On behalf of the team, that’s all from us from Gather Round’s Super Saturday. The winners were the Brisbane Lions, Essendon, Sydney and Hawthorn.
Check back in on our pages on Sunday for the final three games of the league’s annual football festival.
“We played really good footy for a period in the third and got a lead,” Sam Mitchell explained in his post-match press conference.
“The good sides continue to come. We opened the door for the Dogs, there was a 10-minute period [in which] we were nowhere near our best where we looked like we were inviting them back into the contest. I addressed it, [captain] Jai Newcombe wanted to do that. I cut his lunch a bit and ended up doing it for him.”
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has spoken to media after his team’s 40-point loss to Hawthorn.
The Dogs are unsure the extent of Ed Richards’ injury, but say it’s an issue with his ankle or foot, and not his knee.
Q: What’s the latest on Ed Richards’ injury?
A: “We don’t know the extent of it yet. We’ll have look at it through the imaging and get back to you. We’re hoping it’s not too bad. I can’t give you anything until the medical staff give you something definite. It’s ankle, foot.”
Q: The Hawks put pressure on you...
A: “They did. It’s where they’ve beaten us in the past. The ruck situation was on tenterhooks. I thought we did reasonably well to influence their stuff at centre bounce. We kicked 1.6 from centre bounce and didn’t give up any score... to give up six goals from defensive stoppage was the most significant aspect of the scoring for either team. Regardless of whether Tim’s [English] in the ruck, we shouldn’t be giving up that kind of score.”
Jack Ginnivan spoke to Fox Footy after the game.
“It was a great win. We’ve been challenged by the best sides so far and been up to it. Last year we didn’t beat the best sides, and this year we’ve ticked off three already, so we’re very happy.”
Q: Who was your best on ground?
A: “I liked Moorey’s [Dylan Moore’s] game, two [goals] and 25 [23 possessions]. JB [Josh Battle] down back was elite, he set us up.”
Q: Your kicking inside 50 was a feature of your game.
A: “That’s been something I’ve been working on – It was my excellence plan. I didn’t execute last year, [but] wanted to hone in and be one of the best inside 50 kicks in the competition.”
One of the many positives tonight for the Hawks was Mitch Lewis.
The key forward has missed a lot of football through injury but, at his best, is an important player.
Lewis kicked three goals to go with 18 possessions and 10 marks, including a game-high four contested grabs.
“Do that every week would be nice,” Lewis told Fox Footy after the game. “Consistency. I’ve said it all along, the most AFL games I’ve played in a season is 15. I want to improve on that, [and] contribute, because it’s a fun side to be in.”
Hawthorn have made it four wins in a row by knocking off the previously unbeaten Western Bulldogs by 40 points.
The Hawks were far too good tonight for the Dogs, who could not cover the absence of injured ruckman Tim English.
Ned Reeves and Lloyd Meek won the hitouts in a landslide, 64-17, against debutant Louis Emmett and Rory Lobb. Lobb gave the Dogs added bite in the third quarter, but it was fleeting.
The Hawks controlled clearance, turning the Bulldogs’ strength into their weakness. They outscored the Dogs by 31 points at stoppage. In fact, they exposed all the Dogs’ weaknesses.
Even with Mabior Chol hamstrung for the last three quarters, the Bulldogs could not contain the Hawks’ tall forwards. Mitch Lewis and Jack Gunston combined for six goals against Buku Khamis and James O’Donnell, while Dylan Moore and Nick Watson were constant threats at ground level.
This was the Bulldogs’ biggest loss since round 17, 2024, when Port Adelaide beat them by eight goals in Adelaide.
Final: Hawthorn 15.14 (104) def Western Bulldogs 8.16 (64)
A final insult for the Bulldogs, who have been smashed in the ruck: Ned Reeves, against Jordan Croft, has taken the ball out of the ruck and snapped from close range. The new ruck rules have turned Reeves from a VFL ruckman into a quality AFL ruckman who can impact games.
I’ll preface this by saying this is far from an official update, and based purely on footage of Ed Richards with the Bulldogs team doctor.
Given he had his right boot off, the issue looks to be more with Richards’ ankle than his knee. Richards has made his way to the bench. He looks ginger (no pun intended) but is walking unaided. I’d be stunned if he came back onto the field.
Meanwhile, Jack Gunston has booted his third of the night, taking the Hawks’ lead out to 42 points. We’re well and truly into junk time now.
The Bulldogs’ night could be about to go from bad to worse.
Star onballer Ed Richards is being carried from the field with what looks like a right ankle issue and he is in some serious discomfort.
Richards was a late withdrawal with a knee problem last week, but it’s hard to tell from the replay exactly what happened this time around.
Luke Beveridge has a concerned expression on the bench.
This one’s over. Not even the eternally optimistic Dwayne Russell can convince me the Dogs can still win from here.
Jai Newcombe’s goal from a free kick at stoppage has taken the Hawks out to a 41-point lead. The Dogs have fired their best shot. This is fill your boots time now for the Hawks.