ID :
21566
Sat, 09/27/2008 - 17:33
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/21566
The shortlink copeid
Hawks upset Cats 115-89 to claim flag
(AAP) Hawthorn upset a wasteful Geelong to notch their first AFL premiership in 17 years on the back of a stunning third quarter at the MCG.
The Hawks won 18.7 (115) to 11.23 (89), despite having nine fewer scoring shots, in
front of a mammoth crowd of 100,012, the biggest grand final attendance since 1986.
Mark Williams kicked three goals for the winners, while Stuart Dew and Cyril Rioli
played starring roles with two each and Lance Franklin also chimed in with two.
The win gave veteran Shane Crawford a premiership in his 305th game, the
second-longest any player has waited for their first taste of VFL/AFL grand final
action in history.
Only former Fitzroy and Sydney player and now Swans coach Paul Roos waited longer.
For the Cats, it was just their third loss in their past 45 matches, after winning
last year's premiership then winning all but one game on the way to the grand final
this season.
They would be bitterly disappointed not to have converted their dominance of the
competition for the best part of the season into back-to-back flags.
But they let themselves down with an inability to capitalise on their midfield
control for much of the first half, at one stage notching 11 consecutive behinds.
The Hawks made the most of their chances and overcame a series of injuries,
including fullback Trent Croad leaving the ground with a foot injury during the
second term and not returning, to edge their way three points clear at the long
break.
Cats midfielder Gary Ablett, who was his side's best, kicked the first goal of the
third term to put his side briefly back in the lead.
But the Hawks blew Geelong away with a six-goal burst in the next 20 minutes.
Franklin, who was well beaten by Matthew Scarlett for most of the game, marked on
the lead for his first goal of the match to start the run.
After Geelong spearhead Cam Mooney missed a set shot at the other end, his third
simple miss of the game, Luke Hodge goaled from a long bomb to build the momentum.
First-year Hawks forward Rioli, who had a superb game, produced the play of the day
when he outpointed three Cats opponents to win a free kick on the wing shortly
after.
He followed that up with his second goal of the match, beautifully roving Franklin's
crumbs to slam it through from close range and send Hawks fans into hysterics.
Former Port Adelaide premiership player Dew, in his first year with the Hawks after
a season out of the game, then showed his value to his new club, kicking two goals
and having a big hand in another in a five-minute burst.
His first capitalised on a dreadful error by Cats defender Harry Taylor, who fumbled
a poor kick-out from Josh Hunt, the ball spilling to Michael Osborne, who handballed
to Dew for a 50m goal.
Williams quickly added the next, after he and Dew traded a series of handballs in
the forward line, despite being under heavy pressure from Cats defenders Taylor,
Hunt and Scarlett.
Dew capped the run with a great snap, pouncing after veteran Cats defender Darren
Milburn handballed backwards into the danger zone, under extreme pressure from the
Hawks' half-forwards.
That put the Hawks 30 points up deep in time-on in the third term.
And while the Cats kicked two late goals to climb within 17 points at the last
change, they could not make an impact in the last term.
Neither side scored a goal for the first 12 minutes of the quarter, before the Hawks
put the game away with three in six minutes to take an unassailable 33-point lead.
Courageous defender Luke Hodge was named the Norm Smith Medallist as best afield.
It was a remarkable effort for Hodge, who copped a suspected rib injury in a heavy
clash in last weekend's preliminary final win over St Kilda and also spent time off
the field after sustaining a fresh injury during the second quarter.
The win for the Hawks was a significant personal triumph for coach Alastair
Clarkson, who has taken them on a steady upward path since being appointed amid much
conjecture as a low-profile first-time coach ahead of the 2005 season.
He has taken the Hawks to 14th, 11th, sixth and now the premiership in his four
seasons in charge.
It also capped a stunning revival for the club as a whole, after they were on the
verge of merging with Melbourne in 1996.
It gave the club their 10th premiership, their first since their golden run of five
flags from 1983 to 1991.
But, until last season, they had not been in the finals since 2001.
The Hawks won 18.7 (115) to 11.23 (89), despite having nine fewer scoring shots, in
front of a mammoth crowd of 100,012, the biggest grand final attendance since 1986.
Mark Williams kicked three goals for the winners, while Stuart Dew and Cyril Rioli
played starring roles with two each and Lance Franklin also chimed in with two.
The win gave veteran Shane Crawford a premiership in his 305th game, the
second-longest any player has waited for their first taste of VFL/AFL grand final
action in history.
Only former Fitzroy and Sydney player and now Swans coach Paul Roos waited longer.
For the Cats, it was just their third loss in their past 45 matches, after winning
last year's premiership then winning all but one game on the way to the grand final
this season.
They would be bitterly disappointed not to have converted their dominance of the
competition for the best part of the season into back-to-back flags.
But they let themselves down with an inability to capitalise on their midfield
control for much of the first half, at one stage notching 11 consecutive behinds.
The Hawks made the most of their chances and overcame a series of injuries,
including fullback Trent Croad leaving the ground with a foot injury during the
second term and not returning, to edge their way three points clear at the long
break.
Cats midfielder Gary Ablett, who was his side's best, kicked the first goal of the
third term to put his side briefly back in the lead.
But the Hawks blew Geelong away with a six-goal burst in the next 20 minutes.
Franklin, who was well beaten by Matthew Scarlett for most of the game, marked on
the lead for his first goal of the match to start the run.
After Geelong spearhead Cam Mooney missed a set shot at the other end, his third
simple miss of the game, Luke Hodge goaled from a long bomb to build the momentum.
First-year Hawks forward Rioli, who had a superb game, produced the play of the day
when he outpointed three Cats opponents to win a free kick on the wing shortly
after.
He followed that up with his second goal of the match, beautifully roving Franklin's
crumbs to slam it through from close range and send Hawks fans into hysterics.
Former Port Adelaide premiership player Dew, in his first year with the Hawks after
a season out of the game, then showed his value to his new club, kicking two goals
and having a big hand in another in a five-minute burst.
His first capitalised on a dreadful error by Cats defender Harry Taylor, who fumbled
a poor kick-out from Josh Hunt, the ball spilling to Michael Osborne, who handballed
to Dew for a 50m goal.
Williams quickly added the next, after he and Dew traded a series of handballs in
the forward line, despite being under heavy pressure from Cats defenders Taylor,
Hunt and Scarlett.
Dew capped the run with a great snap, pouncing after veteran Cats defender Darren
Milburn handballed backwards into the danger zone, under extreme pressure from the
Hawks' half-forwards.
That put the Hawks 30 points up deep in time-on in the third term.
And while the Cats kicked two late goals to climb within 17 points at the last
change, they could not make an impact in the last term.
Neither side scored a goal for the first 12 minutes of the quarter, before the Hawks
put the game away with three in six minutes to take an unassailable 33-point lead.
Courageous defender Luke Hodge was named the Norm Smith Medallist as best afield.
It was a remarkable effort for Hodge, who copped a suspected rib injury in a heavy
clash in last weekend's preliminary final win over St Kilda and also spent time off
the field after sustaining a fresh injury during the second quarter.
The win for the Hawks was a significant personal triumph for coach Alastair
Clarkson, who has taken them on a steady upward path since being appointed amid much
conjecture as a low-profile first-time coach ahead of the 2005 season.
He has taken the Hawks to 14th, 11th, sixth and now the premiership in his four
seasons in charge.
It also capped a stunning revival for the club as a whole, after they were on the
verge of merging with Melbourne in 1996.
It gave the club their 10th premiership, their first since their golden run of five
flags from 1983 to 1991.
But, until last season, they had not been in the finals since 2001.
