Source : the age
By Andrew Wu and Sam McClure
Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn
Whitten Oval
Western Bulldogs 18.9 (117) d Hawthorn 11.7 (73)
The match
Freshly minted Hawthorn captain Jai Newcombe is in danger of missing the start of the home-and-away season over a dangerous tackle from the Hawks’ final practice game.
The Hawks will learn on Monday whether Newcombe is rubbed out for pinning the right arm of Western Bulldogs midfielder Ed Richards as he brought the star midfielder to the ground on Friday night.
A suspension to Newcombe would further test the depth of the Hawks’ midfield, already missing injured star Will Day and having lost James Worpel to Geelong in the off-season.
In another blow, Cam Mackenzie, who would have been in line for more midfield time if Newcombe is unavailable, has been ruled out of the opening round clash against Greater Western Sydney on Saturday after failing a concussion test.
Though Richards played on and finished the game despite his head bouncing off the turf, match review officer Michael Christian can use the potential to cause injury as reason to upgrade the level of impact.
A grading of careless high contact with low impact would result in a fine for Newcombe but if the impact is upgraded to medium, he would face a one-match suspension.
A tackle can be deemed dangerous if an arm is pinned and leaves the tackled player in a “vulnerable position with little opportunity to protect himself”, according to the AFL’s tribunal guidelines.
Richards could have broken his fall with his free arm and hand by disposing of the ball, but it is the tackler’s action which is deemed more relevant by the MRO.
Former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley and Melbourne great Garry Lyon both said they expected Newcombe to escape suspension, but Lyon said there were grounds for the Hawk to be banned.
“[It] ticks a lot of boxes for a suspension apart from the fact he [Richards] got up and played on,” Lyon said on Fox Footy.
“I know we ask a lot. But the way it’s described to us is he has to identify he has one arm where he can’t move and he takes him to ground and his head hits the ground.
Jai Newcombe of the Hawks on Friday night.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
“From that point of view, a lot of those boxes were ticked. But the fact that Ed Richards jumps up and plays on suggests he’ll be OK.”
Newcombe, promoted to co-captain in January alongside James Sicily, played a lone hand in the Hawks’ midfield in their 44-point loss to the Bulldogs.
The Hawks’ on-ball brigade was brutalised by Geelong in last year’s preliminary final but was not bolstered during the trade period when they could not strike a deal to secure Essendon gun Zach Merrett. Conor Nash, Josh Ward and Connor Macdonald were well beaten by the Dogs’ star-studded midfield.
The injury-ravaged Giants will be without several of their best players, including star on-ballers Tom Green and Josh Kelly, tagger Toby Bedford, speedster Darcy Jones and smart forward Brent Daniels, but they have not given up hope on dynamic left-footer Finn Callaghan recovering in time from his hip injury.
Bulldogs young gun Jordan Croft, another highly rated father-son key forward at Whitten Oval, all but made himself a lock for opening round after booting three goals, all in the first half. The Bulldogs had the game won by the long break after booting seven goals in the second quarter and were not threatened after half-time.
Jordan Croft celebrates after kicking a goal against Hawthorn.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Coleman Medal fancy Sam Darcy put his name in the frame to line up against the Brisbane Lions with a strong training session on Friday after complaining of soreness in his hip and groin from a knock in the back in the state game.
“He trained earlier today and had a controlled session,” Bulldogs development coach Jarryn Geary said. “He’ll be assessed on Wednesday. He’s got to get through that and see how he goes next week.”
Even with Darcy sitting out the practice game, the Dogs’ offensive threat was on show, raising their bat for the ton before three-quarter time.
At 201 centimetres, Croft has all the trademarks of a future unicorn. He can run, take a grab and is also a force at ground level. All these traits were on show for his first goal when he recovered quickest in a marking contest against All Australian defender Josh Battle deep in the forward line. Small forward Arthur Jones also impressed, booting three goals in a livewire performance.
The Hawks did little right in a performance that will not have filled coach Sam Mitchell with confidence heading into their season-opener against Greater Western Sydney despite assistant coach Adrian Hickmott’s positive post-match appraisal.
Missing only Tom Barrass and Karl Amon from their likely team for the opening round, the Hawks were no match for a Bulldogs team that was cleaner and tougher.
They had issues across all three zones on the ground. Their defence was routinely opened up, their midfield, with the exception of Newcombe, was well beaten, and in attack it was Jack Gunston or bust for much of the night.
The failure to secure Zach Merrett combined with Will Day’s injury struggles mean Hawthorn will need significant improvement from within for their midfield to beat the top teams. On this outing, they still have work to do.
The moment
Jordan Croft’s athletic gifts were on show with his second goal. Marking a pinpoint kick on the run back to goal, Croft had the speed to outpace the chasing James Sicily and the skill to convert on the run from 35 metres out. Players standing 201cm are not supposed to play like this.
