FITTING FAREWELL FOR OLD HAWKS
IT was not the win in September Hawthorn is accustomed to but the Hawks have signed off a dismal 2020 season and farewelled two of their modern-day greats in style.
Alastair Clarkson’s men snapped a seven-game losing streak with a dominating 51point win over Gold Coast in Adelaide on Sunday.
It was another year and another fade-out to end the season by the Suns but 2020’s edition will be of more concern to Stuart Dew.
The Suns were sluggish from the outset in their third poor performance from their last five matches.
Last year they lost 18 in a row, and their last five in 2018, but injuries and fatigue definitely played a factor.
This year that isn’t a factor for a side that looked to have made so much progress early on in the season.
Maybe that was enough for some Suns players, maybe some of the youngsters need to mature some more. Regardless, it puts a dampener on what has been a promising season for Gold Coast.
There was only a spot up the ladder for either side at stake but try telling retiring Hawks veterans Ben Stratton and Paul Puopolo that the match at Adelaide Oval was a dead-rubber.
Showing why Hawks fans love him so much, Stratton celebrated after winning his final coin toss.
Then it was Puopolo’s time to shine. Just before the three-minute mark, the Adelaide-born 32-year-old judged the bounce of the ball perfectly in the right pocket and dribble-kicked the footy in between the big sticks for a late addition to his highlight reel.
He finished with two more as the mature-age recruit from Hope Valley went out in style and Stratton joined him as he made the most of being sent up forward to kick just the second goal of his career.