HAWTHORN hosted North Melbourne in Tasmania on Sunday keen to atone for a dismal performance eight days earlier against the Western Bulldogs. Under interim coach Darren Crocker, the Kangaroos were still searching for their first win in four games but would have fancied their chances against a team that has struggled to recapture its mojo in 2009.

Conditions were atrocious with wind, rain and even hail eliminating any chance of a high scoring, free flowing spectacle. The Kangaroos are renowned for their hard-edged approach irrespective of their ladder position and would have welcomed the weather – but it also worked in Hawthorn’s favour.

With conditions so bad the Hawks were forced to get back to basics that have been missing from their make-up this year:
•    numbers at the contests
•    hardness at the ball and the ball-carrier
•    hard work to make position or support a teammate
•    enormous pressure on the opposition

It wasn’t pretty, nor was it their best performance, but the win kept the Hawk’s finals hopes alive with just seven rounds remaining. Simply put, for them there was more at stake.

FOUR QUARTERS

Q1: Hawthorn 1.3 (9) v North Melbourne 1.2 (8)

Hawthorn signalled its intentions with Sam Mitchell, Luke Hodge and Brad Sewell in the middle. Lance Franklin set the tone by charging in off the square at the opening bounce to get the first clean possession. He then played an important role as a high forward pushing up the ground, linking well with his defence and midfield.

Brady Rawlings blanketed Cyril Rioli, Chance Bateman went to Brent Harvey, Michael Firrito locked on to Mitchell and Josh Gibson renewed acquaintances with Franklin.

Given the conditions, the skills from both teams were terrific. Hawthorn had 27 more possessions for the quarter but their kick-to-handball ratio was about 1:1, whereas the Roos were adopting a more traditional 1990s ratio of two kicks per handball.

The Hawks persisted with handball in wet conditions, looking to move the ball quickly, but the Kangaroos’ tackling (32-16 for the quarter) kept them in the contest.

Q2: Hawthorn 2.6 (18) v North Melbourne 4.3 (27)
In dry conditions, the Roos’ three goals would have equated to a 6-7 goal term. Leigh Harding had a hand in the first two goals. Firrito and Mitchell were important for their respective sides. Whenever one collected multiple possessions, invariably their team had control of the contest.

Stats may not have reflected his effort but Franklin was important and looked likely whenever the ball came near. North Melbourne deserved their lead, capitalising on limited opportunities and pressuring the Hawks whenever they won possession with 68 first-half tackles.

Q3: Hawthorn 5.9 (39) v North Melbourne 8.5 (53)
Hawthorn lifted its intensity but again North responded with more efficient football from fewer disposals and entries inside forward 50.

It wasn’t the usual suspects driving the train for North; instead Liam Anthony, Levi Greenwood, Leigh Adams, Andrew Swallow, Blake Grima and Scott McMahon led the way. Harvey was being well held by a combination of Bateman, Brent Guerra, and Ben McGlynn.

There were some encouraging signs for the Hawks even though they lost the quarter. They always seemed to have a hard-bodied leader prepared to step up when North threatened to go on with the game. Players like Hodge, who kicked his first of the afternoon, Mitchell, who won an important clearance, and Sewell, who provided grunt around the stoppages.

Q4: Hawthorn 10.13 (73) v North Melbourne 9.10 (64)
North did enough to win, had opportunities to win and probably deserved to win but Hawthorn had one clear advantage: premiership players. They each took it upon themselves to do their bit in order to get the win. The quarter’s opening goal involved no less than six premierships players: Grant Birchall, Guerra, Bateman, Hodge, Sewell and finally Franklin, who kicked his first.

Hale kicked his first but Franklin bagged two more, cutting the margin to three points. The Hawks were finishing stronger and were now winning important contests. Stephen Gilham’s mark at the top of the Roos’ goal square against Hamish McIntosh was telling, as was Hodge’s smother and goal and Mitchell’s courage over the ball, with Adam Simpson collecting the Hawk skipper, but not before he had fired off a handball.

He may not have got the votes but ...
... Franklin finished with four and should have had five in arguably his most important team performance this year.

How they’ll remember the match
The Roos will regret the kick from Simpson that just shaved the post.

If Hawthorn do happen to make the eight then they might look back and thank their lucky stars they had such terrible conditions in round 15. It might just have helped them rediscover their mojo.

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.