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DARWIN, AUSTRALIA – MAY 15: Ben Long, Eddie Betts, Shaun Burgoyne and Daniel Rioli of the Suns catch up pregame.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Hawks premiership great Cyril Rioli has been shown at the ground tonight and it will warm the hearts of footy fans around the country, especially Hawks faithful.
Rioli has been estranged from the Hawks since his retirement after expressing unhappiness at some of the treatment received by himself and some family members and teammates during his career.
But the player and club have found some common ground in recent times and he was invited to tonight’s game where his nephew Daniel Rioli is among the stars for the Suns.
Broadcasters briefly showed Cyril Rioli watching on and his appearance was welcomed by the commentators.
The Suns are still well on top.
Suns 32, Hawks 6 with three mins to go in Q1.
Ben King missed a shot early on but he was on target from his second shot for goal, nailing it from the left side of the arc.
The Suns ball movement and decisive leads and positioning has been a highlight so far.
Suns 26, Hawks 6 with eight mins to go in Q1.
The Suns celebrate a goal.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
The Suns are building a lead and taking the game to the Hawks in slippery conditions.
Bailey Humphrey just hunted the footy after it spilled out of hands at centre-half forward running onto the footy, taking a couple of steps and booting the goal from just inside 50.
The Hawks haven’t been terrible but haven’t got enough of the footy so far and haven’t been able to move it in the way they usually do.
Suns 20, Hawks 6 with 10 mins to go.
Jed Walter has taken a brilliant speccy over James Sicily, kneeing the Hawks skipper in the back of the head for good measure.
Sadly for the Suns, Walter’s shot missed but that mark will be shown a few times this weekend.
Suns 14, Hawks 6 with 11 mins to go in Q1.
Touk Miller has bobbed up in his 200th game to kick his club’s first goal of the night.
Miller’s kick curved back late and went through for a goal but it needed a review as the goal umpire was accidentally taken out by a Hawks player who was trying to get to the ball.
Ben Long followed up winning a free kick and booting his first major of the night. The Suns are up and about…
Suns 13, Hawks 6 with 14 mins
Dylan Moore of the Hawks celebrates a goal.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Dylan Moore has won a free kick in the goal-square and booted the opener goal of the night.
He is a cagey fella that Moore and appeared to catch-out his defender as he tried to lead off the ball and was caught by a trailing arm.
“He won’t kick many more easier goals than that,” Jack Riewoldt said on Fox Footy.
Hawks 6, Suns 1 with 16 mins to go in Q1.
The fans are smiling and the sun has set.
It’s dropped from 32 degrees to 28 degrees, according to Eddie Betts from Fox Footy.
“We’re still sweating bullets,” Betts said with a laugh.
Hawks fans in Darwin.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Suns star Ben Long warms up as the sun sets behind the stand at TIO Stadium, Darwin.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
The AFL has handed the Western Bulldogs a prime-time boost with a spate of Thursday and Friday night games in the second half of the season, in a fixture that also includes three Friday night double-headers.
The schedule for rounds 16-23 dropped on Thursday, revealing big Friday night programs that the AFL said were aimed at “maximising prime-time audience whilst also managing team travel and breaks between games”.
The Bulldogs will take on the Bombers in one of their three Friday night games.Credit: Getty Images
In round 17, traditional rivals Carlton and Collingwood will play at the MCG before West Coast host GWS in the first of the double-headers. It will be the first time this year two matches will be held on a Friday night, although Good Friday featured a twilight match in Melbourne followed by a late game in Perth.
The Western Bulldogs have been rewarded for their strong start to the season, scoring three Friday evening slots and two Thursdays.
