Connor Macdonald celebrates a goal during the R20 match between Hawthorn and Carlton at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on July 24, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

YOU COULDN’T pitch a starker contrast between two sides.

There was Hawthorn and everything that comes with it. Young, exciting and watchable. A side that, even when it’s not at its best – and it wasn’t on Thursday night – can still produce moments of vibrancy and energy. A club that symbolises intent. Ready to hunt, and ready to make another September assault across the coming month.

HAWKS v BLUES Full match coverage and stats

And then there was Carlton. A side that is flagging, listless and playing without any type of confidence. A club that is ready for this season to be over, even though its most important months may still be ahead of it. A football program where significant change hangs over it like a dark cloud. Again.

Both sides of that equation were on show at the MCG. Hawthorn’s 13.7 (85) to 9.7 (61) victory wasn’t remarkable for its brilliance, or its thrill. It was remarkable for how easy the Hawks made it look. Sam Mitchell’s side never played to its lofty potential, but it didn’t have to in order to notch the cushiest of 24-point wins.

Not even the prospect of farewelling one of modern football’s most inspirational figures in retiring champion Sam Docherty could get a rise out of Carlton. Neither could celebrating the 200-game milestone of one of its bravest recent players in Jacob Weitering. Instead, the Blues conceded the game’s first four goals and seven of the first eight.

Carlton had more inside 50s than Hawthorn to quarter-time. Yet it didn’t score for the game’s first 24 minutes at one end, and conceded from 70 per cent of its opposition’s entries at the other. It was a sign of the side’s dysfunction and disorganisation in every aspect of its performance.

That led to frustration among the Blues faithful, all of which was understandable for a club where question marks linger over the future of the coach in Michael Voss, its star player in Charlie Curnow amid highly publicised interest from multiple clubs, and one of its brightest prospects in Tom De Koning as he weighs a $1.7 million offer from St Kilda. 

Amid all of that, Hawthorn was even afforded the luxury of pumping the brakes on its hot start and beginning to enjoy itself. Calsher Dear took a spectacular leaping grab in the goalsquare, then repeated the trick a few minutes later when he dragged down a one-hander, while the returning Will Day couldn’t resist the chance to get some airtime himself with a superb mark of his own.

That all came within a first half where Hawthorn surged into a 29-point buffer by the first change, stretched it to beyond 40 soon after quarter-time, then cruised from thereon after. A rejuvenated James Sicily (25 disposals, 11 marks), a classy Jarman Impey (25 disposals, eight marks) and a busy Dylan Moore (27 disposals, six marks) were predominantly to thank for laying such foundations.

In fact, that might have been the biggest indictment on Carlton’s performance. While the gap was never unassailable, per se, the Blues never looked like being a realistic chance of reeling it in. Instead, their deficit hovered harmlessly on either side of 30 points for much of the second half as Hawthorn did the bare minimum to keep its foes at arm’s length.

Jack Gunston (18 disposals, three goals), Dear (11 disposals, two goals) and Mitch Lewis (14 disposals, two goals) all hit the scoreboard multiple times, demonstrating a new look in Hawthorn’s front half, while Day’s return from nearly four months on the sidelines was just another reason for Hawks optimism.

Optimism, though, is a foreign word at Ikon Park right now. For as much excitement as Hawthorn fans can see in their club’s future, there are more questions than answers in Carlton’s. That was laid bare on Thursday night.

Blues can’t give Doc send-off he deserved
It was goodbye to one of modern football’s most inspiration figures on Thursday night, with Carlton champion Sam Docherty playing his 184th and final game at the MCG. Docherty, who overcame three ACL injuries and two bouts of testicular cancer throughout a brave and courageous career, was honoured for one final time by the Blues faithful having announced his retirement earlier this week. Docherty, an All-Australian and John Nicholls Medal winner as the club’s best and fairest, went out fighting. He finished with 16 disposals and kicked a goal applauded by all inside the MCG, with Carlton unable to play with the type of tenacity and spirit he’s been renowned for throughout his career.

After nearly four months, it was Day’s night
Having not featured since suffering a stress fracture in the navicular bone of his right foot on March 29, Hawthorn gun Will Day was finally back on Thursday night. His return could prove crucial to both the club’s finals chances, and its hopes of progressing even further than that and deep into September. Day showed his quality throughout, finishing with 15 disposals, three clearances and six tackles. But he saved his best for a leaping mark in the first half, the highlight of a night where he got through unscathed on managed minutes.

Will Day takes a spectacular mark over Lachie Fogarty during the R20 match between Hawthorn and Carlton at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on July 24, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

How do Hawks get Mabior in the mix?
The three-pronged tall forward line of Jack Gunston, Calsher Dear and Mitch Lewis looked good on Thursday night. The trio combined for seven goals and showcased their ability both in the air and on the lead. So, how does coach Mitchell get Mabior Chol back in the mix? Chol has missed the last fortnight with a groin issue, but has long appeared the side’s most potent attacking threat when he is on the park. It’s a good headache for Mitchell to have heading into the final month of the season, and perhaps September as well, but it’s still a conundrum he’ll have to solve nonetheless.

HAWTHORN      6.1      8.3     12.4     13.7 (85)
CARLTON            1.2      3.3       7.4       9.7 (61)

GOALS
Hawthorn: Gunston 3, Dear 2, Watson 2, Lewis 2, Ginnivan, C.Macdonald, Ward, Morrison
Carlton: Curnow 2, White 2, Durdin, Motlop, Docherty, Cerra, McKay

BEST
Hawthorn: Sicily, Impey, Gunston, Ginnivan, Moore, Ward, D’Ambrosio
Carlton: Hewett, O’Farrell, White, Cripps, Docherty

INJURIES
Hawthorn: Nil
Carlton: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Hawthorn: Bailey Macdonald (replaced Jai Newcombe in the third quarter)
Carlton: Cooper Lord (replaced Marc Pittonet in the third quarter)

Crowd: 51,271 at the MCG