Hawthorn has got their season off to a flyer with a comprehensive 34-point victory over Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday night.
A record-breaking 54 disposal game from Hawthorn midfielder, Tom Mitchell, helped set the tone for the high-flying Hawks and was helped along by an encouraging performance from Jaegar O’Meara (27 disposals) and Luke Breust (4 goals).
Cyril Rioli had 14 disposals and showed glimpses of his brilliant best in his first game after a PCL injury last season, with his class and trickiness causing havoc inside the Magpies' defensive 50.
James Sicily was also impressive across half-back in his new role with 26 disposals, seven marks and 11 tackles, while Jack Gunston had a night out in his 150th game, kicking two majors and having 12 scoring involvements.
The game started a frantic rate as Ben Reid put the Pies ahead early with a strong mark from outside 50 before slotting it home after some work from Darcy Moore and Tom Phillips in the build-up.
Soon after, it became goal for goal as Ben Crocker snapped home a massive goal for the Pies to put them ahead after goals to Bruest and Burgoyne.
However, goals to the latter and Gunston put the hawks ahead at the first change by six points.
As the game was failing to swing to one side, a controversial free-kick given away by Tom Langdon set Gunston up for an easy set-shot which put the Hawks ahead in the second term.
Soon after, it was all Hawthorn as their stranglehold around the contest was too much for the Pies to counter-attack as a late flurry of goals to Isaac Smith, Liam Shiels and Ricky Henderson put the Hawks ahead by 27 points at the major change.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Hawks as Ryan Burton went down with a suspected serious ankle injury which could see him miss some time on the field.
Collingwood failed to pack a punch in an attempt to get back into the game as Mitchell continued to run amok in the midfield while new boom recruit, Jarman Impey, began to catch fire in the second half.
James Aish was able to slot a much-needed goal for the Pies to get them back into proceedings, but Hawthorn responded with two of their own from Rioli and Ryan Schoenmakers to the delight of the Hawks' fans at the Punt Road end.
With the margin standing at 39 points at the final change, it would have taken something Herculean to get the Pies back into the game.
While they started off promising with quick goals to Darcy Moore and Josh Thomas reducing the margin to four goals, it was too little, too late for the Magpies, whose last quarter inaccuracies cost them (2.7) as the Hawks ran out with an emphatic six goal win.
Adam Treloar (33 disposals), Steele Sidebottom (31 disposals, 1 goal), Scott Pendlebury (26 disposals) and first-gamer, Sam Murray (19 disposals) were the bright sparks on a dull day for the Magpie army.
Mason Cox (6 disposals, 0 marks) couldn’t seem to hold onto a single mark whileTravis Varcoe (7 disposals) was extremely quiet and had minimal impact.
Collingwood host Greater Western Sydney at the MCG next Saturday afternoon, while Hawthorn will tackle the Cats in a huge Easter Monday clash at the ‘G.
HAWTHORN 4.4 10.7 13.9 15.11 (101)
COLLINGWOOD 3.4 6.4 7.6 9.13 (67)
GOALS Hawthorn: Breust 4, Burgoyne 2, Gunston 2, Henderson 2, Smith, Shiels, Rioli, Schoenmakers, Roughead Collingwood: Crocker 2, Reid, Howe, Hoskin-Elliott, Sidebottom, Aish, Moore, Thomas
BEST Hawthorn: Mitchell, Sicily, O'Meara, Gunston, Smith, Breust
Collingwood: Sidebottom, Treloar, Crocker, Pendlebury, Murray, Stephenson
INJURIES Hawthorn: Burton (left ankle), McEvoy (corked thigh) Collingwood: Nil
TALKING POINTS
1. WILL THIS BE TOM MITCHELL'S BROWNLOW YEAR?
What a shrewd pick-up he was last season for mighty-fighting Hawks.
Tom Mitchell has continued to pick-up where he left off against the Magpies with another barn-storming effort where he broke another AFL record for disposals in a single game.
