Upset victory proves Drysdale’s the real deal

DRYSDALE co-coach Luke Matthews can see his team’s evolution right before his eyes.

Knowing what was on the line, maybe earlier in the year the Hawks wouldn’t have gone to McCartney Oval and rolled Torquay by 34 points like they did on Saturday.

Maybe they would have been competitive but fallen away when the heat really came on.

But in Matthews’ eyes, this isn’t the same Drysdale that started 2019. This is a much more confident and polished side with the talent to do serious damage in the BFL finals.

“It definitely gives us huge belief and the players are definitely starting to realise that,” Matthews said of the win.

“Early in the year we sort of didn’t know how to win. We went into our shells a little bit.

“We didn’t have the confidence and the belief to take games on.

“Now the players have confidence in their ability, belief in their teammates.”

Saturday’s clash with the Tigers was seen as a genuine eight-point game given the evenness of the competition

The Hawks’ 13.13 (91) to 8.9 (57) win certainly went a long way to helping cement their spot in the top five, with Drysdale now six points clear of sixth-placed Torquay.

“It’s always tough to come down to Torquay, especially with how tight the competition is,” Matthews said.

“To come away with a victory like that was fantastic.”

Drysdale controlled the majority of the opening quarter against the breeze, kicking away to a three-goal lead.

But a drop in concentration late in the quarter allowed the Tigers back in the game.

Torquay kicked three goals in the final six minutes to drag the margin back to two points at the first break.

The Hawks were able to build on their lead in the second quarter, taking an 11-point lead into the main break.

It was tight for the majority of the third term too and Torquay trailed by just nine points deep into the quarter before Hawk Mathew Hebbard kicked a late goal to turn the match on its head.

You could feel the momentum go all Drysdale’s way after that moment, with the Hawks 15 points up at the final break.

Matthews barked orders at three-quarter-time, telling his players to keep doing the simple things well.

Before finishing, he pulled them all together and said: “For some of you guys, they’ve rubbed it in your faces the last few years.

“You got an opportunity to rub it back in theirs. Do not waste this moment.” The Hawks listened. Hebbard popped up again early in the last quarter, kicking truly to virtually seal the game for Drysdale.

Jarrod Garth kicked five goals and was dominant after halftime for Drysdale, while Hebbard finished with three.

The Hawks’ defence was superb behind the ball, with Tevan Nofi, Jack Jenkins and Nick Malcher leading the way.

Mitch McGuire and Lauchlan Dalgleish were solid in midfield.

“I thought after halftime we took full control of the game and it was good to run away with the victory,” Matthews said.

“(When it’s) muddy, wet, windy, you’ve just got to do the basics well.

“We just knew if we did it better than Torquay and did it for longer we were going to give ourselves a fair opportunity to win the game and I reckon we did.”