Teen Gives Hawks A Flying Start
The Age
Monday February 19, 2001
LAUNCESTON
Given that they are inner-suburban neighbors, it is probably unusual that Hawthorn and Richmond do not get to play each other very often these days.
How ironic that when they finally met up yesterday for their first encounter in nine months - and only their third since 1998 - they should have to venture 500 kilometres to Tasmania.
However, unlike their meetings in 2000 and 1999, when only one straight kick separated them at the final siren, yesterday's match at York Park was anything but a close affair, the Hawks recovering from a sluggish start to kick 10 second-half goals and win by 44 points.
First-round Ansett Cup matches in February don't usually amount to much - especially when they are played in temperatures approaching 30 degrees - but Hawthorn will take home plenty from this one, especially the form of its 1999 first draft pick Luke McPharlin, who booted five goals, including two in the third quarter when the Hawks started to run away with the match.
McPharlin, a 19-year-old 193-centimetre forward from Western Australia, played just four games in his first season. But, after scoring a goal with his first kick in the AFL, the Hawks tried to turn him into a defender, a ploy that will no doubt change after yesterday.
``He was an important player for us today and when he came on he was exciting," said coach Peter Schwab. ``He has good athleticism, good pace. We have always known he has got a lot of talent but he has a long way to go.
``He's a good kick and gives us another option alongside John Barker, Nick Holland, Nathan Thompson, Ben Dixon and Daniel Chick," who missed yesterday's match after receiving a knock to the head during training last week.
Hawthorn started McPharlin on Royce Vardy, but Richmond was forced to swing Darren Gaspar and then Andrew Kellaway on to him.
The Tigers seemed to lose their way after dangerous forward Ben Holland left the ground late in the second quarter with blood streaming from a cut above the left eye. Holland, who had booted two goals, had five stitches and was taken to hospital for a precautionary X-ray.
Besides Chick and former Adelaide ruckman Shaun Rehn, the Hawks were at full strength while the Tigers went into the match minus three of their biggest names - Matthew Richardson, Brendon Gale and Duncan Kellaway.
``I thought we worked well all day," said Schwab. ``We have a good fit side and we ran really well. From a coaching point of view that was the best thing."
Schwab was impressed by the form of Trent Croad, Joel Smith and Rehn's two back-up ruckmen, Brett O'Farrell and David Loats.
Richmond coach Danny Frawley was happy with the start - the Tigers kicked three of the first four goals - ``but the wheels fell off after that", he said. ``We have a fair bit of work to do."
Both camps were impressed with the York Park facilities, particularly the ground's surface, which Schwab described as ``outstanding".
Organisers could hardly contain their glee, with the game attracting a record Tasmanian AFL crowd of 13,958, surpassing the 13,000 at the Collingwood-St Kilda practice match in 1993.
The first round of the Ansett cup attracted 123,560 football fans, compared to 87,982 last year.
Hawthorn has committed to play one Ansett Cup match and one home-and-away fixture in Launceston for each of the next three years and, given the crowd size and atmosphere it generated yesterday, the decision looks set to pay dividends.
The Hawks return on May 6 for a round-six match against Adelaide.
HAWTHORN
1.3 3.7 8.10 13.11 (89)
RICHMOND
2.4 3.5 3. 7 6. 9 (45)
GOALS: Hawthorn: L McPharlin 5, B Nicholls, N Holland, S Crawford, J Smith, A Lord, B Dixon, N Thompson, T Croad. Richmond: B Holland 2, M Rogers 2, G Tivendale 2
BEST: Hawthorn: Tallis, McPharlin, Croad, Rawlings, Harford, Woods.
Richmond: Knights, Campbell, Tivendale, Rogers, Chaffey, Daffy.
INJURIES: Hawthorn: Nil.
Richmond: B Holland (cut cheekbone) A Fiora (strained left knee).
© 2001 The Age