Hawks stun in 'upset of the year', star Pie clamped as Magpies count ...

Hawthorn has sprung one of the upsets of the season on league leaders Collingwood, dominating the flag favourites from start to finish at the MCG.

The Hawks kicked the opening five goals of the game and withstood a constant Magpie threat in the second and third quarters, recording a 32 point win. 16.9 (105) - 11.7 (73).

Skipper James Sicily collected 37 disposals in a best on ground display while veteran Luke Breust kicked three goals to record their sixth win of the season and arguably the finest win of the Sam Mitchell era.

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The Hawks withstood the Magpie threat not once but twice as they conceded a double goal in their third quarter following a scuffle targeted around Brownlow Medal favourite Nick Daicos who was restricted to just five disposals by Finn Maginnes.

It was a costly afternoon for the Magpies with Daicos finishing the game on the bench after a heavy collision in the third quarter. Defender Nathan Murphy also failed to finish the game after being helped from the field with a lower leg injury in the final quarter.

QUARTER BY QUARTER MATCH RECAP:

There were no late changes for either side, with Cam Mackenzie (Hawthorn) and Oleg Markov (Collingwood) named as starting tactical substitutes.

The Hawks had the better of the early territory but failed to take their early chances in front of goal, until Dylan Moore kicked truly, kicking the opening two goals of the afternoon.

The Hawks opened up an early 19 point advantage when first year defender Josh Weddle converted a brilliant running goal from just inside the 50m arc.

“They have absolutely jumped Collingwood,” former Melbourne captain Garry Lyon said on Fox Footy.

“The Collingwood structure all over the ground is all at sea” he added as Luke Breust added a fourth goal, crumbing in the goal square.

The first quarter ended with Collingwood having multiple chances to break the run of Hawthorn goals but much like last week, failed to convert easy opportunities to get on the board and in the game. The Hawks took a 23-point lead into quarter time 4.2 (26) - 0.3 (3).

“We didn’t expect this at all,” commentator Anthony Hudson said on Fox Footy.

The Hawks extended the lead at the start of the second when ruckman Ned Reeves converted the Hawks fifth consecutive goal.

Collingwood finally kicked their first goal of the game when recruit Daniel McStay juggled a mark before just converting the set shot to get the Magpies going.

Star duo Jordan De Goey and Jamie Elliott kicked sparkling goals to lift the Magpie army as the Pies fired up and going in the bleachers. Beau McCreery snapped the fourth Collingwood goal in a row shortly after to bring the deficit back to an even six points.

“A transformation in six minutes at the MCG as Collingwood fire up,” Anthony Hudson said.

The Hawks kicked a settling goal courtesy of a 50m penalty to Brandon Ryan to stretch the lead at half time out to 11 points, 6.4 (40) - 4.5 (29), steadying and slowing down the momentum that Collingwood had built up.

Some clever work on the boundary line and some clean work in the goal square from big man Brandon Ryan helped Hawthorn extend their lead shortly after the long break.

The Pies drew within a goal once again after a free kick handed Collingwood a double goal after.

Daniel McStay then rose and converted his second goal, only for the Hawks to give away a free kick in a post goal scuffle, handing Brownlow Medal favourite Nick Daicos a shot for goal.

To that point, Daicos had been held to less than half a dozen touches by Hawthorn stopper Finn Maginnes.

The Hawks hit back moments later through Harry Morrison and Jacob Koschitzke, restoring Hawthorn’s advantage and ensuring the double goal didn’t hut before Mitch Lewis let fly from downtown to restore their 23- point lead.

“How’s this for a bit of twilight entertainment,” Anthony Hudson said on Fox Footy.

Collingwood hit back once again through their star duo Jordan De Goey and Jamie Elliott to again stay close, but the Hawks refused to relent with the pressure and constantly hit back.

A crunching tackle from Jai Newcombe stopped the freshly substituted Oleg Markov in his tracks in the middle of the MCG, before finding veteran Luke Breust who hit up Harry Morrison who converted to take a 26 point lead into the final change. The Hawks were leading 12.7 (79) - 8.5 (53) at that point.

Breust dribbled the first goal of the final quarter to open up a five goal lead for the Hawks before goals to Newcombe and Lewis opened up 44 point lead for the Hawks deep into the final quarter as they closed into a famous victory.

The Pies conjured some late goals as the sting went out of the game, with the Hawks recording a resounding 32-point victory.

The 3-2-1 (via Ben Waterworth, Ben Cotton and David Zita)

‘OUT OF CONTROL’: ‘UNCOMPRIMISING’ HAWKS STAR’S MONSTER MASTERCLASS

Normal transmission resumed for James Sicily on Saturday night, with the star Hawthorn captain producing a monster masterclass in his club’s most significant win of 2023.

Six days after being curtailed by some shrewd Ross Lyon tactics against St Kilda – he still had 27 disposals but less than 10 intercepts and 10 marks – Sicily tore premiership favourites Collingwood apart with a scintillating performance for the Hawks out of the back-half.

He finished with 37 disposals, a whopping 19 marks and 11 intercepts while going at an incredible 92 per cent by foot.

