Hardy Hawks prevail against the Roos

Hawthorn surged ahead with an impressive eight-goal performance in the second quarter, paving the way for a commanding victory over North Melbourne, who are also struggling near the bottom of the ladder. Despite North Melbourne’s efforts to rally in the second half, they couldn’t narrow the gap on the scoreboard. Notably, Nick Larkey and Paul Curtis contributed three goals each for the Roos, while Hawthorn’s Dylan Moore stood out with four goals, supported by midfielders Jai Newcombe and Conor Nash who worked tirelessly. With this loss, North Melbourne remains the sole winless team of the 2024 season.

Former protege surpasses mentor once more

Sam Mitchell, who spent over a decade under Alastair Clarkson’s tutelage at Hawthorn before controversially assuming the head coaching role in 2022, emerged victorious in the coaching duel on Sunday. Despite Clarkson’s success leading the Hawks, Mitchell’s guidance propelled the struggling North Melbourne team to victory, showcasing his evolution from his time with the dominant Hawthorn side of the early 2010s. While coaching the bottom-ranked Roos differs vastly from his previous experiences, Mitchell undoubtedly finds satisfaction in defeating his former mentor for the third consecutive encounter.

Newcombe regains his form

Following a challenging outing for Hawthorn’s midfielders against Gold Coast last week, Jai Newcombe rose to the occasion. After a dip in form compared to his exceptional performances in 2022 and 2023, the 2021 mid-season draftee returned to top form with 27 disposals and seven clearances. If Hawthorn aims to progress in 2024, they’ll rely heavily on consistent performances like Newcombe’s to drive their improvement.North Melbourne scored 10.8 (68) while Hawthorn tallied 17.11 (113) in their recent match.

Scoring:

– North Melbourne’s goals were scored by Curtis (3), Larkey (3), Ford, Simpkin, Drury, and Tucker.

– Hawthorn’s goals were contributed by Moore (4), Ginnivan (2), Chol (2), Amon (2), Meek (2), Gunston, Weddle, Morrison, Macdonald, and Maginness.

Standout Performers:

– Notable players for North Melbourne were Sheezel, Xerri, Curtis, and Davies-Uniacke.

– Hawthorn’s standout performers included Newcombe, Nash, Macdonald, Morris, and Impey.

Injuries:

– North Melbourne’s Ford suffered a hip injury.

– There were no reported injuries for Hawthorn.

Substitutions:

– Charlie Lazzaro substituted for Eddie Ford for North Melbourne in the third quarter.

– Henry Hustwaite replaced Massimo D’Ambrosio for Hawthorn in the third quarter.

Attendance:

– The match drew a crowd of 30,648 at Marvel Stadium.