Sam Mitchell has prevailed in the coaching grudge match against Alastair Clarkson, with Hawthorn holding off a late comeback from North Melbourne to win by 19 points.
The Hawks surged ahead by five goals by half-time before the Kangaroos came with a rush in the second half including within three points midway through the fourth term.
But Mitchell’s side had the answers late including clutch goals to Tyler Brockman, who kicked a game-high three majors, and Dylan Moore to win 11.14 (80) 9.7 (61).
It marked Hawthorn’s first win of 2023 to improve to 1-2 after facing considerable scrutiny, while North dropped its first game to slide to 2-1.
The Roos were dealt a monster late injury blow pre-game, with star midfielder Luke Davies-Uniacke (calf tightness) coming out of the team mere minutes before the first bounce, leaving two key voids in their midfield with co-captain Jy Simpkin also missing.
QUARTER-BY-QUARTER MATCH REPORT
The Roos struck first on the scoreboard through Paul Curtis, while Fergus Greene near instantly responded at the other end as both sides looked lively early.
The Hawks hit the front soon after though after Jai Newcombe converted a set shot.
Sam Mitchell’s side took control from that point with several nice passages of play take momentum, but Tyler Brockman and Will Day missed scoring opportunities.
“The Hawks are starting nicely,” Fox Footy caller Mark Howard noted.
Newcombe missed another for the Hawks, but they were still dictating terms and peppering the goals.
Connor Macdonald finally kicked one for Hawthorn after seven-straight inside 50s to open up an early 13-point lead.
Hawthorn led by 13 points at the first change, 3.4 (22) to 1.3 (9).
Nick Larkey kicked the first goal of the second term with a nice snap finish to give the Roos back some much-needed momentum.
Charlie Comben made it two in row for Clarkson’s side to bring it back to a one-point game, while Brockman responded with his first for the day — and the season.
Jack Scrimshaw capitalised on a costly brain fade by Paul Curtis, who slapped the ball out of his hands to give away a 50m penalty, to kick Hawthorn’s fifth goal.
Dylan Moore made it three-straight Hawks goals to open up a 19-point advantage for Mitchell’s side.
“This is what Hawthorn has done really well is controlling possession, they’ve had nearly 60 more disposals to this point in the game,” St Kilda great Nick Dal Santo said on Fox Footy.
“They’re starting to pick their way through North Melbourne’s defence.”
Hawthorn legend Dermott Brereton added: “It’s not over, but Sam Mitchell is winning this battle in the (coaches) box.
“Clarkson is shuffling this grid zone down the field. Mitchell has said: ‘We’ll kick our way through it with possession and short chips’.
“He’s (Mitchell) having the better of the coaches box at this point in time.”
Fergus Greene added another for the home side, with Fox Footy caller Kelli Underwood saying the Hawks were “white hot,” while Brockman made it five in a row to extend their lead to 31.
“It’s a significant surge from the home side down in Tassie,” Underwood said.
Cameron Zurhaar kicked one just before the half-time siren to end a streak of five-straight Hawks goals.
St Kilda legend Nathan Burke told ABC Sport North Melbourne was “disrespecting” Hawthorn by allowing Mitchell’s side to take so many uncontested marks.
Michell’s side led by 25 points at the main break, 8.4 (52) to 4.3 (27).
James Worpel kicked the opener from the second half to extend their lead back out to beyond five goals, but Curtis Taylor responded to breath life back into the Roos.
It gave North Melbourne a lift as it put together a more promising few minutes of play and controlled the footy.
“A game of keepings off at the moment, end to end for no score,” Underwood noted.
Griffin Logue laid a huge bump on Will Day that floored the Hawks youngster, but he escaped injury to play on. No matter, it could come under MRO scrutiny.
The Roos really starting getting going though, kicking the next three goals including a long-range bomb from Nick Larkey to take momentum.
Both clubs activated their subs in the third quarter, with Bramble coming on for Finn Maginness for Hawthorn and Tucker replacing Greenwood for North.
Hawthorn led by 12 points at the final change, 9.5 (59) to 7.5 (47).
The Roos kept closer in the final stanza after Tucker kicked the opener after getting subbed on to make it just a 10-point game.
Cameron Zurhaar continued the North charge with brilliant goal on his non-preferred left foot to get his team within three points.
“Raw power, he’s on his non-preferred side … not many players in the competition have that raw power on both sides,” Dal Santo pointed out.
Mackenzie had an opportunity to give Hawthorn some breathing space, but the gun draftee’s kick was touched off the boot.
Tom Powell and Connor Nash both missed golden opportunities in front of goal, but Brockman wasn’t going to waste his chance, converting a neat snap to push Hawthorn back out to an 11-point lead.
