From the Archives, 2007: Hawks soar past Crows in final dramatic seconds

First published in The Age on September 9, 2007

Hawks soar past Crows in final dramatic seconds

1st Elimination Final – Hawthorn 15.15 (105) d Adelaide 15.12 (102)

Hawthorn players celebrate their victory.Credit:Pat Scala

IT IS the reason there is so much hype about Lance Franklin.

Others had their chance to win yesterday’s epic qualifying final against Adelaide off their own boot, but with eight seconds remaining, it was “Buddy” Franklin who sealed the deal. His set shot from 50 metres sailed through, putting the Hawks in front for only the second time in the match and causing the stands to heave with delirious fans.

What pleased coach Alastair Clarkson as much as that final shot, though, was his defensive pressure moments earlier, which had forced Scott Thompson’s clearing kick from defence to skew out of bounds on the full, giving the Hawks one last desperate chance to keep their season alive.

Crows players swarm as the balls is kicked.Credit:John Donegan

A Shane Crawford chip found Rick Ladson, who trod water 80 metres from goal, waiting calmly for an option before hitting Franklin on the lead, clear of his opponent, Kris Massie.

It seems remarkable to convey that a 20-year-old who kicked seven goals in his first final contributed only spasmodically. Often, particularly early, he got his hands clear and to the ball, only to spill chances. But Franklin doesn’t need much of an opening. His second goal came after spilling a mark, but he retained his composure, and his feet, and re-gathered to snap brilliantly from 35 metres out.

Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin celebrates a goal.Credit:Pat Scala

A burst of three goals just before half-time kept the Hawks in the match. Three more through the final term won it for them.

At least on the scoreboard. In essence, it was Hawthorn‘s much-vaunted midfielders who drove the team on relentlessly. The vastly experienced Crawford, one of only six Hawks with finals experience, ran relentlessly from the outset, both to create and to pressure opponents, and was still in full flight at the end, kicking a team-lifting goal at the start of the final quarter to reduce the margin to eight points.

Sam Mitchell was at his incisive best and had a gripping duel with Tyson Edwards at centre bounces. Adelaide was on top in centre clearances early and kicked the first three goals. Hawthorn‘s first came after Mitchell created a turnover and worked in congestion to handpass to Rick Ladson, who set Jordan Lewis on his way for a running shot from 50 metres.

There were others who made less flamboyant but equally telling contributions. Skipper Richie Vandenberg’s body may be telling him to stop, but his lungs and heart allowed him to sacrifice his own game to sit on Andrew McLeod. Vandenberg had only six disposals, but restricted the dual Norm Smith medallist to only 12. Similarly, Michael Osborne played as a defensive forward pocket, stifling the creative dash of Graham Johncock. At the other end, Joel Smith kept Adelaide’s potential wildcard, Brett Burton, goalless.

The Crows had solid contributions from marking forwards Nick Gill and Ken McGregor, and Scott Welsh threatened to snatch the game away with three goals in the second half, but they never seemed to have a go-to man. In his final match, skipper Mark Ricciuto floundered badly against Campbell Brown and was forced to rest his failing body for the second half.

Hawthorn’s Campbell Brown tackles Adelaide’s Jason Porplyzia.Credit:Sebastian Costanzo

Ruckman Robert Campbell had such a telling impact in the first 15 minutes of the final quarter that the 50-50 time-share arrangement with Simon Taylor was abandoned, and Campbell shouldered the bulk of the big-man duties when the match needed to be won. He was directly responsible for at least two of the last five Hawthorn goals.

But the footballer who did most to inspire Hawthorn across 12 minutes was Luke Hodge. There was a collective groan on the terraces when he twisted a knee and limped off in the second quarter, but they make them tough down Colac way, and after a painkilling injection, he returned to the fray 14 minutes later. He headed straight to the centre circle, fed out a crucial handball in traffic and simply got on with it.

The pivotal moment of the match came midway through the final quarter, when Hodge gathered on a forward flank, evaded one opponent, and as he was tackled by the next delivered an overhead 10-metre handball behind him to Clinton Young. He ran on to the ball and kicked a banana on the run to reduce the margin to two points.

All that remained was for someone to kick the sealer. Lewis missed a golden opportunity from 10 metres out. Tim Boyle and Chance Bateman both pushed set shots wide.

Jarryd Roughead, who had contributed three telling goals in the first half, fluffed set shots, the second of them with only 70 seconds remaining.

Enter Buddy Franklin.

DETAILS

HAWTHORN

4.3 8.7 10.10 15.15 (105)

ADELAIDE

7.4 10.7 12.12 15.12 (102)

GOALS

Hawthorn: Franklin 7, Roughead 3, Lewis, Crawford, Bateman, Brown, Young.

Adelaide: McGregor 4, Welsh 4, Porplyzia 2, Edwards, Gill, Van Berlo, Torney, Knights.

BEST

Hawthorn: Hodge, Mitchell, Crawford, Franklin, Roughead, Brown, Vandenberg.

Adelaide: Edwards, Thompson, Porplyzia, Knights, Torney, Gill.

INJURIES

Hawthorn: McGlynn (groin) replaced in the selected side by Osborne, Hodge (knee).

Adelaide: Ricciuto (knee), Porplyzia (shoulder).

REPORTS

Torney (Adelaide) reported by field umpire Chamberlain for rough conduct on Franklin (Hawthorn) in the second quarter.

UMPIRES

Kennedy, Allen, Chamberlain

CROWD

36,534 at Telstra Dome.

THE MOMENT

Easy. There were seven seconds left in the match when Lance Franklin lined up the most important shot of his rapidly rising career. Buddy loves the big time and his shot produced his seventh goal, and a Hawthorn win.

THE PLAYER

Luke Hodge had an enormous last quarter after twisting a knee in the first half. If Franklin provided the final-term icing, then Hodge was the cake.

THE STAT

One. The number of handballs Franklin dished off. Which doesn’t really matter when you kick seven goals two behinds with your 11 kicks. — EMMA QUAYLE

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