SNAPSHOT OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THE AFL GRAND FINAL:
* THEY SAID IT: "When the siren blows, you can't explain the feeling. We've had a few ups and downs this year, but the way the boys played ... I'm lost for words - it's an unbelievable feeling," captain Luke Hodge, one of six Hawks to claim a fourth flag with the club under Alastair Clarkson, tries to comprehend the scale of the achievement
* STATS THAT MATTER: Eight first-half behinds to West Coast killed their chances of mounting any sort of resistance to Hawthorn's pressure. Misses from skipper Shannon Hurn and Sam Butler were particularly galling
* THE MOMENT: A minute inside the second term, Luke Hodge kicked a goal that demoralised the Eagles. Finding himself with the ball 30 metres from goal, just inside the boundary line, the Hawks' skipper unleashed an astonishing left-foot checkside snap for Hawthorn's sixth
* THE MOMENTS THAT WEREN'T: After kicking the opening goal of the second half, West Coast blew two golden chances to re-enter the contest. Under no pressure, Luke Shuey kicked inside 50 and straight down Taylor Duryea's throat then, a minute later, Jack Darling dropped a dead-set sitter in front of goal
* MAN OF THE HOUR: Cyril Rioli's astonishing presence inside the Hawks' 50 led the way. After kick-starting Hawthorn's procession with two first-term goals, he turned his hand to setting up goals, tackling, chasing and harassing Eagles defenders into submission. A worthy Norm Smith medallist
* WORTH THE WAIT: After missing the last two winning grand finals, Ryan Schoenmakers wasted no time imposing himself on the third. A terrific round the body kick set up Ben McEvoy for a first-term major, with his forward pressure laying the groundwork for another. Took the game's best mark late in the third term, soaring high over Shannon Hurn
* VIEW FROM THE COMMENTARY BOX: "This is one of the softest grand final performances I've ever seen," Essendon great Matthew Lloyd was scathing of West Coast's performance to halftime.
* WHERE WAS HE?: Josh Kennedy won the Coleman Medal but couldn't manage a single score on the biggest day of the year
* MUSIC WATCH: Ellie Goulding didn't get many excited but Bryan Adams had the crowd's blood pumping with an enthusiastic Summer of '69 and Can't Stop This Thing We Started. No votes to Kate Ceberano misquoting the national anthem, singing "In history's stage, let every stage"
Share
