coolers. What would it take to get us back into the final four? What would it take to send us plummeting into the unthinkable? So many scenarios still in play. How would the young list cope with pressure at the sharp end of the season? Focus became the mantra.
Fast-forward to midday Sunday aboard a Hawks’ heavy train, closing on Spencer St. A glance around the carriage brings a smile. I’ve been living interstate for many years. My match day typically involved touring smoky sports bars until I lucked upon one that hadn’t yet turned the Hawks’ game over. Or travelling to the local stadium to get grilled by the home supporters and drilled by the home team. During those lean times you felt like you knew every other Hawks’ supporter in the state - there was solace in their steely glances. Here it’s different. I’m based within walking distance of the ‘G’ and Hawks fans are emerging from everywhere with a glint of hope in their eyes. It’s starting to feel a little like 1982, without the Rick Springfield.
Minutes later, I’m ambling over the crowded footbridge to Docklands. Superstitions are coming into play. Think our winning record is 100% whenever our jingle is playing as I walk past those buskers blowing club songs on trumpets. Or was that just for games at the ‘G’? As I crunch the numbers, my Hawk hombre ‘Sweens’ turns up. I’d describe him as a big Hawks’ fan although he describes himself as “slightly portly”. Playing home at the G, we roll like kings in cushy, season-ticket style. At Telstra Dome today we’re slumming it. General admission, but we arrive early enough to annex a couple of metres of prime railing at the Spencer St end. You’re right amongst it standing up at ground level at the Dome, beer in hand. Feels like footy seventies’ style on the terraces and the crowd commentary is served with extra salt.
Before the game gets underway, we contemplate who’s going to make way for Vandenberg. Mighty Mouse McGlynn will be the one. Looks burnt out, needs a break. Discussion turns to the opposition and how no one ever really hates the Bullies. What is it about them? Is it the blue collar roots, the struggle to survive or just the lack of success? They seem to be everyone’s ‘second team’. Plus their players look so happy with those suits on the TV. How could you ever hate any of them?
Clearly we forgot about Aker. It’s early in the second quarter and he’s just jagged one on the run from 50m to put us 20 points down. Check out that showboating. We’ve had the run of play but are paying for a tardy conversion rate. Buddy’s already duffed 6 shots alone. The footy gods aren’t onside. Heck, even Wade Skipper is looking a million bucks out there for the Dogs. Ominously, this was just how the game played out last time we met. Yet halfway through the quarter, something clicks. Our midfield starts making statements in the square. Mitchell, Lewis and Sewell are prominent in the clinches and Crawford, Bateman and Young are finding acreage on the wings. We’re hitting targets up forward and “Roughie’s” goal-kicking is looking as sharp as his mullet. “Dicko” ices the cake on his 200th game with one himself. Guerra’s obviously averted some sort of hair disaster as he’s returned to the field with his rug strapped onto his head. We’re still five points down at halftime but there’s a feeling we’re about to drop the clutch.
When the Hawks drop the clutch, there’s a fair chance “Hodgy’s” behind the wheel. A lazy 15 possession third quarter and a game tally of six goals sees him everywhere, doing everything, maximising Brownlow votes. The rest of the midfield comes to the party and engineers an onslaught of Hawk goals that see us kick 16.5 to 2.4 in a second-half schooling. Everything clicks. The back half collars the Dogs forwards, with ‘Brown Dog’ adding Johnson’s scalp to his All-Australian belt. Sewell and Lewis are bulletproof ball-winners in the middle. Long-range left-footers like Birchall and Young slam them home from nearby postcodes. And when Mitchell sets up a goal receiving and disposing while lying prone, the circus is in town and the Bullies are officially doggone.
As fighting win graduates to unholy rout, the significance of the moment sinks in. Finals are assured. The double chance is a win away. And the laws of Buddy’s parallel universe state that a haul of 11.2 is just around the corner.
Go Hawks
Simon Erskine
********************
Check out another Hawk supporter review, Bryon Sweerts
Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and notnecessarily those of the Hawthorn Football Club. hawthornfc.com.auwould like to acknowledge the contribution of supporters to theOfficial Club website. If you would like to sign up to write forhawthornfc.com.au click here for more details.
* The Hawks raised $2,200 for HSBCkids after kicking 22 goals against Western Bulldogs.
