Richmond vs Hawthorn

It was a powerful display by the Tigers, brushing aside the Hawks as they secured a spot in the 2022 Finals. Tim Hunt has the Four Points.

Gunston and Breust are two of the best forwards of their generation, and represent far more to the Hawks in leadership and culture than what they could net in any trade. Let me rattle off some stats to you; only once in 12 seasons of football has Breust not kicked 30 goals (2020) – in fact, this was the seventh season he has kicked 40 or more; if he doesn’t kick two goals next week, it would be the first time in his 11 seasons at the Hawks that Gunston hasn’t kicked 30 goals when playing as a forward for the entire season; together, they’ve combined for seven of the last eight leading goal kicker awards for the Hawks; they’re top ten goal scorers of all time for the Hawks – Breust is seventh and Gunston tenth. Bolton is like the kid in class always in trouble with the teacher for trying to have a bit of fun – any time the teacher turns their back, Bolton’s making fart sounds and trying to get his mates to laugh. Nevertheless, as we reach the end of the 2022 season, the question is being asked of two Hawks forwards – Jack Gunston and Luke Breust (as I said, the title was a bit of a stretch, but it’s kinda funny, right?) – should they seek a trade? After a correction in the second quarter, which saw the Hawks win the centre clearances three to one, the Tigers started doing as they pleased again, and with Lynch in the sort of form that gives any defender nightmares, the task in front of the Hawks back six was nigh-on impossible. It seems to me that Tigers coach Damien Hardwick uses Baker and Short almost interchangeably – if one is in defence, one needs to be in the middle. Instead of allowing their opponents to consistently win the ball at will, driving it deep inside their attacking half and then locking the ball in, the Hawks began both winning the ball more in the midfield, and defending better those clearances that they lost, ensuring that any entry into their defensive half out of a centre clearance would be under pressure and shallow. James Blanck, after a couple of early wins, was thoroughly outplayed by Lynch, while the Hawks’ potential defensive star – and possessor of one of the best names in football – Denver Grainger-Barras, struggled playing what appeared to be the ‘Sicily’ role – third man up in as many defensive contests as possible. Across the first half of the season, they gave up a tick over 97 points per game, and had given up more than 100 points four weeks in a row. Then something changed, and since the halfway point of the season, the Hawks have given up an average of less than 80 points per game leading into today – in fact, it’s less than 70 points per game across their last six. For example, the Tigers are one of the best centre clearance sides in the competition, rank fourth for contested marks and second for marks inside 50. They’ve dropped games they would have normally expected to win – namely, the back-to-back losses to Gold Coast and North Melbourne – and have been below their best in MCG wins over Port Adelaide and Carlton. But with finals now secured, today’s win could have been just the tune-up they were looking for.