Drouin demolished in dour struggle
Drouin's difficult start to the season has continued as they were absolutely demolished by Traralgon to the tune of 121 points.
An 11 goal second quarter for the Maroons set up a win that never threatened to be a remotely close affair, the final score being 28.14 (182) to 9.7 (61).
The Maroons seemed able to score at will, led by stellar forward line performances by exPort Adelaide player Brett Eddy (10 goals) and star big man Jake Best (seven goals), as they brushed aside their younger opponents.
Drouin's loss of experienced talent was much discussed in the lead-up to the new season, but if the first two rounds are anything to go by then the effects of these losses were severely underestimated.
The Hawks had multiple players from their reserves side playing senior football as they try to develop what they hope will be the next generation of Drouin champions.
Traralgon bullied Drouin around the contest, as star on-baller Mark Collison seemingly had the ball on a string.
Despite the best efforts of the Hawks' backs, the firepower of the Maroons' forward line proved overwhelming as Eddy and Best were dominant from the opening bounce all the way to the final siren.
The young Hawks could do little to stop their larger and more accomplished opponents.
Drouin will take some consolation out of the fact that, after managing only two goals in the opening round, they were able to find more scoring opportunities this week as they kicked nine goals against a respectable defence, as Aden Quirk and Samuel Pratt both kicked two goals each.
Regardless, the ease with which Traralgon scored will remain a concern for the Hawks and a focus on improving the defensive aspects of their game is likely as they continue to develop their young squad.
The Maroons are one of a multitude of teams that will be hoping to be thereabouts at the pointy end of the season, and the professional manner in which they outplayed and ultimately dismantled the Hawks showed why.
The young Hawks have now opened their season with back-to-back thrashings and will be hard-pressed to find some form before the upcoming Western Derby against bitter rival Warragul in two weeks.
Drouin's best were Timothy Hancock, Tom Barr, Harry Wans, Samuel Pratt, Aedan Rothmeier and Dan Clebney, while the best for the Maroons included Brett Eddy, Mark Collison, Jake Best, Tom Schneider, Matthew Northe and Harvey Neocleous.