Match

Hawthorn vs Carlton

Commentary / 29 Jun 2023

Pre Game

00:00
Last time these sides met in Round 3, 2022 the Blues had a one-point win. Carlton has won its last two games against Hawthorn but had lost 17 of the previous 18 games between these teams going back to 2005.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:26
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (Connor Macdonald)
00:34
The first score of the game to the Hawks came from the opening centre bounce clearance. Carlton scored 50 points from centre bounce clearances in its last match against Gold Coast who did not score from this source. This is the third-largest scoring differential on record.
02:18
Hawthorn has lost the clearance count in each of its last four games by an average of 13 per game (ranked last). The Hawks have won the first two clearances today.
03:31
Carlton has scored the first goal of the game and it followed an intercept in the defensive midfield. The Blues average 11 points per game from this source, but did not score from any of these chains in its last game.
05:13
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (Connor Macdonald)
07:39
An early missed shot at goal from Harry McKay and the Blues. Carlton is ranked last for accuracy this season and has converted only 30 percent of shots at goal on the run (every other team has converted at least 44 percent of these shots).
09:06
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Jack Martin)
09:52
Hawthorn and Carlton have both been high disposal teams this season and are the top-2 ranked teams for disposal differential. The Blues have an early 38-19 lead in disposals today.
11:03
Hawthorn is ranked No.1 at winning post-clearance ground balls this season but Carlton has an early 8-4 lead in this count which is contributing to its lead in contested possessions.
13:30
Carlton has an early 10-4 lead in the tackle count, and is recording a high pressure rating of more than 200. This pressure is helping keep the ball in its forward half.
15:11
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Charlie Curnow)
16:11
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Jack Martin)
16:47
The second goal for the Blues followed an intercept in the forward 50. Carlton has generated only 14.1 percent of its score this season from forward 50 chains this season, which is the lowest percentage of any team.
18:17
Carlton has generated the last six inside 50 entries of the game and has now recorded 74 percent time in forward half this term. The Blues lead contested possessions 29-13 and uncontested possessions 47-18 with Hawthorn struggling to win or maintain possession.
19:54
SCORE GOAL - Blues (David Cuningham)
20:12
The Blues now lead 8-3 in midfield intercepts and two of their goals have been launched with these intercepts. Key forwards Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay have both been involved in three scores and look dangerous with Hawk captain James Sicily absent today.
22:34
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Ed Curnow)
22:52
Hawthorn has had six chains starting in the defensive midfield, but none of these have generated an inside 50 entry. Carlton has had seven chains starting in the equivalent zone and generated four inside 50 entries and scored 2.1.13 from these chains.
25:24
Blues Interchange - Harry McKay off due to an injury.
25:55
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (Rushed)
27:07
Carlton is continuing to dominate contested possession (42-23) and territory (inside 50s 16-6). The biggest differential in contested possessions this season in the opening quarter of any game is 22.
29:27
Despite losing the hitouts 5-20, Carlton has won the first possession at stoppages 16-7 and also won the clearance count 10-8.
30:30
A strong opening quarter from the Blues who won contested possession 47-30 and then moved the ball more effectively with a major 77-40 lead in uncontested possessions. This is the first time since Round 8, 1997 that the Hawks have not kicked a goal in the opening quarter against the Blues.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
01:26
SCORE GOAL - Blues (David Cuningham)
01:34
An early goal in the second quarter to David Cuningham and the Blues, and it was again launched with an intercept in the defensive midfield with Jack Silvagni featuring in this chain. Silvagni has been involved in a game-high five scores for Carlton and launched three of these scores.
04:22
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Matthew Owies)
04:30
Carlton averages 18.5 points per game from intercepts in its defensive half. Following the last goal to Matt Owies, the Blues have already scored 25 points today from these chains with the Hawks struggling to disrupt ball movement.
06:41
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (Fergus Greene)
07:04
Hawthorn has had nine of the last 11 inside 50 entries but has not been as effective when entering the forward 50. Carlton leads 6-2 in forward 50 marks and 24-10 in forward 50 disposals.
08:37
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (Fergus Greene)
08:51
Fergus Greene has now taken all three of the forward 50 marks for the Hawks but his three set shots at goal have returned only two behinds. Carlton has scored 4.2 from its set shots at goal today.
12:17
Hawthorn is winning contested possession this quarter (19-12) but has recorded forward half kicking efficiency of only 38 percent while Carlton has kicked with 70 percent efficiency in its forward half.
13:39
Carlton is continuing to move the ball well from its defensive half and has now scored 31 points from defensive half intercepts. Only twice this season have the Blues scored more than this in a whole game.
15:24
