The Hawthorn Hawks have kept their finals hopes alive on Saturday in Perth, handing the Fremantle Dockers a 52-point thrashing.
Final score
Fremantle Dockers 7.6 48
Hawthorn Hawks 15.10 100
The Fremantle Dockers host the Hawthorn Hawks in a match which could decide their finals fate. Join The Roar from 7:40pm (AEST) for live scores and a blog of all the action.
12th takes on 13th in what shapes to be a confidence boosting game for the winner.
Fremantle are coming off a disappointing loss to their cross town rivals the West Coast Eagles while the Hawks went down the Geelong Cats after a missed goal just seconds before the final siren.
With the chances of playing in the finals almost over for both sides, this game shapes up to potentially being the last chance for either side to keep up with the top eight. In what has been an up and down year for both sides, the fact they still have a chance at making the finals just proves how close the fight to play finals is this season.
The Dockers were lacklustre against the Eagles last week, with an inaccurate display in front of the goal. They only managed to kick five majors while scoring 14 behinds in the 30-point loss to the Eagles.
Hawthorn were looking like causing an upset at the MCG against their much-fancied rivals the Cats after Patrick Dangerfield went down with an apparent leg injury in the first quarter. However, the star Cat and reigning Brownlow medalist went back out onto the ground and played up forward where he kicked five goals. Hawthorn had a chance through Isaac Smith, but instead of going for a set shot after the siren he quickly played on and missed.
Fremantle forward Cam McCarthy makes his return to the squad this week after being suspended and will give the Dockers some much-needed height in the forward line. Hawthorn have named their fourth debutant of the season with Irish midfielder Connor Glass getting his first game.
Prediction
Both teams suffered losses to their arch rivals last week and will want to rebound quickly if they are to keep their finals hopes alive. The Dockers may have the home ground advantage out west, but the Hawks have dominated the Dockers in their recent encounters winning nine of the past 10. They also hold the ascendancy in Western Australia winning eight of their 14 clashes at the ground.
Hawthorn Hawks by 18.
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Don Freo
Guest
I've answered this twice and been deleted twice. Adelaide Docker, you may have noticed that I have made no comment here....yet you call me a liar. The Roar does not allow me to report your comment neither will it publish my response. All I have said (and this now the 3rd time) is don't let your on line persona be sucked in and shaped by Macca.
anon
Roar Pro
Like burning money.
Don Freo
Guest
A very long waiting list for Freo membership. Won't be any dropping off.
Don Freo
Guest
Very interesting that you can talk about me on a post without me having an input and when I reply, it is disallowed by the moderators. My advice to the mods would be if you delete my posts, you delete posts that abuse me (in this case, Adelaide Docker and Macca), especially when I am absent from the thread. To call me a liar when I have not even posted a comment is not good enough.
Don Freo
Guest
As Jason Dunstall said in the commentary, the Freo game plan is quite a bit different over the last few years. I wonder which plan you are referring to. You certainly would be unable to describe it. Exactly which Brisbane plan is it similar to?
Slane
Guest
You don't know what fremantles game plan is. Why bother commenting on it?
anon
Roar Pro
I could have told you this before this game. Fremantle are simply horrible and the fact the players still drink the Rossy "Kool Aid" is the reason why they aren't worse than the Brisbane Lions playing this type of football. They players actually commit to playing such a horrible game plan which part of the problem. I can see Fremantle crowds dropping off massively over the next couple of seasons. It's really crisis stage at Fremantle. Luckily they only have three years left on Rossy's contract. They can probably get away with only paying him out for a year of 1.5 years now. This is a team that won't compete until 2025.
Macca
Guest
It's not a lie if he believes it.
Dan, Concord
Guest
Ditto, Sam!
Sam Walker
Roar Guru
Cheers guys. One of these days i will start joining in the weekly Roar debates over the weekly footy.
Sam Walker
Roar Guru
It has been what 5 years and they still haven't figured this out yet, Lyon has another 3-4 years left i think so it will be nearly a decade of low scoring games from the Dockers. I will say though they looked better tonight than any game i have seen them play in the last few years. I wasn't nearly falling asleep like i used to.
