Congratulations to the Hawthorn Hawks, making it look easy to win 107-61
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Now there is just six minutes to go. The scoring has all but stopped with the Hawks dominating the first quarter and the entire second half.
The Eagles got within 24 points, but the margin sits at more than 60 in favour of the Hawks as the clock ticks down.
The big question now is will Benny Harrop get to celebrate with the Hawks?
Well the Hawks are just 11 minutes from another premiership. The wind has been well and truly knocked out of the West Coast sails and the Hawthorn roster is running rampant.
Gunston already has four goals and looks for a fifth off a mark inside the 50. He too duffs it to the left, but the damage is already done on the scoreboard with the Hawks leading 104-42.
Roughhead takes a mark in the goals for a simple shot at the front, the Hawks are in front by 55 now and it looks like a done deal. Smith follows it up from the restart and its a gap of 61. Are the West Coast fans still watching?
Burgoyne in his sixth grand final takes a mark just inside the 50, the kick fades to the right for a behind.
Meakers kicks a short pass to Stratton for his first shot at goals, but he duffs it to the left for a point.
Cripps and Priddis have been in everything for the West Coast, but the Hawks are looking too strong here in the third.
Mitchell, Meakers, Gunston and Smith all putting through clever handballs and kicking accurately, the margin is sitting at 50 points as the third quarter siren blows.
Jack Gunston is in the right spot again and suddenly the Hawks are stretching their lead, sports reporter Jake McMaster hasn’t spotted Benny Harrop yet, have you got better eyes to spot the Bega fan?t
Smith fires a goal from the pocket with a grubber and the score is beginning to blowout with just 5 minutes in the third quarter. it now sits 82-39 in favour of the Hawks.
All the work the Eagles had done seems to be for nothing with the Hawks again dominating possession. Gunston bounds a kick off the post from a difficult angle.
West Coast’s first bit of the ball in a few minutes and it flies straight to the boundary.
Hawks get a goal off a chip kick from Meakers after a jostle for possession inside the 50.
Hutchings turns it around though and the margin is back to 25. The Eagles will need to keep working here to close that gap.
Gunston takes a leaping mark inside the West Coast 50 and the gap again goes to 31 with a straight goal.
Yeo tackles his opponent over the line, then play pushes up and Darling takes a mark inside the 50 for the West Coast. He slots it and the Eagles are only 24 behind.
Burgoyne takes play over the line from the reset of play, West Coast is suddenly piling on the pressure. Priddis looking good for the Eagles.
A bad handball sees Hawthorn back in possession and Gunston gets the ball forward, A lucky touch stops a Hawthorn goal.
Play is back on in the third quarter. The Hawks are again coming up with empty space to take uncontested marks. Priddis grabs a loose carry and turns over play for the Eagles. LeCras from the 50 – he fades it left for a behind.
Accuracy is hurting the Eagles here with both teams boasting the same number of shots on goals.
Just 21 points in at the half-time break, but commentators are calling Hodge’s early left booter the goal of the year. The late goal from Yeo has got to have the West Coast thinking positively though. There is just five goals in it at this point, can the Eagles reel it back?
1.45 and West Coast is on the attack, a short kick gets knocked clear. Hawthorn is all over the Eagles’ front line. Priddis gets loose, but fades to a behind and there is 50 seconds counting down until the half.
A goal to West Coast after the siren a sign of hope for the visiing WA team.
Play has focused around the Hawthorn defensive end for a minute or two, but the Eagles can’t capitalise until a kick is awarded to the Hawks to clear it.
Play pushes in towards the West Coast, but a defender is held to earn the kick. Again the play pushes toward the West Coast but Sheppard is there to stop it.
Play gets stopped for a blood rule on the Hawks giving everyone a breather.
Eagles push forward, but a kick into the front pocket stretches long and finds the boundary. The Eagles arent scoring any goals, but it’s been almost 15 minutes since Hawthorn got one in either.
A goal to West Coast almost feels like a consolation prize at this point in the second quarter. However, the Eagles are fighting back to earn some possession. Just nine minutes remain in the second period and Hawthorn is nearly 40 points ahead.
The West Coast skipper took a shot from the front but bounded off the post for a measly behind. Then Hawthorn surges forward again and Gunston slots another major to put the Hawks 31 in front. It’s a bit lopside early on. After a few sloppy disposals by the Eagles Gunston finds space again.
Just back from the first quarter and the Hawks are up by 26. Hodge kicked a stunner from the lleft flank to keep up the momentum for Hawthorn.