The eye-catcher
It has been a slow burn for Bulldogs swingman Buku Khamis, but this might be the year it clicks for him. Khamis revelled in the responsibility of a key defensive job, having played primarily as a third tall option at either end of the ground in his 41 games. He shut out Mitch Lewis and was also a force with his intercept marking and reading of the play to sag off his opponent and spoil as the third man in a marking contest. Khamis wanted out at the end of last year when Carlton came knocking, but could not strike a deal. If Khamis maintains this form, it will prove to be smart business by the Dogs.
The injuries
Dogs youngster Ryley Sanders will miss the clash with the Lions after being concussed in a bizarre incident. Sanders copped a ball to the face in a contest on the wing in the second half, ending what had been an impressive 26-possession game.
Hawthorn will assess Cam Mackenzie from a head knock sustained in a tackle.
What the coaches said
Jarryn Geary (Western Bulldogs): “The pleasing thing about tonight was his [Croft’s] pressure and aerial presence. He’s a young player finding his way but showing promising signs and to hit the scoreboard and impact at ground level is quite promising for a guy of that stature.”
Adrian Hickmott (Hawthorn): ”We’ve been training fantastic. Not at all [worried]. At times, we didn’t work hard enough. They worked us over the ground but not concerned at all.”
The verdict
The Bulldogs could not have asked for much more in their final outing before the home and away season. They should head to Brisbane with confidence they can start the season with an upset win.
This was a head-scratcher for the Hawks, who can draw some comfort they are playing undermanned Giants team next week instead of one of the other three northern clubs.
Melbourne v Richmond
Mars Stadium, Ballarat
Demons 12.6 (78) d Tigers 6.7 (43) (shortened game)
Bailey Fritsch charges forward for the Dees in Ballarat.Credit: AFL Photos
The match
A smoother, slicker Demons outfit under Steven King provided entertainment and a discernible game plan against Richmond on a bizarre day in Ballarat that saw lightning literally strike twice, eventually forcing the game to be abandoned midway through the third quarter.
Harrison Petty returned to defence for Melbourne and was solid.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Melbourne consistently took risks with their ball movement through the middle of the ground, a brand their fans have not been accustomed to. They looked potent up forward, particularly in the first quarter, which stretched to 74 minutes long because players were sent off the field when lightning struck nearby.
Facing a new-look future without Clayton Oliver (now at GWS), Christian Petracca (Gold Coast) and the injured Jack Viney, it was the kids that impressed for the Demons.
It was also a sight for sore eyes for Melbourne fans to see premiership defender Harrison Petty return to the backline, where he looked solid alongside veteran Jake Lever and Daniel Turner.
The Demons kicked seven goals in the elongated opening term, ending the match with 12 when time was called midway through what was supposed to be the third quarter. The shining light up forward for the Dees was key forward Jacob van Rooyen, who contributed three majors.
For the Tigers, veteran forward Tom Lynch was unusually inaccurate in front of goal, finishing with 2.3, while Jayden Short was the leading disposal-getter on the ground with 20.
Xavier Lindsay and Koltyn Tholstrup celebrate a Melbourne goal.Credit: AFL Photos
The moment
It was late in the first quarter when raw forward Koltyn Tholstrup marked outside 50m and immediately showed his intentions.
While many Demons fans may not have thought he had the distance in him, the young West Australian used all his skill and power – and a slight breeze behind him – to boot an extremely impressive goal.
The eye-catcher
While 15 disposals and a goal may not usually be described as an eye-catching performance, Melbourne fans have something to look forward to in 2026 when they watch speed demon Caleb Windsor spend more time in the midfield. Windsor, who spent all of last year on the wing, was utilised inside the contest more by King and will provide much-needed speed through the middle of the ground in the absence of Clayton Oliver.
Richmond’s Hugo Ralphsmith warms up for the practice game in ballarat under threatening skies.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
The injuries
Luker Kentfield (concussion). Walked off very groggy after a heavy collision while leading out of full-forward early in the game.
Sam Cumming (shoulder). Came off clutching his shoulder with two minutes to go in the first quarter.
What the coaches said
Chris Newman (Richmond): “It was a little bit different, obviously we haven’t been in this situation too many times before [sent off because of lightning], but the players reacted well. They knew they had to stay flexible with what the AFL felt was appropriate at this time. Safety is paramount. They’ve tried to keep the energy up and after the first break we actually came out and played some pretty good footy, so it’s a testament to a young group that they can bounce back.”
Nathan Jones (Melbourne): “The profile of the [midfield] group has absolutely changed in terms of its ability to transition from a running power perspective. We still value winning the ball, but the game’s tweaked a bit in terms of your ability to be able to pressure and strip and win it back, as much as it is win the ball and explode and explore on offence. We’ve put some time into that and we’ve exposed players to that and I think that’s evolving.
“There’s still opportunity for us to continue to get better in there but it’s exciting. Some of the boys in there have got huge upside and aren’t super experienced, but we’ve also got some experience around them.”
The verdict
Lots to like from a Melbourne perspective, but to be honest, it’s hard to know how much to take out of a game that was quite literally abandoned. Richmond had senior stars, including Dion Prestia, Noah Balta and Nick Vlastuin, missing and senior leadership will be required to steer the ship at Punt Road in 2026.