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Charlie Curnow)
15:40
The last goal to Charlie Curnow was the first of the game to come from a centre bounce clearance and gives the Blues a return of 6.2 from set shots. Curnow has now recorded a game-high seven score involvements and averages 7.9 per game this season.
17:58
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
18:32
Carlton has scored a goal from only 20.4 percent of its inside 50 entries this season (ranked 17th). Today, the Blues have kicked seven goals from 25 inside 50 entries and looked more dangerous with their ball movement.
21:07
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Charlie Curnow)
21:52
Hawks Interchange - Mitch Lewis off due to an injury.
22:07
Jacob Weitering has out-marked his opponent in 20.4 percent of the one-on-one he has defended this season, which is the fifth-highest percentage of the top-25 to defend a contest in the AFL. Weitering has won two of these four contests today and drawn the other two.
22:37
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Blake Acres)
23:36
Mitch Lewis has been involved in 35.8 percent of all scoring chains in the games he has played this season (ranked No.1 in the AFL). Lewis has not been involved in any scores today and is currently off the ground with an injury concern.
24:33
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Harry McKay)
25:01
Carlton leads 9-1 in forward half clearances today, but the goal to Harry McKay was its first of the game from this source. McKay has already applied four tackles (averages 1.6 per game) and is ranked second at the Blues for pressure today.
28:17
Today is the first time ever that Hawthorn has failed to kick a goal in the first half of a game against Carlton. The Blues were strong defensively, leading in tackles (43-34), intercept marks (12-5), and restricting the Hawks to a forward half kicking efficiency of only 35 percent.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:34
While Hawthorn leads 33-11 in hitouts it only leads 5-3 in hitouts to advantage with its rucks and midfield unable to effectively connect and give the Hawks an advantage at stoppages.
01:49
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (Rushed)
03:33
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Sam Docherty)
03:40
A clever piece of play from Sam Docherty has given the Blues the first goal of the third quarter. The goal came from a defensive half clearance and Carlton now leads 21-1 in points scored from stoppages. Hawthorn was outscored by 42 points from clearances last round, which is its worst differential since 2018.
05:43
SCORE GOAL - Hawks (Mitch Lewis)
06:49
Finally a goal for the Hawks and it came from a forward half clearance. Hawthorn has scored from only 29.3 percent of these clearances this season (ranked last) and averages only 11.6 points per game from this source (ranked 17th).
07:32
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Harry McKay)
08:06
SCORE GOAL - Hawks (Luke Breust)
08:26
Consecutive goals for the Hawks with the second coming from a kick-in chain. Luke Breust has kicked at least one goal in each of his last 15 matches at the MCG and had kicked 15.2 in his last five games against the Blues before today.
10:29
SCORE GOAL - Hawks (Fergus Greene)
10:36
A forward half intercept led to the third goal for the Hawks who have started this quarter strongly. In this period, Hawthorn leads uncontested possessions 24-12, inside 50 entries 5-2, and hitouts to advantage 4-0.
12:06
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (Will Day)
12:25
James Worpel has been involved in four scores this quarter for the Hawks and launched two of the scores with his clearances. Hawthorn leads the clearance count 7-3 this term as it starts to take advantage of its hitout dominance.
16:27
The Hawks are clearly trying to put speed on their ball movement this quarter with more handballs than kicks (38-28) and playing on from four of their first seven marks.
17:23
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (Rushed)
18:34
A steadying goal for the Blues from Blake Acres who has been prominent today. Acres is currently the No.1 ranked player on the ground and has recorded a team-high 379 metres gained from his 17 disposals and also posted five intercepts and five score involvements.
21:26
Hawthorn conceded a season-high 28 intercept marks to Gold Coast last week, and is again having issues with this measure today (Carlton leads 16-7 in intercept marks).
21:55
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Harry McKay)
22:54
This season teams have averaged only 3.4 points per game from kick-ins. This quarter there have been three goals kicked from this source (two for the Hawks and one for the Blues).
24:57
Hawthorn had not kicked a goal from a kick-in since its Round 10 win against West Coast but has kicked two goals from two kick-ins this quarter.
26:32
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Jack Martin)
27:06
Jack Martin has had only seven disposals today but has still been involved in seven scores including his two goals. Carlton now leads 13-5 in forward 50 marks and has a return of 9.5 from its set shots at goal.
27:57
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Lewis Young)
29:16
SCORE GOAL - Hawks (Fergus Greene)
29:26
Fergus Greene has now taken five of the six forward 50 marks for the Hawks. Greene has recorded a team-high seven score involvements and Hawthorn has made it an incredible three goals from three kick-ins this quarter.
32:10
A much better quarter from the Hawks who dominated uncontested possession (76-41) including handball receives (44-25) and recorded 81 percent kicking efficiency. The Hawks were able to use this improved ball movement in kicking three goals from kick-in chains