Moore would then kick the sealer for Hawthorn with a running goal as he was mobbed by teammates in celebration — and even Mitchell couldn’t help but crack a smile in the coaches box.
THE 3-2-1 … (by Jono Baruch)
3. MITCHELL SALUTES IN COACHING GRUDGE MATCH
It was billed as the master and apprentice battle in the coaches box — and the ultimate grudge match between Alastair Clarkson and Sam Mitchell following contrasting starts to the season.
After all the byplay, commentary, and build-up during the week about the relationship between the two, it was Mitchell who walked away with the early bragging rights on the coach he once served to as his skipper.
After conceding the first goal of the afternoon, Hawthorn took control of the game soon after, taking a 25-point lead into the main break.
But the master rallied his troops to rattle on five goals in a row to trim the margin to single digits before Hawthorn responded with the final three goals to record their first win of the year.
And there were big moments that iced the win late.
Tyler Brockman kicked a clutch goal after gathering a spilt ball inside 50, while hewas involved in the sealer shortly after, feeding a handball to Dylan Moore who celebrated with passion.
Hawthorn legend Dermott Brereton noted how the win would help alleviate pressure on Mitchell after a tough week of scrutiny.
“It just gives him a chance to breath,” Brereton said of Mitchell on Fox Footy.
“The whole world have talked about the list and rebuild, it just gives him a chance to say: ‘Well, that’s the monkey off the back.’
“They’ve performed poorly, but they’re not the first team to perform poorly two weeks in a row.
“They have a desperately young list. It just gives him (Mitchell) a chance to relax now and coach the way he wants, I’m sure he has been doing that anyway.”
2. ROOS’ SECOND BLOW LEAVES MIDFIELD SEVERELY UNDERMANNED
North Melbourne copped a big blow before the opening siren when star midfielder and early-season Brownlow Medal contender Luke Davies-Uniacke withdrew with calf tightness in the warm-up.
The late withdrawal meant that Daniel Howe was elevated from being the tactical sub to starting the match and new recruit Darcy Tucker would play his first game for North Melbourne since crossing over from Fremantle in the recent trade period.
Already missing one of their midfield movers with Jy Simpkin serving a one-week suspension, the Kangaroos‘ midfield was left light on for experience in the middle of the ground.
And Davies-Uniacke’s absence was telling throughout the game as the Hawks dominated the centre clearances (13-8) and general clearances throughout the match (42-24) and were +10 in the fourth quarter as they pulled away late.
Former St Kilda and North Melbourne great Nick Dal Santo looked toward the young North Melbourne midfielders who would shoulder the load in the absence of two of their first-choice players.
With an already depleted engine room, the recalled Will Phillips and Bailey Scott were left to carry the load in the centre bounce, with the insurance of veteran hardman Ben Cunnington attending stoppages in the defensive half of the ground but needing to spend more time in the midfield.
“To have one of your best midfielders out … that will shuffle the decks,” Dal Santo said on Fox Footy.
“Who is going to replace the Luke Davies-Uniacke role? Will Phillips comes into the team, we know how highly touted he‘s been the last couple of years. What an opportunity for this young man.”
1. FROM ‘WITCHES HATS’ TO ‘CALCULATED’: HAWKS IMPROVED BALL MOVEMENT
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell last week labelled his side’s ball movement as “reckless” in its 81-point loss to the Swans at the SCG, while dual premiership Kangaroo David King called it “arrogant” on First Crack.
But against North Melbourne, once Hawthorn seized control of the contest, it drastically altered the way it moved the football from the previous two rounds.
The difference in movement drew praise from St Kilda champion Nick Dal Santo, who noted the increased work rate and care from the Hawks.
“They’ve probably out-thought them as well,” Dal Santo said on Fox Footy at halftime.
“Multiple times the way that they have been able to work through the North Melbourne defence. It’s been pleasing in the first half to see the difference from the first two weeks from a Hawthorn perspective.
“Last week, they were witches‘ hats against the Swans. It wasn’t good viewing at all.
“Today, it looks completely different so I respect the way that they’ve changed the game”
The Saints great emphasised how the Hawks were “controlling the game with possessions” and taking ground with safe kicks that sent the Kangaroos players scrambling.
“Their ball movement has been calculated today,” Dal Santo said.
“It hasn‘t been risky but it’s been aggressive and brave at the right time. But this is the other side of the football, enticing North Melbourne to think that there is an option on, By the time the ball gets there they just get a fingertip in or a huge spoil.
Dal Santo continued at half-time: “The numbers tell the story”
“This is Hawthorn getting their hands on the football (+53 disposals at half-time) and the majority of those have been kicks and that equates to ground position and forcing the Kangas to defend.”
