Hawthorn has once again overcome Sydney at the SCG, coming from behind in the second half to claim a top-four position for the seventh time in eight years.
Coming up against “Clarko’s Cluster” already looked a tough challenge for Sydney, before both Lance Franklin and Luke Parker were ruled out pre-game, but John Longmire’s response was the Sydney Strangle.
Sydney registered 24 tackles to 11 in the first quarter, and George Hewett plonked himself next to Hawthorn ball-magnet Tom Mitchell.
From there Sydney completely blanketed the Hawks, who registered a miserly 137 disposals for the first half – with Mitchell contributing only nine of those.
In greasy conditions, contested possessions were king, and the Swans controlled the packs even without Luke Parker.
Isaac Heeney kicked a terrific left foot snap to begin proceedings, before a Tom Papley snapped was paid as a goal, despite replays showing that Blake Hardwick may have got a hand to it.
Luke Breust was busy, but Jack Gunston, Paul Puopulo and Jarryd Roughead were barely sighted as the Hawks struggled for any forward line authority.
It took the Hawks 20 minutes to snare their first, although the slow nature of the game meant they weren’t too far behind the eight ball when it came.
James Worpel, fast becoming a cult hero for the Hawks, once again defied his inexperience to stand up at an important moment, to get his side into the game after they’d missed a few times, before ex-crow Ricky Henderson put them in front with a goal of his own.
Isaac Heeney once again kicked the first goal of the quarter, and after that, Sydney surged ahead, eventually opening up a four goal lead as they completely dominated the possession.
A horror turnover in the defensive 50 from Teia Miles led to a bonus goal for Kieran Jack, before Oliver Florent took an impressive mark, and converted from long range.
Josh Kennedy, perhaps having a slightly quieter night than normal, burst away from a stoppage on the half forward flank to kick a brilliant goal and put the Hawks on the ropes.
The margin was four goals and Hawthorn weren’t getting their hands on the ball.
They first job was to stop the Swans’ surge, and they were able to do that, before at last they started to find some opportunities.
Ben McEvoy and James Worpel missed chances, before a slightly lucky free kick to Paul Puopulo gave him his first possession, and first goal, as the half time break loomed.
The long and short of the third quarter is that Tom Mitchell lifted.
Coming off a nine-possession first half, he exerted himself more around the stoppages to double that tally by the final change.
Consequently Hawthorn were able to play the game much more on their terms, being able to kick and mark as they always aim to do.
Ryan Schoenmakers kicked an early goal to bring the margin back to 13 points.
For the next 15 minutes, the Hawks wore Sydney down, and put their famous defence under siege.
Jack Gunston kicked a lovely goal from 45 metres out, before Paul Puopulo followed up with his second goal to bring the margin back to a point.
Each of Hawthorn’s three goals for the quarter had come from half chances, which was testament more to the power of Hawthorn’s midfield than their forward line’s ingenuity.
Their forwards hadn’t been able to find any space from their defenders, but they had so much of the ball in their forward half that eventually they found some chances, which they were skilful enough to convert.
Tom Papley snapped a steadier for Sydney, before Josh Kenendy won a lucky holding the ball free kick, before passing the ball to Harry Cunningham, who pushed the margin back beyond two goals.
Hawthorn responded with a series of short passes inside fifty that finished with the ever-reliable Jack Gunston.
The quarter finished with the Swans leading 8.8 to 7.8, setting up a tantalising finish to determine which side could lock down a double chance.
A haphazard clearance from Ollie Florent early in the final quarter was fortunate to land straight in the arms of Tom McCartin, who gave the Swans some breathing space with his first goal, or so they might have thought.
After a terribly quiet start, Paul Puopulo was starting to have a huge influence, as he showed off his brilliant pace, leaving Sydney defenders in his wake to snap his third goal of Hawthorn’s eight.
After a classically low scoring match, the final quarter was going at a goal a minute as Jarryd Roughead took an excellent low-mark from a Worpel clearance and tied the score.
After Kieran Jack broke the deadlock with a behind, Callum Sinclair drew a free kick in a marking contest against the undersized Isaac Smith.
Sinclair kicked truly, to push the margin out to seven, but there was still a long way to go.
The Swans were missing Dan Hannerbery, who had picked up a bad cork in the third quarter and was struggling to get back on the field.
Ollie Florent and Kieran Jack missed shots as Sydney peppered the goals, once again controlling the territory.
The Hawks were always going to respond, and Harry Morrison completed a terrific dispossessing tackle by grabbing the ball and nailing his shot, bringing the margin back to two.
Hawthorn were right back on top, and barely a minute later Luke Breust set up Ricky Henderson, whose long goal from fifty put Hawthorn back in front for the first time since early in the second quarter, and also back in the top-four.
A typically intense few minutes followed, and Hawthorn worked the ball forward, where Sydney fought tooth and nail to avoid another goal.
Eventually, however, Jarryd ROughead blasted a long kick to full forward, where Luke Breust marked, and took the margin out to 11 points with under three minutes remaing.
The Hawks desperately rushed a behind, before Tom Papley missed from 45 metres out, and still with a nine-point lead in hand, they were home.
If Hawthorn had kicked two more goals they would have passed Collingwood’s percentage, but no depending on the result of the West Coast and Brisbane match tomorrow afternoon, will play either Richmond or Collingwood on the MCG in a Qualifying Final.
Meanwhile Sydney will fall to sixth, behind whoever wins out of Melbourne and GWS, which will mean they host GWS (if Melbourne win) or Geelong (if GWS win).
SYDNEY 2.3 6.7 8.8 10.14 (74)
HAWTHORN 2.4 3.6 7.8 12.11 (83)
GOALS
Sydney: Heeney 2, Papley 2, Jack, Florent, McCartin, Sinclair, Cunningham, Kennedy
Hawthorn: Puopulo 3, Gunston, Henderson 2, Morrison, Worpel, Schoenmakers, Roughead, Breust
BEST
Sydney: Rampe, Heeney, Lloyd, Hewett, Kennedy, Florent
Hawthorn: McEvoy, Shiels, Puopulo, Morrison, Worpel, Mitchell
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