Hawthorn star Day injured in crushing win over Tigers

[Pelican Press 0]

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

Hawthorn star Day injured in crushing win over Tigers

A potentially season-ending collarbone injury to Hawthorn’s star midfielder Will Day has soured a 63-point win over Richmond that took the rampaging Hawks a step closer to AFL finals.

A breathtaking nine-goal first quarter set the Hawks on their way, and despite Richmond steadying, Sam Mitchell’s charges leapt into seventh with a 19.17 (131) to 10.8 (68) win in front of 58,231 fans at the MCG.

Claiming a first finals berth in six years is in Hawthorn’s hands, given they play 17th-placed North Melbourne in Launceston next Saturday.

Hawthorn (52 points) sit behind fourth-placed Geelong (56), Brisbane (54) and the Western Bulldogs (54) and ahead of Fremantle (50), with Carlton (48 points) playing later on Sunday.

But victory came at a cost, with Day helped off the ground grabbing at his right collarbone, then hospitalised, after colliding with teammate Jai Newcombe when they attacked the same ball in the first quarter.

The classy midfielder’s absence would be a devastating *****, given his crucial role in turning Hawthorn’s year around.

Hawthorn won just one of their first six games while Day, 23, was sidelined with a foot injury at the start of the season, then went 11-4 with him in the 15 games before Sunday.

In Day’s absence, Newcombe (33 disposals, nine clearances) and James Worpel (29 disposals, two goals) shone, while Jack Scrimshaw and Karl Amon were typically classy.

Scrimshaw’s day finished early with a finger injury.

Jack Gunston (five goals), Calsher Dear and Nick Watson (three goals apiece) led Hawthorn’s *******.

Tiger forwards Shai Bolton (three goals), Noah Balta and Rhyan Mansell (two goals apiece) were lively, while Nick Vlastuin and Jayden Short set the tone.

Jack Graham could come under scrutiny for catching Cameron Mackenzie high and late with an attempted spoil in the second term.

Richmond fired the first shot when Mansell kicked a lovely goal on the run.

But Hawthorn kicked seven unanswered goals inside 15 minutes to pile the pain on the rattled Tigers.

After Dear converted Hawthorn’s ninth goal on the bounce, they led by 50 at quarter-time.

Richmond kicked five goals to Hawthorn’s three in the second quarter to cut the deficit to 37 at half-time.

But with Richmond trailing by 34 and pushing in the third term, Toby Nankervis gave away a 50-metre penalty that allowed Worpel to steady the Hawks.

It seemingly broke Richmond’s resolve, with Hawthorn kicking away late.

Last-placed Richmond finish their season against Gold Coast at the MCG next Saturday.

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

#Hawthorn #star #Day #injured #crushing #win #Tigers

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up