Age expert analyst Marnie Vinall gives her take on the Hawks’ win over Richmond at the MCG.
Not Will’s Day, huge loss for the Hawks
There’s no sugarcoating it, losing Will Day is a big blow for Hawthorn. The star midfielder, arguably the Hawks best player, was subbed off in the opening quarter and taken to hospital with a suspected collarbone injury. The extent of the injury won’t be known until scans are done, but it’s unlikely he’ll reappear for Hawthorn’s final home-and-away season game against North Melbourne next week or, most damagingly, for a potential first elimination final in September. But right now, it’s a wait and see.
Hawks need to keep their heads as run into September
Ahead of the match-up at the MCG, Sam Mitchell said if Hawthorn couldn’t get it done against a struggling Richmond side, they didn’t deserve to play finals. They were to treat the game like an elimination final, which if today was one, you’d think they’d be very happy with. Just a comprehensive 63-point win. And it all started very well with a nine-goal opening term, the best quarter the side’s had this season. But in the second term, Richmond adjusted and kicked seven goals to six in the second and third term, eliciting some head shakes from Mitchell in the coaches’ box. While Hawthorn got control back, the young side will need to make sure to keep their heads in the tougher moments if they are to make the eight and face a much stronger, more confident, composed and less-injury hit team in the finals.
It’s only up from here for the Tigers
That’s the gift of finding yourself at the bottom – there’s only one way to go. After languishing down the lower end of the ladder all season, they now find themselves firmly placed at 18th, a game clear down there. There’s a chance they’ll escape the wooden spoon if they manage a win over Gold Coast next week at the MCG and North Melbourne don’t get it done over Hawthorn. But all in all, it really hasn’t been a good season for the Tigers. There are positives, as there always are, with Shai Bolton still seemingly doing the impossible, Jayden Short and Nick Vlastuin standing tall and Toby Nankervis a thorn in oppositions’ sides. But if you’re a fan in yellow and black, you’re probably looking forward to the season break [and the AFLW].
‘He can be exposed’: Cripps has the better of Reid
Zac Williams marks and goals in the pocket, after a fine pass from Patrick Cripps. Williams’ goal answers Jamie Cripps’ early major for the Blues. Matt Owies finds himself back in the action, snapping a dribbler from about 40m, which gives the Blues a six-goal lead early in the third term.
Patrick Cripps is having a best-on-ground performance, his pass to Williams coming after he was first to get to his feet in a battle with Eagles’ prodigy Harley Reid, this allowing Cripps to accept a handball and drive the ball long.
“He can he exposed a bit going the other way,” Dockers great Matthew Pavlich said of Reid on Fox Footy.
Pavlich acknowledged Reid is still learning his craft.
Key take-outs: Here’s how Marnie Vinall sums up events at the MCG
Age expert analyst Marnie Vinall gives her take on the Hawks’ win over Richmond at the MCG.
Not Will’s Day, huge loss for the Hawks
There’s no sugarcoating it, losing Will Day is a big blow for Hawthorn. The star midfielder, arguably the Hawks best player, was subbed off in the opening quarter and taken to hospital with a suspected collarbone injury. The extent of the injury won’t be known until scans are done, but it’s unlikely he’ll reappear for Hawthorn’s final home-and-away season game against North Melbourne next week or, most damagingly, for a potential first elimination final in September. But right now, it’s a wait and see.
Hawks need to keep their heads as run into September
Ahead of the match-up at the MCG, Sam Mitchell said if Hawthorn couldn’t get it done against a struggling Richmond side, they didn’t deserve to play finals. They were to treat the game like an elimination final, which if today was one, you’d think they’d be very happy with. Just a comprehensive 63-point win. And it all started very well with a nine-goal opening term, the best quarter the side’s had this season. But in the second term, Richmond adjusted and kicked seven goals to six in the second and third term, eliciting some head shakes from Mitchell in the coaches’ box. While Hawthorn got control back, the young side will need to make sure to keep their heads in the tougher moments if they are to make the eight and face a much stronger, more confident, composed and less-injury hit team in the finals.
It’s only up from here for the Tigers
That’s the gift of finding yourself at the bottom – there’s only one way to go. After languishing down the lower end of the ladder all season, they now find themselves firmly placed at 18th, a game clear down there. There’s a chance they’ll escape the wooden spoon if they manage a win over Gold Coast next week at the MCG and North Melbourne don’t get it done over Hawthorn. But all in all, it really hasn’t been a good season for the Tigers. There are positives, as there always are, with Shai Bolton still seemingly doing the impossible, Jayden Short and Nick Vlastuin standing tall and Toby Nankervis a thorn in oppositions’ sides. But if you’re a fan in yellow and black, you’re probably looking forward to the season break [and the AFLW].
Here’s what Steve Barrett says at half-time of Blues v Eagles
Expert analyst Steve Barrett gives his half-time take as the Blues enjoy a 31-point lead in Perth.
Barrett reports:
West Coast’s scoreless rut has extended to 44 minutes and counting, with red-hot Carlton, eyeing off a finals berth, motoring ahead by 31 points at half-time. Only some wayward finishing has prevented the Blues, who have scored the last six goals unanswered, from piling on an even bigger lead.
Carlton captain Patrick Cripps has led from the front with a powerhouse first-half for the undermanned Blues, who have outnumbered the Eagles at the contest, proven cleaner at ground level as well as on the outside with slicker hands, and put West Coast’s backmen to the sword with repeat entries.
Making matters worse for the Eagles, Liam Ryan appeared to have suffered a left cork injury in a crunching tackle by best-on-ground Cripps.
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