The former Swans midfielder accumulated 54 disposals and was simply everywhere for the Hawks in setting up the play from the centre.
The chemistry he has formed with Ben McEvoy in the centre of the ground is absolutely astonishing as he continues to win his own ball and make him almost unplayable.
Last season, he gathered 50 and 35 in the two games against the Magpies and once again Nathan Buckley decided against tagging him.
There is no question that if the Hawks win enough games Mitchell will be right in the thick of the favourites for this year's Brownlow and with performances like last night, he is simply too hard to look past.
2. MASON COX FAILED TO LIVE UP TO HIS OFF-SEASON PROMISE
There is no secret the big American had an absolute shocker.
Mason Cox was on fire during the pre-season with his four-goal haul against the Dogs the pick of the bunch in an impressive effort which put him in good stead heading into round one.
It just seemed as if he had left his marking prowess in Moe as he failed to register a single mark throughout the game.
Time and time again, the lumbering forward was dropping marks both uncontested and in big contests where usually he stands up and takes with ease.
His position next-week is in severe doubt as once again Cox may have to go back to the VFL and work his way back into the side after a poor effort against the Hawks.
3. RIOLI AND GUNSTON ARE THE KEY TO HAWTHORN'S FORWARD SET-UP
When they are at their best they are simply delicious to watch.
Having Cyril Rioli and Jack Gunston at their best in the Hawks' forward half will bring much excitement for Hawthorn fans around the country after their display on Saturday night.
Gunston, who was brilliant in his 150th, moved back into the Hawks' forward line after a stint down back, and was involved in a whopping 12 score involvements, as well as kicking two of his own.
While the sheer presence of Rioli was a massive X-factor for Hawthorn, his class around the stoppages was delightful to see as he works his way back into proceedings.
It was a solid day at the office for the duo, and the Hawks will need more of the same if they are going to be a consistent side in the battle for finals football this year.
4. CONTROVERSIAL FREE KICK THE CATALYST FOR MOMENTUM SWING
Oh, the free kick against Tom Langdon had me in an absolute fit.
Now, I will take off my journalist hat and go back to being a Collingwood fan in this situation.
With the game on the line, the Pies were keeping up with Hawthorn and a brilliant effort from Magpies defender, Langdon saw him slide in to win the ball but took out Jack Gunston in the seconds after slapping the ball away.
Now in the rule books, it is a free kick because he slid, but the line is blurred in that he won the ball first.
No player can stop themselves from sliding and Gunston ran into Langdon's ongoing slide - by doing that, he intelligently found a loophole in what is legal and illegal and drew the free kick.
By kicking this goal, it completely swung the pendulum in the favour of Hawthorn and Collingwood were simply unable to wrestle their way back into proceedings.
Shame.
5. THERE IS A LOT TO PONDER FOR THE INJURY-HIT PIES
It wasn’t a nice day for Magpie fans who were forced to endure a game of many turnovers and a lack of decisiveness when the game was on the line.
Collingwood fought and simply were outgunned in key moments of the game when Hawthorn’s class around the stoppages was just too much for a struggling Magpies outfit.
Nathan Buckley’s charges were actually able to match it with Hawthorn in most parts of the game but in the moments he needed a response, he failed to receive a pulse from his players.
However, Collingwood were missing key individuals such as Daniel Wells, Jamie Elliott, Alex Fasolo, Jordan De Goey, Levi Greenwood and Tyson Goldsack who all would add a key dimension to the Magpies line-up.
Excluding the latter, the impact the aforementioned players would have is instrumental and can’t be overlooked.
This shows an apparent lack of depth in the Magpies' stocks, but also a sign things could be on the up for the cold Pies upon their return.
It isn’t all doom and gloom as they face a flag fancy in GWS next week at the MCG - a side who have only won once at the MCG and a team Collingwood have always matched up well against, losing only once to them in their short history.
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