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:55
The Hawks have won the loose ball get differential by 4.2 per game this season (ranked No.1), and lead this count again today (50-45). Carlton is leading in all of the other components of contested possessions and leads the overall count 113-98.
01:35
Blues Interchange - Matthew Kennedy off due to an injury.
02:42
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (Rushed)
03:34
Lachie Fogarty has recorded an equal game-high nine score involvements today including three score assists while also applying an equal team-high seven tackles in just his second game in 12 months.
04:43
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Jack Martin)
05:38
Jack Martin continues to have an impact with the ball in hand making it eight score involvements from eight disposals including a game-high three goals.
08:15
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Adam Cerra)
08:27
Carlton has now scored a season-high 61 points from defensive half chains. The Blues have also converted more efficiently today with a return of 11.5 from set shots at goal.
09:55
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Charlie Curnow)
10:07
While Hawthorn has edged Carlton 10-8 in centre bounce clearances, the Blues now lead 13-1 in points scored from this source following the last goal to Charlie Curnow.
11:33
SCORE GOAL - Hawks (Mitch Lewis)
13:34
SCORE GOAL - Hawks (Connor Macdonald)
13:47
A pair of goals to the Hawks following forward 50 marks to Mitch Lewis and Connor Macdonald. Carlton still leads 17-8 in forward 50 marks and 18-9 intercept marks and has been better at connecting with its players forward of the ball today.
16:34
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Jack Silvagni)
17:02
Jack Silvagni has now recorded an equal career-high ten score involvements which includes seven score launches from his intercepts and stoppage work.
19:22
Harry McKay has recorded a career-high four score assists today and also recorded a team-high 454 metres gained playing higher up the ground.
22:35
This is now the highest score for Carlton against Hawthorn since Round 17, 2000 when it scored 120 points.
25:58
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Harry McKay)
26:07
Another goal for the Blues from a defensive half chain. Carlton now leads 73-29 in points scored from these chains which more than doubles its season average of 27.4 points.
29:47
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (Rushed)
29:57
Carlton has applied a season-high 85 tackles today and has a season average of only 56.9 for this measure. The Blues have won contested possessions (143-125) and uncontested possessions (248-212) while also applying more tackles.
32:01
A big 60-point win for the Blues was set up with a strong defensive first half. It is the first time since 1995 Carlton has beaten Hawthorn by at least ten goals. The Blues outscored the Hawks 46-9 from stoppages and 60-25 from turnovers.