A COURAGEOUS Swans outfit has bowed out of the NAB Cup after Hawthorn hung on to score a two-point win in a scrappy affair at Aurora Stadium in Launceston on Sunday.
The Swans scored seven goals to five, but supergoals were enough to secure Hawthorn’s win, 3.2.13 (52) to 0.7.8 (50).
Jude Bolton drew his side to within one point with the first goal of the last quarter, but despite not scoring a major in the final stanza, the Hawks saw off the Swans’ challenge in front of 14,778 fans.
The result was overshadowed by what appears to be a serious injury to key playmaker Nick Malceski.
Malceski’s right knee buckled under him as he was about to give off the ball at half-back two minutes into the third quarter.
He was helped straight from ground and spent the rest of the match on the sideline with the joint iced.
In further bad news for the Swans, promising youngster Kieren Jack was reported for making high contact on Luke Hodge eight minutes into the final term.
More positive was the form of several young Swans, who fought hard in the absence of much of the senior line-up.
Marty Mattner enjoyed his first outing for his new club since crossing from Adelaide in the off-season, gathering 19 possessions and setting up plenty of the play across half-back.
Lewis Roberts-Thomson alternated between the ruck and a defensive sweeping role throughout the match and finished with 18 touches, while Amon Buchanan curbed the influence of Hawks skipper Sam Mitchell for much of the day and gathered 19 disposals of his own.
With the likes of Barry Hall, Tadhg Kennelly, Brett Kirk, Leo Barry and Michael O’Loughlin watching the game back in Sydney, it was an under-strength Swans side that took the field, but they took it right up to the highly-fancied Hawks in the first half.
Ben Mathews gave his side an early lead in an opening quarter that was easily recognisable as each side’s first hitout of the season, with skill errors and turnovers aplenty.
The Swans were unable to muster another major for the term and surrendered the lead when Jarryd Morton guided through a super goal after being brought inside the arc thanks to a 50m penalty.
After trailing by four points at the first break, good defensive pressure from Crag Bird and Jesse White forced a turnover that allowed rookie Matthew O’Dwyer to give his side back the lead with a six-pointer early in the second.
As in the first quarter, however, a 50m penalty led to another Hawks supergoal through Garry Moss. A Shane Crawford goal then put Hawthorn 10 points clear, but the Swans finished the half strongly with goals to Nick Davis and Bird – who roved and snapped beautifully off his right foot – giving them a two-point advantage at half time.
The Hawks were quickly back in front after the restart with a goal and supergoal to Morton and Grant Birchall respectively, but the Swans refused to buckle and answered through Jarred Moore and rookie Matthew Beckmans.
Five points in arrears as the final quarter got underway, the Swans again defied the script as Bolton goaled, but they weren’t able to muster a final crucial goal as the Hawks held on grimly.
The Swans will now host Port Adelaide in Sydney next weekend in the NAB Regional Challenge, while Hawthorn will take on Carlton at Telstra Dome in the second round of the NAB Cup.
Hawthorn 1.0.3 2.1.4 3.2.9 3.2.13 (52)
Sydney Swans 0.1.2 0.4.6 0.6.7 0.7.8 (50)
GOALS
Hawthorn: Nine-point goals: Birchall, Morton, Moss. Goals: Crawford, Morton
Sydney Swans: Nine-point goals: Nil. Goals: Beckmans, Bolton, Bird, Davis, Mathews, Moore, O’Dwyer
BEST
Hawthorn: Birchall, Murphy, Muston, Ellis, Hodge, Murphy, Taylor
Sydney Swans: Mattner, Buchanan, Roberts-Thomson, McVeigh, Bird, Jack
INJURIES
Hawthorn: Nil.
Sydney Swans: Malceski (knee)
Reports: Jack (Sydney Swans) reported by field umpire Meredith for rough conduct against Hodge (Hawthorn) in the second quarter.
Umpires: S Meredith S McBurney S Stewart
Crowd: 14,778 at Aurora Stadium, Launceston
