THUNDER ON THE MONEY

Brisbane Aspley belted in Top End, while Poppy sets MCG alight

WHEN the end comes in this game, it comes swiftly.

The Hawthorn we have come to know is gone, replaced by a rebooted outfit with tired stars and an increasingly vulnerable underbelly.

But don’t expect any sympathy cards to arrive on the Waverley doorstep this week.

For while pundits have talked all over each other to pronounce the end of the Hawks’ incredible reign of dominance, now there can be no doubt.

The Hawks are 0-2 in 2017, bludgeoned after quarter-time on their own deck by a wasteful Adelaide side which lost Josh Jenkins to game-ending rib damage in the first quarter.

Hawthorn had its own injury issues, with Isaac Smith and Liam Shiels barely sighted in the second half.

But where Mitch McGovern’s sticky hands and Andy Otten’s growing influence covered the loss of Jenkins, Hawthorn floundered like we’ve rarely seen.

Hawthorn’s first quarter came with a message – a 6.2 to 2.2 mauling that wound back the clock.

Luke Breust kicked three first quarter goals, Cyril Rioli was electric, Luke Hodge was in everything and Josh Gibson was intercept marking like it was 2015.

Then it came crashing down. Adelaide’s steady, methodical challenge had a sense of inevitability about it.

The Crows kicked 14 goals to seven after quarter time. Only four points up at threequarter time, Don Pyke’s men rammed on the first four goals of the last term to shut the door.

They were well served by Rory Sloane’s tackling and brilliant contested work and Tom Lynch’s versatility to give them their first win against the Hawks since 2011.

For the third consecutive game dating back to the semifinal loss to the Western Bulldogs, the Hawks were overwhelmed the longer the game went on.

Adelaide dominated in the air taking 22 contested marks to six and 9-1 inside 50m.

For the Hawks, Tom Mitchell had it 38 times and Jaeger O’Meara 37 but they had few mates.

Ryan Burton, playing his fifth game, showed why the club bestowed him with Sam Mitchell’s No. 5 and Will Langford, has re-found his form.

NT Thunder’s five-goal hero Darren Ewing marking in front of Aspley’s Jackack Sta Stanley anley anleynley in last night nightnight’ss NEAFL clash at TIO Stadium. Inset:t Hawthorn’s Paul Puopolo takes a sensational mark during the loss to Adelaide in...

Picture: GETTY IMAGES Rory Sloane of the Crows marks in front of Hawthorn’s Shaun Burgoyne in their Round 2 AFL clash at the MCG yesterday. Sloane was one of the stars for Adelaide