Hawthorn will progress to a semi final at the Adelaide Oval against the Power after a shock Friday night 37-point domination over the Western Bulldogs at the MCG.

It is Hawthorn's first finals win since the 2015 Grand Final and a statement performance to the rest of the finals crop, ending the Bulldogs' season prematurely after a run of form which had many penning them the premiership favourites.

 2024-09-06T09:40:00Z 
 
 
 
MCG
WB   
62
FT
99
   HAW
    #AFLDogsHawks
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   

>> STAT LEADERS, TEAM METRICS, LINEUPS, HISTORY AND MORE

Sam Mitchell's men ran the Bulldogs ragged all night, covering the MCG turf with sheer pace and explosion for four quarters, with youngsters Calsher Dear, Jai Newcombe and Nick Watson leading the way.

Here are some of the key points from Friday night's elimination final.

  • Despite the Bulldogs winning the clearance count, Hawthorn dominated the contest +24.
  • Hawthorn's pressure was off the charts after quarter time, forcing 77 Bulldog turnovers for the night .
  • The Hawks controlled possession with +72 disposals and +31 marks.
  • Jai Newcombe's 35 disposals were the most on the ground.
  • Lloyd Meek dominated the ruck duel with Tim English, winning 47 hit outs to 23 while far more productive around the ground.
  • 19-year-olds Calsher Dear and Nick Watson shared seven goals between them, half of the team's tally.

Here's how the game unfolded.

4th Quarter

FULL TIME
Western Bulldogs: 9. 8. 62
Hawthorn: 14. 15. 99

0:15: Nick Watson wins his first free kick from a Caleb Daniel high tackle. The youngster kicks his fourth and the last of the night. The Hawks are through to the semis!

3:57:ย Aaron Naughton gets a lucky bounce on a forward 50 crumb and snap for his third goal of the night.

6:45:ย A Liam Jones turnover in the corridor finds James Worpel as the Hawks explode inside 50. An open Nick Watson dishes out a free goal for Finn Maginness in the goal-square. Hawthorn's lead grows to 45.

8:09:ย Sam Darcy wins the ball off a contest inside 50 and sets up Laitham Vandermeer for his first of the night.

11:52: Jack Ginnivan makes true on his promise for a secret celebration, crumbing a forward 50 pack and dribbling home his first for the night.

12:49 Luke Breust gets on the end of a Mabior Chol baulk and delivery inside 50. His snap from the boundary is just too narrow and hits the post.

15:14:ย Hawthorn have activated their sub. Luke Breust enters the match for his old mate Jack Gunston.

16:55:ย Brilliant effort from Massimo D'Ambrosio, getting fingers to a long snap from Cody Weightman to force a rushed behind.

18:30:ย Finally something for the Dogs as Bontempelli nails a set shot from a beautiful inside 50 entry from Joel Freijah.

3rd Quarter

Clinical Hok-ball. 15 third quarter disposals for Jai Newcombe has lead a 30-minute blitz for Sam Mitchell's men, who have expanded their lead to 36 points. The Bulldogs have no answer; Bontempelli cannot find the footy and the contest numbers are a wash in Hawthorn's favour. Arguably the 15 best players on the ground are wearing brown & gold, with Hawks on all lines dominating their roles.

Calsher Dear, Jai Newcombe and Nick Watson are the biggest stories so far.

Three-Quarter Time
Western Bulldogs: 6. 5. 41
Hawthorn: 11. 11. 77

0:18: Jai Newcombe sharks the ball from a spoil and with his 14th disposal of the quarter, finds Nick Watson inside 50 for another set shot. 'The Wizard' has his third and Hawthorn lead by six goals.

3:05: The Bulldogs have activated their sub. Jack Macrae comes on for Harvey Gallagher.

8:31: Aaron Naughton takes an intercept mark from a Sam Frost hack inside 50 for a chance to stem the flow. The key forward kicks it and we're back to 26 points.

9:55: The Hawks are dominating. Jack Ginnivan gets out the back and finds Nick Watson on his lonesome. The rookie slots his second. Hawthorn lead by 32.

11:26: Calsher Dear ridiculous! The 19-year-old plucks a mark from nowhere on the boundary just inside 50, goes back and slots another set shot major.

13:16: Bulldogs finally work it inside 50 through Joel Freijah, who fins Lachlan McNeil for a set shot 45 out directly in front. McNiel misses.

15:20: Proactive Hawks Nick Watson and Jack Gunston and inside 50 keep the ball in play, finding Connor Macdonald for a fortuitous snap at goal. Hawks lead grows to 21.

16:27: Hawthorn miss three early chances from a run-down tackle by Nick Watson, a mark inside 50 from Calsher Dear, and half-chance off the ground by Dear also. They are dominating territory early in the second half.

