Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Hawthorn dominated the midfield and scored their goals in rapid spurts as Gold Coast crumbled to a fourth-straight defeat and lost defender Daniel Rioli to injury.
The Hawks won 17.11 (113) to 14.13 (97) at Carrara’s People First Stadium on Friday night to improve to 9-1-4 and third place.
Dylan Moore kicked four goals and the Hawks midfield dominated the centre clearances 20-12, the Suns losing all nine in the third term and being flattered by winning the last four of the game.
Ben Long booted four goals for the Suns while Noah Anderson amassed 43 touches, nine more than any other player on the ground.
Mac Andrew and Joel Jeffrey were solid at the back for the Suns, but Hawthorn’s ball-up dominance and their quick-fire goals in the first, third and fourth quarters proved the difference in front of 19,576 fans.
Jai Newcombe starred for Hawthorn with two goals, 30 disposals and 10 clearances while Will Day was explosive out of the centre and Nick Watson (three goals) produced his usual magic.
“They’re just good at footy,” Hawks coach Sam Mitchell said of his game-breakers.
“And when you play sides with as much quality you’re going to need a couple of talent goals.
“Handling momentum is every coach’s desire … we lost control regularly, but didn’t get scored against too heavily.”
There was carnage in the first half, with Jarman Impey (hamstring) ruled out and Rioli likely fracturing his jaw after high contact from Josh Weddle that could land the Hawk in hot water.
Sun Sam Clohesy will also come under scrutiny for his driving tackle on Cam Nairn, who returned after passing his HIA.
Hawthorn’s Karl Amon, who has been managing knee soreness, also limped off late in the third quarter but Mitchell was hopeful it wasn’t serious.
The Suns, facing unprecedented scrutiny because of their stalling form, had all the early ball, amassing 71 to 44 uncontested possessions in the first quarter.
But when Jed Walter spilled an easy mark and Mitch Lewis kicked a goal at the other end it sparked a run of five majors in 10 minutes that gave the visitors a 21-point halftime lead.
Watson whizzed through the traffic and grubbered through a terrific goal, before Newcombe bombed one on the siren.
They added two more after halftime for a 34-point lead, before the Suns found something, Touk Miller squeezing out a much-needed goal.
They kicked the next four to lead by one, before the Hawks kicked three majors in less than three minutes to push the lead back to 20 points.
Things finally tightened up, Petracca bursting on to a loose ball to make it a seven-point game and give the hosts the momentum at the final break.
But it was quickly reversed, Connor Macdonald capitalising when Andrew spilt a tough mark to begin the final quarter, and former Sun Mabior Chol snapped a major and roared in delight to push the lead to 19 points.
Two more centre clearances to Hawthorn created their third and fourth goals inside five minutes and the margin was 31 points.
Long and Walter goals gave the Suns hope and Nick Holman scrapped hard for a major in his 150th AFL game.
But Hawthorn had done enough, a breakaway Moore goal all but sealing the result with nine minutes remaining.
“Two things: (conceding) 5.4 from centre bounce and eight goals from turning the ball over in our front half, which was Suns killing Suns,” coach Damien Hardwick said.
“You’re judged by outcome but our game for most of the night … was pretty strong.”
