![\"Sam](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/6c8c1aa4ad1909b3225d6a80371d7a8b88d4a653.png\")
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Updated June 27, 2026 \u2014 12:18am,first published 10:54pm<\/p>\n
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n Hawthorn overcame the slippery conditions and a spirited GWS fightback to clinch a hard-earned victory on a bitterly cold Friday night at the MCG, but all eyes will quickly turn to superstar forward Nick Watson, who didn\u2019t return after the main break due to a hamstring injury.<\/p>\n The Hawks were never able to completely shake the Giants, but they always appeared to have an extra gear when the contest demanded it. Even as momentum threatened to swing despite the visitors\u2019 casualty ward growing, Sam Mitchell\u2019s side consistently found the answers and all but ended the season of the battered and bruised Giants outfit.<\/p>\n The game took a dramatic turn in the second term when the Giants were dealt a pair of injury blows within minutes of each other. Livewire forward Brent Daniels limped from the field with a calf injury, before young key forward Max Gruzewski suffered a dislocated patella, leaving Adam Kingsley\u2019s side desperately short of rotations and key personnel.<\/p>\n The Hawks lost their own game-breaker at half-time.<\/p>\n Watson had been the most influential player on the ground through the opening two quarters, lighting up the contest with his speed, pressure and creativity around goal. But the exciting small forward did not return after half-time because of \u201chamstring awareness\u201d.<\/p>\n But coach Sam Mitchell quickly poured cold water on any fears surrounding their superstar small forward.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was no concern about it going into the game,\u201d Mitchell said, despite Watson telling Fox Footy at half-time that he hadn\u2019t trained at all during the week.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was still a bit tight and sore from last week, I think. But there was no concern about it.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you play at the level that he does and the speed he does, I thought it was a smart call (to remove him at half-time).\u201d<\/p>\n Without Watson, the Hawks leaned on the strength of their midfield, and once again it was the stars who delivered.<\/p>\n Jai Newcombe and Will Day controlled the game around stoppage, repeatedly driving the Hawks forward and ensuring the Giants were forced to spend long periods defending. When GWS threatened to close the gap, it was Newcombe\u2019s contest work and Day\u2019s class with ball in hand that steadied the home side.<\/p>\n They were well-supported by Cam Mackenzie, who produced one of the finest performances of his young career. The emerging midfielder was composed in traffic, used the ball efficiently and continually linked Hawthorn\u2019s defensive and attacking chains in a polished four-quarter display.<\/p>\n \u201cI think he was the highest pressure player on the ground,\u201d Mitchell said glowingly of Mackenzie. \u201cThe intensity with which he played in a game where it was hard to keep intensity, I was super impressed.\u201d<\/p>\n To the Giants\u2019 credit, they refused to concede, despite the mounting setbacks. Finn Callaghan was outstanding, carrying much of the midfield responsibility and repeatedly willing his side back into the contest with his powerful running and clean ball use. His performance ensured the margin remained within striking distance deep into the second half, but GWS ultimately lacked the polish and manpower to complete the comeback.<\/p>\n But the Giants coach was far from impressed; savaging his senior midfield group after the game. The Giants\u2019 engine room lost clearances 55-29 and kicked only one goal to Hawthorn\u2019s ten from stoppage.<\/p>\n \u201cIncredibly disappointing. We got dominated at stoppage \u2026 in fact, we were obliterated. That was clearly our biggest issue,\u201d Kingsley said.<\/p>\n He refused to use the Giants growing injury list (15 players) as an excuse.<\/p>\n \u201cCallaghan, Oliver, Daniels, Coniglio … it wasn\u2019t (good) tonight. It wasn\u2019t last week, either.\u201d<\/p>\n The out-of-contract and much-talked-about Toby Greene was at his brilliant, angry best at times inside forward 50, finishing with 24 disposals and two goals.<\/p>\n The Hawks were not at their brilliant best, but they were efficient, disciplined and, for most of the night, simply looked the better side. On an icy evening in a game that never threatened to become a classic, Hawthorn banked another important four premiership points, while the Giants were left to lament both the result and an injury list that continues to grow.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n![\"Nick](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/9f5b1c520f4f0885cfd4ea9cee352e1124d1407c.jpeg\")
Nick Watson was at his influential best early before succumbing to a hamstring complaint.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Jack](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/c3a11b6870907c0616b50ace176970aca640deda.jpeg\")
Jack Ginnivan celebrates a stirring goal.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Sam](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1773990913_58_6c8c1aa4ad1909b3225d6a80371d7a8b88d4a653.png\")
Sam McClure<\/a> is an award-winning AFL journalist and broadcaster.Connect via X<\/a> or email<\/a>.From our partners<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Updated June 27, 2026 \u2014 12:18am,first published 10:54pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":761704,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[638,64,63,55,639,85],"class_list":["post-761703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-afl","tag-afl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australian-football-league","tag-australianfootballleague","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/761703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=761703"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/761703\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/761704"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=761703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=761703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=761703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}