On Sunday night, Collingwood had to employ a classic playbook to overcome a spectacular comeback from Hawthorn in the second half.
After trailing 38 points at the break, Sam Mitchell’s team rallied to draw within one goal in a row. In a thrilling finale at Adelaide Oval, they kicked the game’s last five goals, including the sole four goals of the fourth quarter.
Despite losing Luke Breust, Nick Watson, and Mitch Lewis, three forwards from the Easter Monday loss to Geelong, Hawthorn found enough firepower to threaten Collingwood late in the game and nearly pull off one of the season’s biggest upsets.
Jack Ginnivan and Lachie Schultz, the two that switched clubs in October. Dylan Moore, the deputy captain of Hawthorn, and Blake Hardwick, the former TAC Cup big bagger.
The main focus of the game was Ginnivan’s first encounter with his former team following Premiership Pie’s shocking move on deadline day. And he did not let down, kicking two goals, one of which came in the last quarter after he had given up a 50-meter penalty to the boundary umpire for pointing out to him that Isaac Quaynor had not returned the ball.
When he was a teenager, Blake Hardwick would kick huge bags in the TAC Cup. However, at halftime, the forward-turned-defender went back to his natural position in attack, scoring four goals in the second half to tie the score, including three in an incredible third quarter spurt.
The season’s best performance thus far has come from box office hero Jordan De Goey, who responded to the situation and finished with 31 disposals, 11 contested possessions, seven tackles, six clearances, 791 meters gained, and a goal in an outstanding display.
In pursuit of the ultimate reward, Brownlow Medallist Tom Mitchell struck back at the team he left 18 months ago, racking up 30 touches, 18 contested possessions, 10 tackles, and even some clearances.
John Noble continued his redemption tale with another eye-catching display off half-back, backing up a strong return to the 22 on Easter Thursday after being dropped on the eve of last September and missing out on the premiership.
After starting the premiership defence without a win across the first three rounds, following losses to Greater Western Sydney, Sydney and St Kilda, the Magpies head to the bye with their season back on track after back-to-back away trips. They faced a historically difficult opponent, one that was, on paper, winless at the beginning of 2024 and depleted. Although Hawthorn was competing outside of its weight division at the Adelaide Oval, they had won 14 of the previous 17 games going back to the preliminary final in 2011. The Hawks were valiant, but they end round four without a victory to begin 2024 despite having a huge experience differential of 144 average games to 66 and seven players with fewer than 20 games to one.