2nd Quarter

Hawks respond! A brilliant quarter from skipper James Sicily has lead the charge for Hawthorn, who now lead by a couple of kicks. The Bulldogs still hold the clearance and contest advantage, but the Hawks are winning it with chaos. Jai Newcombe has been dominant, the smalls are still lurking dangerously, but it's key forward Calsher Dear taking over for Hawthorn with two majors and an imposing presence.

Bontempelli barely touched it in the second, surely a response is coming.

Half-Time
Western Bulldogs: 5. 4. 34
Hawthorn: 7. 3. 45

0:17: Calsher Dear taking over! Dylan Moore sends a long ball inside 50 for Calsher to fly. Dear clunks a contested grab and slot another on the fringes of half-time.

4:24:ย Jamarra Ugle-Hagan wastes a strong mark inside 50 with a rushed snapping set shot that bends too narrow.

4:49: Jai Newcombe sharks the ball out of a stoppage and snaps a goal from 40 out. Hawks hit the front!

7:10: Karl Amon wins the footy out the back of a stoppage and sends it long inside 50 into the lap of Hawthorn small Nick Watson. 'The Wizard' nails the set shot. All tied up at the 'G.

10:16: Bailey Williams receives a kick out wide, plays on and launches a bomb form outside 50 which sails through the big sticks.

11:21: Jack Ginnivan takes a strong mark on the wing and launches a low-arcing stab kick to a leading Jack Gunston inside 50. Gunston slots the snap for Hawthorn's fourth. One point game.

13:54:ย Intense pressure inside 50 from the Bulldogs leads to a Tom Liberatore snap. The midfielder can't curl quite curl it in.

15:19:ย Calsher Dear capitalises on a half-chance from a chaotic passage inside 50. An Ed Richards turnover ends up in a goal off the ground from the young Hawk.

16:30:ย Jamarra Ugle-Hagan lands awkwardly in a marking contest and appears to have hurt his shoulder.

1st Quarter

A riveting start at the 'G. Pressure is right up as expected, but the Bulldogs have been fiercer thus far. Clearances sit strongly in the Bulldogs' favour, and it's proving the difference so far. Hawks Jack Scrimshaw, Massimo D'Ambrosio and Lloyd Meek are racking up touches, though majority in the back half. The Hawthorn small forward look dangerous inside 50, as does Sam Darcy down the other end.

Quarter Time
Western Bulldogs: 4. 1. 25
Hawthorn: 2. 1. 13

3:05: Tim English wins a ruck-bout free kick 40 out directly in front. The ruckman goes back and kicks it. Three in a row for the Dogs!

4:50: A hacked kick from Hawk Harry Morrison lands in the lap of Adam Treloar, who marks inside 50 and kicks the Bulldogs' third of the night from 30 out on a slight angle.

6:00 A fast-paced passage from defensive 50 ends up with a Marcus Bontempelli mark inside 50. The skipper's wayward kick lands out on the full. The blustery conditions at the 'G aren't assisting set shots tonight!

10:59: Bulldog tall Sam Darcy grabs the ball out the ruck at a boundary throw-in, hacks it toward goal from 45 and kicks the Dogs' second!

13:50: Hawk forward Connor Macdonald swoops on a forward 50 crumb and snaps Hawthorn's second of the night.

14:14: Umpire down! Aaron Naughton has crashed into the official on his way to fly at the footy. Umpire Nick Foot was seen grabbing at his rib area after impact.

15:24: An inside 50 kick from Jack Ginnivan lands in the hands of Hawk Lloyd Meek for a contested mark. The ruckman slots it from 45 out on a tight angle.

18:47:ย A chance for an immediate response wasted by an errant set shot from Hawthorn key forward Calsher Dear

19:37:ย An explosive burst inside 50 from Ed Richards sets up Aaron Naughton for the first goal of the night.

NOTE:ย Conor Nash has lined up on Bulldog champion Marcus Bontempelli.

20:00 (mins remaining):ย We're officially underway at the MCG, kicking off the most anticipated week one bout!

Pre-Match

Blog coverage will commence from 7:20pm (AEST).

Both sides carry red-hot form into the match, ranking as two of the best sides since round eight and facing off in the most highly anticipated elimination final in recent memory.

The unknown coming into the match is who holds the advantage... the Bulldog talls or the Hawk smalls? Wet conditions may favour Mitchell's men but good luck stopping Sam Darcy and his highest peak.

The Hawks don't have the Friday night experience of their opponent this season, though Beveridge's Bulldogs bring just two games of 2024 MCG experience into this one. We are set for the most riveting battle of week one!

There are no late changes for either side, Jack Macrae (Bulldogs) and Luke Breust (Hawks) have been named as the tactical subs.

High profile Hawk Jack Ginnivan says he may have a pre-planned celebration or two should he boot a major, sharing pre-match: "yeah, we'll keep it a secret."

1 COMMENT

  1. … not saying that Footscray would have won if they had the home-ground advantage that was due to them…. but I do note that Hawthorn did win with a home ground advantage that was not due to them – but was “gifted” anyway.

    “equalisation policy”…….exposed…..?

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