It wasn’t an easy week for Hawthorn. Somehow we had snatched defeat from the jaws of victory against Port Adelaide and they had snatched our September get out of jail free card. The players had taken the loss hard and us supporters harder. A mass of calculations were being performed across footy forums and water coolers. What would it take to get us back into the final four? What would it take to send us plummeting into the unthinkable? So many scenarios still in play. How would the young list cope with pressure at the sharp end of the season? Focus became the mantra.
Fast-forward to midday Sunday aboard a Hawks’ heavy train, closing on Spencer St. A glance around the carriage brings a smile. I’ve been living interstate for many years. My match day typically involved touring smoky sports bars until I lucked upon one that hadn’t yet turned the Hawks’ game over. Or travelling to the local stadium to get grilled by the home supporters and drilled by the home team. During those lean times you felt like you knew every other Hawks’ supporter in the state - there was solace in their steely glances. Here it’s different. I’m based within walking distance of the ‘G’ and Hawks fans are emerging from everywhere with a glint of hope in their eyes. It’s starting to feel a little like 1982, without the Rick Springfield.
Minutes later, I’m ambling over the crowded footbridge to Docklands. Superstitions are coming into play. Think our winning record is 100% whenever our jingle is playing as I walk past those buskers blowing club songs on trumpets. Or was that just for games at the ‘G’? As I crunch the numbers, my Hawk hombre ‘Sweens’ turns up. I’d describe him as a big Hawks’ fan although he describes himself as “slightly portly”. Playing home at the G, we roll like kings in cushy, season-ticket style. At Telstra Dome today we’re slumming it. General admission, but we arrive early enough to annex a couple of metres of prime railing at the Spencer St end. You’re right amongst it standing up at ground level at the Dome, beer in hand. Feels like footy seventies’ style on the terraces and the crowd commentary is served with extra salt.
Before the game gets underway, we contemplate who’s going to make way for Vandenberg. Mighty Mouse McGlynn will be the one. Looks burnt out, needs a break. Discussion turns to the opposition and how no one ever really hates the Bullies. What is it about them? Is it the blue collar roots, the struggle to survive or just the lack of success? They seem to be everyone’s ‘second team’. Plus their players look so happy with those suits on the TV. How could you ever hate any of them?
Clearly we forgot about Aker. It’s early in the second quarter and he’s just jagged one on the run from 50m to put us 20 points down. Check out that showboating. We’ve had the run of play but are paying for a tardy conversion rate. Buddy’s already duffed 6 shots alone. The footy gods aren’t onside. Heck, even Wade Skipper is looking a million bucks out there for the Dogs. Ominously, this was just how the game played out last time we met. Yet halfway through the quarter, something clicks. Our midfield starts making statements in the square. Mitchell, Lewis and Sewell are prominent in the clinches and Crawford, Bateman and Young are finding acreage on the wings. We’re hitting targets up forward and “Roughie’s” goal-kicking is looking as sharp as his mullet. “Dicko” ices the cake on his 200th game with one himself. Guerra’s obviously averted some sort of hair disaster as he’s returned to the field with his rug strapped onto his head. We’re still five points down at halftime but there’s a feeling we’re about to drop the clutch.
When the Hawks drop the clutch, there’s a fair chance “Hodgy’s” behind the wheel. A lazy 15 possession third quarter and a game tally of six goals sees him everywhere, doing everything, maximising Brownlow votes. The rest of the midfield comes to the party and engineers an onslaught of Hawk goals that see us kick 16.5 to 2.4 in a second-half schooling. Everything clicks. The back half collars the Dogs forwards, with ‘Brown Dog’ adding Johnson’s scalp to his All-Australian belt. Sewell and Lewis are bulletproof ball-winners in the middle. Long-range left-footers like Birchall and Young slam them home from nearby postcodes. And when Mitchell sets up a goal receiving and disposing while lying prone, the circus is in town and the Bullies are officially doggone.
As fighting win graduates to unholy rout, the significance of the moment sinks in. Finals are assured. The double chance is a win away. And the laws of Buddy’s parallel universe state that a haul of 11.2 is just around the corner.
Go Hawks
Simon Erskine
********************
Check out another Hawk supporter review, Bryon Sweerts
Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and notnecessarily those of the Hawthorn Football Club. hawthornfc.com.auwould like to acknowledge the contribution of supporters to theOfficial Club website. If you would like to sign up to write forhawthornfc.com.au click here for more details.
* The Hawks raised $2,200 for HSBCkids after kicking 22 goals against Western Bulldogs.
