Hawthorn has produced the boilover of the season to knock off the Brisbane Lions, the club’s third win in their last four games, this time to the tune of 25 points.
A victory that continued a strong run of form for a team that was theorized to go winless in 2023, Hawthorn fans are no doubt on cloud nine over what their side is achieving now and can in the near future.
The Hawks finished the game as they started it, pulling away from the Lions. But in similar fashion to a fortnight ago, despite the enormity of the win there are suspension concerns for captain James Sicily after Hugh McLuggage was concussed in a tackle.
Hugh McCluggage has come from the ground after this tackle from James Sicily.
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) June 10, 2023
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McLugagge didn’t play any further part in the clash and if found guilty of rough conduct, Sicily is staring at a week or more on the sidelines. But he was his side’s best with 30 disposals and 10 marks, no doubt enjoying continuing to prove the doubters wrong.
Vice-captain Dylan Moore was just as prolific – especially late on – while Mitch Lewis was the star up forward with four goals.
Remarkably, Hawthorn has won as many games as Carlton in 2023.
Coming into the clash, Sam Mitchell had his side humming, having claimed two of their last three games.
But the Hawks’ biggest scalp was that of St Kilda, not in the same conversation as the Brisbane Lions.
Mitch Lewis has FOUR and the Hawks are up for the fight!
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) June 10, 2023
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Yet as the clash grew on, especially in the third term, optimism continued to grow until Hawthorn eventually ran out strong winners. Up against a star-studded Brisbane side, the young Hawks won contested possession and dominated inside 50s to finish deserving victors.
Earlier on, the two sides were involved in a tight contest of momentum swings in the first half until Brisbane worked its way on top at the MCG.
The fast bursts from the Hawks in the first term has largely subsided and with the clash largely on the Lions’ terms, Fagan’s men kicked away late in the second term and held a fair advantage through until the middle of the third term.
But that’s when the game changed as Hawthorn booted five goals in the space of 15 minutes, four of them consecutively, to steal the lead at the final term. A lead that would never be retracted.
Josh Dunkley tried hard all day for the visitors, finishing with an equal game-high 15 contested possessions among 28 disposals and 11 tackles.
Eric Hipwood added four majors to his 2023 tally, but the contributors were few and far between on Saturday.
The Lions had lost three games coming into Round 13, against the Western Bulldogs, Port Adelaide and the Crows.
But the major upset to Hawthorn hurts the most, with Brisbane not out of touch with the top two, a chance of falling out of the top four next week and most importantly, a major question mark on their premiership credentials.
It’s also another loss at the MCG for Brisbane, a factor that will no doubt come back to haunt them later this year when they return.
FULL SCORE
Hawthorn: 4.1, 5.4, 11.7, 15.8. (98)
Brisbane: 3.2, 8.3, 10.3, 11.7. (73)
GOALS
Hawthorn: Lewis 4, Koschitzke 3, Butler 2, Moore 2, Macdonald 2, Meek, Breust
Brisbane: Hipwood 4, Cameron 2, Rayner 2, Dunkley, Ashcroft, McCarthy
BEST
Hawthorn: Sicily, Moore, Impey, Lewis, Day
Brisbane: Dunkley, McLuggage, Andrews, Neale, Wilmot
INJURIES
Hawthorn: Breust (thigh)
Brisbane: McLuggage (concussion), Rich (leg)
Crowd: 35,869 at the MCG