Sicily was an integral reason behind the Hawks’ outstanding first half, which saw them kick the first five goals of the game.

Remarkably allowed to play on his terms by the Magpies, the Hawthorn skipper won the ball back consistently then provided powerful yet efficient drive from half-back.

Sicily by half-time had already racked up 22 disposals, six intercepts and five score involvements, while going at 93 per cent efficiency by foot.

“We can talk about tactics and strategies, but sometimes you wind the clock back and it’s just about effort – and when effort is spoken about, James Sicily is uncompromising. He’s been superb,” triple All-Australian Nick Dal Santo told Fox Footy.

“The subtle handball to break the lines and really challenge the defence of the Pies, who are structured up so well behind the football. In the blink of an eye, James Sicily changes the whole dynamic of the game with his legs, ball-carrying and superb ball use.

“Clearly he’s been best on. I would assume there’s a lot of conversations going on in the Pies rooms around ‘how do we slow this guy’s game down’, because he’s out of control.”

Sicily, though, didn’t slow down, racking up nine disposals and five marks during Hawthorn’s brilliant six-goal third quarter.

“Everything stops around him … It’s what he does with the ball in hand,” Fox Footy’s Garry Lyon said.

“He’s a fascinating player to watch. If you’re at a ground, just watch him. You’ll think: ‘This is not the way footy is supposed to be played.’”

Sicily was stoked with the in post-game.

“We‘ve bene looking forward to this - a challenge against the best in front of a big crowd. We want to get used to this,” Sicily told Fox Footy.

“I‘m super proud of the boys. Awesome result.”

HAWKS STARE DOWN CHALLENGE AS QUESTIONS START MOUNTING FOR MCRAE AND MAGPIES

Anthony Hudson put it best at quarter time when Hawthorn had kicked four of their opening five goals of the game at the MCG.

“We didn’t expect this at all” Hudson said on Fox Footy, as Hawthorn controlled the opening stanza.

After dropping last week’s match to arch-rival Carlton, the Magpies were having the challenge taken right up to them by the 16th-placed Hawks as their defensive system was left “all at sea” according to Melbourne great Garry Lyon as they slammed on early goals.

“What a great opportunity for the Pies to work through this,” Dal Santo said on Fox Footy.

“Plan A isn’t working. What about your problem solving skills?

“You’re going to have to put up with this over the next couple of months, how do you work through after you’ve had a poor start, against any side?”

Almost instantaneously, Collingwood clicked into gear, slamming on four goals in six minutes to bridge the game back to under two goals before half time.

It loomed as another instance in which the Pies reigned in an opponent before turning on the afterburners in the second half.

Instead, Hawthorn booted six goals to four in the third quarter before turning on the afterburners in the final quarter.

“They’ve just worked them over,” Garry Lyon said of the Hawks watching on.

“Collingwood just keep coming back because they’re a great side but they’ve just had all the answers. Their will is gone.”

It’s a method rival sides would no doubt be taking notes on and one that’s quite simple.

“I think it says if you’re brave enough to take the game on, yes you can compete with the Pies,” Nick Dal Santo said.

“You may turn it over multiple times trying to come through the middle like the Hawks have, but if you get through, you’ll have opportunities.

“If you’re prepared to work and you want to outwork the Pies, yes you can compete with them. The Hawks have simply outworked them today.”

Garry Lyon added: “There’s questions for Craig McRae and the Pies coaching staff. They’ve had everything pretty much on their own terms – and deserve to – because of the way they’ve gone about it.”

“But three games out from the finals, there’s probably a bigger query on them that we’ve had for a while.”

DAICOS CLAMPED AMID PIES INJURY CONCERNS

What started as Finn Maginness clamping Nick Daicos more effectively than anyone before him ended in major injury concerns for Collingwood to further sour Saturday’s loss.

Maginness nullified Daicos for the majority of the evening including limiting the Brownlow Medal favourite to just three disposals, three tackles, one score involvements and 65 metres gained in the first half.

It prompted Craig McRae to move Daicos to full forward in the second half, and it looked like he was capable of breaking the game open at one stage with a goal that ignited the crowd - as part of a heated period in the match - before the 20-year old succumbed to a knee issue that ended his night.

Daicos joined Tom Mitchell (thigh), and by the end of the game, Nathan Murphy (ankle) on the sidelines in a grim sight for Pies fans a month out from finals as they‘ll be hoping the setbacks aren’t serious.

Melbourne great Garry Lyon noted at half-time it was the most “ineffective half” Daicos has had all year, which came on a week he penned a six-year extension with Collingwood until 2029.

So could other teams now look to follow the Hawks’ lead and lock down on Daicos more regularly? Saints great Nick Dal Santo certainly thinks it needs to happen.

“Finn Maginness has done a brilliant job. It raises the conversation once again - why doesn‘t this happen more often?,” Dal Santo said on Fox Footy.

“Not every club has a Finn Maginness, (but) I think they should.

“I think we’ve gone so far as a system in AFL that we’ve now forgot about playing on the opposition’s best midfielder.

“Nick Daicos, the best player in Australia, has an opponent for one of the very few times this year.

“Yet to have an influence at all on this game and the Hawks are in the front.”

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