1. Who needs enemies?
Hawthorn defender James Sicily sure has talent but also has a hot head to go with it. Normally the fiery Hawk just antagonises opponents, but just before half-time he took aim at both an umpire and teammate Taylor Duryea. Sicily reckoned he should have got a kicking-in-danger free when he copped a nasty ‘Falcon’ from Hayden Ballantyne. While he was giving the ump a gob-full, Duryea told him something like ‘pull your head in’ which Sicily did not like one little bit. His response wasn’t fit for a family website but required some intervention from skipper Jarryd Roughead as they walked off at half-time.

Click here for full match details and stats

2. Glass half full
It was hard to miss the Hawks’ redhead debutant from County Derry in Ireland. Even Conor Glass’ fluorescent beard lit up Domain Stadium when he skipped on to an AFL field for the first time seven minutes into the first term (when Luke Hodge had to depart via the blood rule). Dead set, you just about needed sunglasses. Glass didn’t take long to get amongst the action and had five touches by quarter-time. He’s got plenty of speed and looked composed across half-back. He did plenty of good things in a very promising debut.

Conor Glass was noticable on debut. Picture: AFL Photos

3. Richest man in Freo
Nat Fyfe put to bed any thoughts of heading east, signing a six-year mega deal with Freo this week, and he set to work leading the way as the Dockers battled to get into the game. Without dominating, Fyfe’s tackling and body work in the clinches ensured the Hawks didn’t get too far away and he pulled down a spectacular grab in the opening term to set the tone. Fyfe also kicked a fantastic goal in the final quarter after winning the centre clearance, but his best efforts weren’t enough to get his side over the Hawks. 

4. Pest below his best
Hayden Ballantyne has been a stellar performer for many years at Fremantle but has been going nowhere for a few weeks now, being held to a total of 12 possessions and just one goal in his past two matches before last night. He started the Hawks clash terribly as well with just the one ineffective kick in the opening term, then his first, and only, kick of the second term was out on the full, which Champion Data rated as a clanger. He was the recipient of a gift from Haydn Crozier for a close-range goal in the third term but again looked miles off his best. Coach Ross Lyon has stuck with him and playing in his favour are the struggles of possible replacement Harley Bennell, who had just the two kicks among five touches in the WAFL yesterday, and the leg injury to Michael Walters who limped off early in the last term. But time could be running out for the 30-year-old.

5. Soft Schoey shuffle
He wasn’t quite wearing blue suede shoes, but big Hawk Ryan Schoenmakers unveiled his own Schoey shuffle at Domain Stadium. Lining up for the opening goal of the match, he trotted in, paused, stopped then shimmied again before nailing his set shot from 30m.  It set the tone for a red-hot Hawks start as they slammed on four unanswered goals to get the jump on Freo. It allowed the Hawks to continue some good road form in 2017. They are the only team to beat Sydney for a couple of months (at the SCG no less) and knocked off ladder-leaders Adelaide at Adelaide Oval. Last night the Hawks had the game pretty much in control after their strong start and ended with a flurry.