The Gold Coast Suns have sent Hawthorn to the bottom of the ladder for the first time in a decade, demolishing the winless Hawks by 86 points at Metricon Stadium in the biggest ever victory in the club’s history.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Gold Coast Suns 21.13.139
Hawthorn Hawks 7.11.53
The final match of Round 3 sees the winless Hawthorn Hawks travel to Carrara to take on the Gold Coast Suns at Metricon Stadium. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 4:40pm AEST Sunday afternoon.
All eyes will be on Jaeger O’Meara as he lines up in his new colours against his former team. Although no stranger to Metricon Stadium, O’Meara will not have played at the ground since 2014 – 952 days ago.
Both Hawthorn and Gold Coast have been disappointing so far this season to say the least. Although the Hawks are favourites, they have far more to lose.
While new recruits O’Meara and Tom Mitchell have started their seasons well picking up 36 and 38 touches respectively last week, Ty Vickery has been less than impressive with just the one goal so far and will look to use this game to build confidence in the side.
On the other side of the fence, dual Brownlow medallist Gary Ablett Jr has been the talking point all week and looks set to follow O’Meara’s lead to return to Victoria at the end of the season. Ablett will need to turn back the clock this week – much like he did last time he played the Hawks with 40 disposals – to get the critics off his back.
The Hawks have omitted Kade Stewart and lost Grant Birchall (jaw), but have replaced them with Brendan Whitecross and Kaiden Brand.
The Suns lose youngster Ben Ainsworth to a quad injury, while omitting Callum Ah Chee and Jack Leslie from the 102 point loss to the Giants last week. Adding in experience from Jarrod Harbrow and Brandon Matera is a welcome addition to two-gamer Brayden Fiorini.
Head-to-head the Hawks are 8-0 on the Suns, with their last three matchups all in Launceston at York Park. This will be only the third time the Suns have hosted the Hawks in their ninth matchup.
Prediction
Whoever loses this match will be the talking point of the week and for that reason I’m tipping the Hawks to win convincingly by 35 points.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 4:40pm AEST Sunday.
Bruce
Guest
Well, their next opponents are Geelong, WCE, St Kilda and Melbourne!! Would they start favourites in any of those games? Lets see how they go.
fabian gulino
Roar Rookie
Hawthorn worst performance i have seen in 10 years.They looked to slow all over the ground.they lack a lot of pace.I think its time players like frawley,gibson,vickery,gunston,langford,to give them a spell in the vfl this week.They have to have a good look at themselves,because I dont think they are hungry anymore for success for finals or premiership in 2017. they will not beat Geelong easter monday with that disgracefully past performance against GoldCoast sons.
fabian gulino
Roar Rookie
rubbish bruce.
InvisiblePJs
Roar Rookie
Round 3 & the Hawks are tanking already...
JGK
Roar Guru
As a Swans fan, this dulls the pain a little.
Bruce
Guest
Hawthorn could go 0-7
Damien Peck
Roar Guru
@AD To use a cliché, "heads will roll".
Damien Peck
Roar Guru
» Click here to read the full match report That wraps up the live blog for the night. Thanks for joining, and look out for the wrapup shortly. See you all again soon on The Roar!
Damien Peck
Roar Guru
Gold Coast Suns 21.13.139 – Hawthorn 7.11.53 Barlow missed as the siren seemed to have put him off his line. Regardless, it's the Suns winning by 86 points in an absolute demolition.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
What the actual f&%^? Well, this is certainly the best way to cap off this unpredictable, crazy and downright ridiculous weekend of footy. Congrats to the Suns! Sen-bloody-sational performance! Hawthorn... well, I wouldn't wanna be a fly on the wall at their HQ this week.
Damien Peck
Roar Guru
Barlow gets a grab inside 50 and will have the last shot of the day as he winds down the clock.
Damien Peck
Roar Guru
Gold Coast Suns 21.12.138 – Hawthorn 7.11.53 Burgoyne gets a behind after a tough day at the office.
Damien Peck
Roar Guru
Only three minutes left for the game.
Kurt
Guest
Put a fork in us, we're done for 2017.
Damien Peck
Roar Guru
Gold Coast Suns 21.12.138 – Hawthorn 7.10.52 Lynch gets another mark and this is as good as a training drill with that. However he nails it into the right goalpost for a behind.
Damien Peck
Roar Guru
Gold Coast Suns 21.11.137 – Hawthorn 7.10.52 Touk Miller gets another on the board for his second goal of the day.
Damien Peck
Roar Guru
David Swallow on the boundary with a right hamstring test. He may get the rest of the night off for precautions.
Damien Peck
Roar Guru
Gold Coast Suns 20.11.131 – Hawthorn 7.10.52 Just like Groundhog Day, Matera gets another mark and nets his sixth goal to take the lead out to 79 points.
Damien Peck
Roar Guru
@XI It's like polar opposites today.
Damien Peck
Roar Guru
Gold Coast Suns 19.11.125 – Hawthorn 7.10.52 Matera has another... A quick run and a classy handpass from Martin set up party time for the Suns.