Hawthorn star Nick Watson has seen his sledge backfire spectacularly as the Hawks were stunned by the Western Bulldogs on Friday night.<\/p>\n
On fire in the first half, the \u2018Wizard\u2019 gave it to opponent Michael Sellwood on several occasions.<\/p>\n
Watson notched nine disposals in a game-high seven score involvements at halftime, kicking 3.1.<\/p>\n
And he didn\u2019t miss a chance to let Sellwood know about those goals as well, with the pair at the centre of all-in scuffles more than once.<\/p>\n
After kicking his third just before halftime, Watson again charged at Sellwood, giving him a gob full, which ended in a huge scuffle.<\/p>\n
He then fired another shot at the break. <\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t care if he talks, as long as he walks the walk,\u201d Watson told Fox Footy at halftime when asked about his exchanges with Sellwood.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d love to see it in the second half.\u201d<\/p>\n
Watson soon learnt not to go off early as he struggled in the second half, with just one kick and a single handball as Sellwood and his teammates turned it up.<\/p>\n
The Dogs roared home, coming from 27 points down at half time to defeat the Hawks 77-71 in a thrilling, fiery clash. <\/p>\n
They were in desperate need of a win against a top club, and they got one, having lost four consecutive matches against Hawthorn, Geelong, Sydney and Fremantle between rounds 5 and 8, by a combined 193 points.<\/p>\n
And Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes said Watson was just taught a valuable lesson.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a great learning curve for this man. I love that he is in his opponents\u2019 faces but there are footy gods and you can get taught a lesson,\u201d Cornes said on AFL.com\u2019s First Up on Friday night.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter saying what has Sellwood got in the second half it was Watson that had two touches and didn\u2019t touch the ball in the final quarter.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a 21 year old you learn some harsh lessons as a player and tonight he will be putting his head on the pillow and going I and we got ahead of ourselves and we\u2019ve coughed up the unlosable game tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Michael Sellwood gets last laugh<\/p>\n
Michael Sellwood, indeed, \u201cwalked the walk\u201d.<\/p>\n
Sellwood had eight touches in the second half and completely blanketed Watson and had something to say to his rival at full-time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know he\u2019s a very opportunistic player and if you have a lapse in concentration, he\u2019ll probably kick one on you, \u201cSellwood told Fox Footy post-game. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe got a couple on me early, but just backed myself in.<\/p>\n
\u201cI probably felt I was playing a bit too one-on-one on him (early). I\u2019m more of an intercepting player and help my teammates out. I felt like in the second half I was able to do that while also nullifying him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked about the niggle with Watson, Sellwood said: \u201cIt\u2019s good. I love that side of things.<\/p>\n
\u201cProbably growing up \u2013 one of 10 (kids), four older brothers \u2013 so we were always just wrestling trying to pick up the scraps, I guess. I\u2019ve always just had that bit of mongrel about me, which I think stands up well.<\/p>\n
\u201cOpposition fans aren\u2019t going to like it, but it is what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge ultimately kept the faith in Sellwood to do the job on Watson \u2013 and he couldn\u2019t have been prouder of his defender\u2019s \u201cunbelievable job\u201d post-match.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot only did he stop him and negate him, he helped in the air,\u201d Beveridge told reporters. \u201cHis third-up stuff was just ridiculous.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe rolled his ankle, he came off, we thought we were going to lose him. So he just showed enormous courage.\u201c<\/p>\n
– with Fox Sports<\/p>\n