Luke Breust channels Cyril to kick six
Even after stepping out of Cyril Rioli's shadow to kick six goals in a dominant display just days after Rioli's retirement, Luke Breust wanted to heap praise on his premiership teammate.
Describing Rioli as his favourite player of all time, Breust admitted he might have felt Rioli's influence even in his absence.
"I guess I channelled a little bit of his magic tonight to put on a performance like he can," Breust said.
With four goals on the board at the first break, his coach Alastair Clarkson joked that the small forward was on track to kick 16 goals at quarter time.
"That was pretty special," Clarkson said.
"He is a dangerous forward for us."
That Breust finished with six goals to equal his career-best tally in a game was no reflection on his final three quarters.
In that period fellow forwards Jarryd Roughead and Jack Gunston stepped in to kick four goals each.
Breust has now kicked 340 goals in 176 games, meaning he has kicked 65 more goals than Rioli in 13 fewer games, a reflection of his consistency over eight seasons.
His timing was perfect against the Western Bulldogs as he got to the front of packs regularly and his tackling made him harder to get past than The Heads in Port Phillip bay on a rough day.
Two of his first-quarter goals came from free kicks for holding the ball and he did not miss when the opportunity arose.
He admitted the game unfolded for him in a manner that is rare and he took full advantage.
"It would be nice if that happened every week," Breust said.
His pairing with Rioli will go down in history as one of football's great double acts, with Paul Puopolo providing great support.
But Breust doesn't see the comparison with Rioli, his style thrilling for its efficiency rather than the explosiveness that made the man who wore No.33 for Hawthorn everyone's favourite.
"I was just lucky enough I got to sit next to him every week and watch him do his thing," Breust said.