Hawks overwhelm Eagles

Hawthorn’s injury woes continued tonight as they eventually overwhelmed West Coast for a 57-point win in their AFL match at the MCG.

Jordan Lewis and Shane Crawford were forced from the field, while Luke Hodge also came off but was able to return as the Hawks won 18.18 (126) to 9.15 (69).

Hawks key forward Jarryd Roughead kicked six goals in a best-afield performance and fellow tall target Lance Franklin put through five.

Eagles midfielder Daniel Kerr had a career-high 40 disposals, team-mate Matthew Priddis racked up an incredible 45 possessions and West Coast key forward Ashley Hansen kicked four goals.

Lewis left the game for good in the second term with an apparent hip injury.

The teams combined for a massive 820 possessions – 422 to Hawthorn and 398 to the Eagles

Crawford was returning tonight from a knee injury and he was high among Hawthorn’s best until he pulled up in the third term and left the field.

Hodge also was forced to the bench and had strapping on his calf, but kicked two last-term goals.

Hawthorn will be grateful for the split-round break, given their injury troubles.

They needed a solid effort tonight, having lost two out of their previous four matches.

West Coast pushed the Hawks after last week’s 135-point humiliation from Geelong and at one stage early in the third term only trailed by 19 points.

But Hawthorn kicked seven goals to two in the last term.

Young Hawks ruckman Brent Renouf is on report for elbowing West Coast midfielder Adam Selwood to the side of his head in the third term.

Franklin had a running battle with his opponent, West Coast captain Darren Glass.

They were at the centre of a push-and-shove between several players in the West Coast defence during the second quarter that left Franklin with a torn jumper and the incident will attract video scrutiny.

The Hawks sprayed their shots in the first term, kicking 4.8, but the Eagles also wasted early chances and were struggling at 0.4.

West Coast reduced the margin to 14 points, kicking two of the opening three goals in the second quarter, before Hawthorn five of the next six for a comfortable six-goal lead at half time.

The Hawks later said Lewis was still struggling with a thigh injury from earlier in the season and Crawford had aggravated the knee tendinitis that sidelined him for four weeks.

Hodge received a kick in the calf.

“We were pretty pleased, really – we just limped to the end of round 14 and the bye, we’ve got a lot of guys who are pretty sore,” Clarkson said.

“We knew they (West Coast) were going to be a bit more spirited than what they were last week.

“West Coast really challenged us in the third quarter and to show the type of spirit that we did in the last quarter, to run away with the victory, was a real credit to the group.

“I was just pleased with the way that the guys stuck to the task, I don’t think at any stage it was a game that rose to any great standards … we just put it in the bank and move on.”

Despite the final margin, Worsfold was pleased with his side’s effort.

After last week’s shambles, the Eagles continually pushed Hawthorn and winning the third term was encouraging for the club.

But the Eagles made some costly errors in the last term as the Hawks broke clear

“I was really pleased with their workrate tonight, really pleased,” Worsfold said.

“It was pretty-much at the level I would expect from them, where they’re at.

“They (Hawthorn) really capitalised on any turnovers we had and their two big marking forwards were very good.

“You don’t like to have big losses, but you’re talking about the work rate and that was up tonight.”