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Hawks goal within minutes of restart
Luke Breust has run onto the ball and kicked a classy goal just minutes into the third term.
The Hawks premiership star didn’t do heaps in the first half but that was vintage Breust.
Hawks lead 48-34 with 19 mins left in Q3.
A view from the ground
By Anthony Colangelo
Where were you when Tim O’Brien took a mark of the year contender to rival Shai Bolton and Jack Riewoldt?
I was lucky enough to be at the MCG – where the Giants are playing a home game against the Hawks – to see Hawks fans react with a mix of bewilderment and awe when O’Brien sat on his opponent’s head, running back with the flight, to take a genuine screamer.
Tim O’Brien on the way down from a mark.Credit:Getty Images
Tim O’Brien lands after a spectacular mark.Credit:Getty Images
Leading by 16 points at quarter-time and with a spot in the top eight on the line, the Giants folded in the second term, allowing the Hawks to kick four unanswered goals and lead by nine points at the main break.
Denver Grainger-Barras has been impressive on debut taking intercept marks and getting involved in scuffles, endearing himself to Hawks fans.
Toby Greene has been quiet, kept on a leash by Blake Hardwick.
A really good effort by the Hawks to fight back against a side playing for a lot more than them.
HT: Hawthorn 6.6 (42) to GWS Giants 5.4 (34)
By Roy Ward
Who saw that coming? Just like Tim O’Brien’s enormous mark, no one saw Hawthorn’s fightback coming that term as they kicked four goals to none and stormed back into the lead at half-time.
It all came down to the contested ball which the Hawks dominated as they did with their pressure work.
Liam Shiels (Hawthorn) and Matt Flynn (Giants) compete for the ball.Credit:Getty Images
O’Brien not only took a huge mark but kicked two of those goals.
This match is still wide open heading into the second half although the Giants have to find their best form again.
Tom Mitchell has 19 possessions for the Hawks while Harry Perryman has 18 for the Giants.
O’Brien soars
The Hawks lead 42-33 with a minute until half-time. Here is a cracking shot of O’Brien’s mark.
Tim O’Brien flies high at the MCG on Sunday.Credit:Getty Images
O’Brien kicks another
Tim O’Brien has kicked his second goal in a matter of minutes as the Hawks are dominating this quarter.
Hawks lead 39-31 with nine mins left in Q2.
Oh O’Brien!
Tim O’Brien has pulled in a cracking mark of the year contender in the goal square for the Hawks running back against the run of play before getting a ride on Giants defender Jack Buckley, taking the grab and crashing to the ground.
The Hawks forward dusted himself off and kicked the goal. The Hawks have kicked five of the last six majors.
Hawks lead 33-31 with 12 mins left in Q1.
Hawks are within a goal
Right on the back of Moore’s goal, the Hawks surged forward again and Ben McEvoy almost pulled in a mark, then followed it up and kicked the goal.
Suddenly the Giants appear to have almost stopped in their tracks.
Giants lead 31-27 with 13 mins left in Q2.
Ben McEvoy.Credit:Getty Images
Moore pounces
Hawks rover Dylan Moore is one of those players who just finds the footy when it is close to goal.
He has come up with a quick catch and snap which went through the big sticks.
Fox Footy commentator Jason Dunstall called it a ‘goal from nothing’ – he is spot on.
Hawks are right back in this.
Giants lead 31-21 with 14 mins left in Q1.
Hawks assistant coaches among those awaiting negative tests
Some of Hawthorn’s assistant coaches are among the Box Hill Hawks players and coaches who are isolating and awaiting test results after facing Queensland club Aspley yesterday.
The AFL’s statement on Aspley and Box Hill VFL teams:
The AFL confirms Aspley Football Club players, coaches and staff that travelled to Melbourne for their Round 11 match against the Box Hill Hawks have been advised to get tested and isolate for 14-days as per current Victorian Government advice after their flight from Brisbane to Melbourne on Friday, June 25 was declared a Tier 1 exposure site.
The 14-day isolation period is from Friday, June 25.
As an additional precaution for VFL travel, all Aspley players and officials were COVID tested on Friday, June 25 in Melbourne and returned a negative test result prior to their match yesterday.
The Aspley travelling party returned to Brisbane last night.
As a precaution, all players and officials from the Box Hill Hawks have been tested this morning and will isolate until a negative result is produced.
The AFL is working through any impacts to the VFL fixture moving forward. Aspley have a scheduled bye in Round 12.
The AFL will continue to act on the advice from all local government, relevant health departments and medical experts.
QT: Giants 5.1 (31) to Hawthorn 2.3 (15)
By Roy Ward
The Giants are one of the form teams in the AFL over the last month and they have shown why with a cracking opening term at the MCG.
Bobby Hill has kicked two goals and the midfield and running half-backs from GWS has roamed around the MCG like it is their home ground.
Harry Perryman gets a handball away against the Giants.Credit:Getty Images
The Hawks showed some touch late in the term with James Worpel and Tom Phillips kicking goals while Will Day has made an impact running the ball into the forward line.
But the Giants are in charge and the Hawks need to start winning more of the footy, in even better news for the Giants, veteran defender Phil Davis is expected to return according to Fox Footy as he just needed some treatment on a cut under his eye after taking an accidental boot to the face.