In the ultimate response to a harrowing evening against Carlton last round, best mates Logan Morris and Kai Lohmann shone brightest on the night Chris Fagan’s side proved just how alive their three-peat hopes really are.
The Lions sent shockwaves through the competition with a 67-point drubbing of the Hawks, 18.17 (125) to 8.10 (58) – leaving some of the game’s greats in awe.
“This is the team you don’t want to be meeting in September,” said Australian Football Hall of Fame Legend Jason Dunstall, the Hawks’ all-time leading goalkicker who grew up in Queensland, in his role with Kayo Sports.
“Whenever Hawthorn had it, Brisbane were on them, and they were on them big-time.
“This was a punishing victory… one that’s re-awakened the spirit within the whole group.
“If they get into the top four with a double chance, look out.
“They [Brisbane] took on a team that many had thought might be ready to challenge, and they showed them in no uncertain terms that they have a long way to go.”
Melbourne great and fellow Australian Football Hall of Famer Garry Lyon said the Hawks, meanwhile, had been “smashed”, “outplayed and outhunted”.
“It looked a little bit too hard for them, which is a staggering thing to say about this Hawthorn side who have been so good for so long,” he said on Kayo.
Never one to get too carried away with a single game’s result, Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell said he was “pretty honest” to his playing group in the aftermath.
“I thought we were outclassed tonight. I think we’re better than that.
“Brisbane are obviously a good side, they’ve won the last couple [of premierships] and they’re setting themselves again, so we saw it as an opportunity to compete against the best, and we weren’t up to it tonight … I think we can execute better than that and play to a higher level, and we’re going to need to.”
Friday night’s victory edged Fagan just clear of great mate and three-time premiership winning Lions coach Leigh Matthews as the winningest in club history. They’ve both coached 237 Lions games, with Fagan winning 143 to Matthews’ 142.
But Fagan’s response when asked on Kayo Sports about the feat said it all: “He’s got a statue, I haven’t”.
Fagan said he had “no reason not to” back his side in after their showing against the Blues.
“They tend to respond after a poor performance, and they did it again tonight,” he said.
“I thought it was a very comprehensive, four-quarter performance.”
Morris’ four goals from 15 touches was conquered with a gamut of tricks – a brilliant overhead mark in a tight contest earning his first in the opening term, which he swiftly followed up with a clean strike on the edge of the 50.
His third was arguably his best, spilling a shanked kick deep into the pocket, but holding his nerve and threading a grubber through the defence on a tight angle, before taking a mark in front of a contest and kicking his fourth.
Morris’ exploits took his season tally to 51, just six goals off Coleman Medal leader Charlie Curnow, whose Swans will clash with Port Adelaide on Saturday afternoon.
Fagan could only smile when asked about Morris on Kayo Sports.
“I’ll have to tip a bucket of water on him, I reckon, to keep him calm,” he said.
Whether he garners the end-of-year honour or not, Morris is fast become a bona fide superstar. His efforts on Friday night were complemented by veteran duo Charlie Cameron and Eric Hipwood (five goals between them), as well as Lohmann – who kicked five majors of his own with some miracle moments thrown in the mix.
It was a particularly telling return to form for Hipwood, who had a nightmare when moved into defence against the Blues.
Two of Lohmann’s maximums came within a minute of each other in the third quarter – the first latching onto a loose ball and snapping on the run, with his second a clean set shot which earned a pump of the chest.
His off-balance snap as he was about to be crunched in a tackle in the final term for his fourth will be one that lands in his career highlights reel throughout the next decade, and while Hawks counterpart Josh Weddle scored soon after, the damage by that point was well and truly done.
Lohmann was quick to prove that, snapping a set shot from a narrow long-range angle for his fifth to complete a bumper night out – one which featured 24 touches, two clearances and a congratulatory hug from a Hawks opponent in one of the more commanding displays of the 23-year-old’s career so far.
These sides entered Friday night’s battle as two of the most lethal attacking outfits in the competition – each only trailing Sydney for points scored – but they were forced to wait nearly nine minutes for the first goal of the match through Hawks star, and former Lion, Jack Gunston.
That was perhaps exactly the motivation the Lions needed to rebound from their 76-point capitulation against the Blues last week, after they were heavily criticised for their lack of pressure at the end of what had been a seven-game winning streak, and their premiership credentials called into question as a result.
Aside from that opening Gunston goal, the Lions never trailed, and a second quarter surge – kicking 6.5 to Hawthorn’s 3.1 – proved the momentum swing needed to put the foot down on their fellow top four threats.
The hosts went on to kick five goals to two in the third quarter – beginning with Sam Draper’s snap at close range and ending with top-10 draftee Daniel Annable’s first AFL goal in his comeback from shoulder surgery – and consolidated in the final term, as 250-game milestone man Ryan Lester fittingly helped himself to a goal and Cam Rayner joined him on the scoreboard.
“We love Ryan Lester, what he’s been able to do in his career is one of the great stories … he’s just a tale of absolute persistence, and he’s playing his best footy in his 30s,” Fagan said of the man better known as “Froggy”, who has been dropped more than a dozen times throughout his career.
If Morris, Lohmann, Hipwood and Cameron hitting their straps wasn’t good news enough for the Lions faithful, the sight of marquee recruit Oscar Allen back in the AFL – having returned from a three-month foot injury lay-off through the VFL in the past fortnight – only adds a new layer to the two-time reigning premiers’ forward line heading towards September.
Fagan admitted on Kayo that the Lions’ clear aim is still a top-four berth.
“Absolutely – if you can finish top four it’s so much better. We’ve just got to get the job done and make sure we don’t let ourselves down at any stage. It’s good to be back in the hunt,” he said.
Every time Hawthorn struck throughout the contest and threatened to get back in the fight – Massimo D’Ambrosio, Jarman Impey and Connor Macdonald all scoring at key stages – the Lions were quick to respond and ensure they maintained a commanding lead.
Despite the Hawks leading the inside-50 count at the major break (31 to 29), Lions co-captain Harris Andrews and his backline contingent were near impenetrable.
Even as the Lions’ superstar midfield was contained in the opening quarter, they eventually exploded to keep Hawthorn scrambling – Will Ashcroft leading the charge with 39 touches and seven clearances, with Lachie Neale (35 disposals, six clearances, three goal assists) hot on his tail.
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