Sam Walker
Roar Guru
Dominant Hawks win in Clarko's 300th. The Hawthorn Hawks were far too good for the Fremantle Dockers in Perth cruising to a 52 point win 15.10.100 to 7.6.48. The Hawks started the game strongly kicking the first 4 goals of the game, it looked as though it was going to be a long night for the Dockers but they steadied late in that first term kicking the next 2 goals of the quarter. Hawthorn took a 15 point lead into the first break. Ryan Shoenmakers was the first goal scorer of the game. The second term evened up a bit more with the Dockers taking some control early but inaccurate kicking in front of goal prevented them from troubling the Hawks too much on the scoreboard. Luke Breust kicked 2 impressive goals in the term including a dribble goal midway through the term to settle the Hawks and keep the Dockers from arms reach. With the poor kicking from both sides plaguing them in the term the Hawks were able to increase their lead by 5 points. Tempers flared within the Hawks ranks late in the term after Ben Sicily copped a ball to the face and initially believing it was a boot, He had some harsh words for a couple of the Hawthorn players as well as the umpire. The third quarter was a tough and scrappy term with scores being at a premium, Shane Kersten continued to be tough for the Hawks to cover but poor ball usage and a tough Hawthorn defence stopped the Dockers from getting any control. The ground was slippery for the entire game and with both teams unable to keep their footing or their hands on the ball turnovers were a problem both ways. A mistimed punch from Ben McEvoy on the Dockers goal line helped Shane Kersten to his 2nd goal of the game. After Liam Shiels missed an easy shot at goal and Shane Kerstens goal it looked like the Dockers still had a chance to overrun the Hawks. A late goal to Ricky Henderson though again pushed the Hawks lead out further to 28 points going into the final term. Jack Gunston was impressive in the backline throughout the game but when he found himself up forward early in the fourth he soon found his old kicking boots getting his first and only goal of the game. The goal to Gunston came at a time when Michael Walters of the Dockers left the ground with a leg injury. Walters did not return for the game with his injury, Nat Fyfe opened up the goal scoring for the Dockers but it would be the first of just 2 goals for the term as the Hawks broke the game apart kicking 4 straight goals. Tom Mitchell again was a ball magnet for the Hawks collecting 36 disposals while Bradley Hill playing his first game against his old side played very well for the Dockers. The Hawks keep their slim finals hopes alive for another week while the Dockers look like they may be done for the season, Next week the Hawks will face the Swans at the MCG while Fremantle take on the Giants at Spotless Oval. Fremantle Dockers 7.6.48 Hawthorn Hawks 15.10.100 Stats Team Disposals Fremantle 356 Hawthorn 446 Inside 50s Fremantle 39 Hawthorn 49 Free Kicks Fremantle 15 Hawthorn 16 Clearances Fremantle 35 Hawthorn 23 Contested possessions Fremantle 132 Hawthorn 127 Player Stats Leading Disposals 37 Tom Mitchell (Haw) 35 Jack Gunston (Haw) 29 Connor Blakely (Freo) Goals 2 6 players 1 7 players Roar Players of the game 3 Jack Gunston (Haw) 2 James Sicily (Haw) 1 Luke Bruest (Haw) Thanks for joining me this week for the game.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Yeah for sure, the future's definitely bright. I'm just frustrating with the losing I guess, I genuinely don't mean to sound like a pr*ck with all my ranting.
Bobbo7
Guest
Until Fremantle catch on that kicking goals is important nothing will change. You simply can't win regularly making scores between 40 and 80. Even when they were a top side, you only had to get a jump on them and it was all over.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
I second this, thanks for the blog!
Mattician6x6
Guest
Future is bright AD, add a couple of fwds and another pre season and freo will be alright, hard for the mids when they break and have no one to kick to.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
And he'd be lying. We were rubbish. I'm sick of admirable losses.
Birdman
Guest
Thanks for the blog tonight Sam. Appreciated your good work. Over and out
Macca
Guest
Looks like we will be hearing about another strong performance against a strong team from Don this week.
Birdman
Guest
Thanks AD. Happy with another interstate win against a Dockers side who I thought might have brought a bit more after re-signing Fyfe but Hawks obviously wanted to honour Clarko's 300th game.