The AFL world is in a state of shock, with Melbourne completely mauling an injury-hit Hawthorn in Tasmania.
Despite the fact Hawthorn are missing some key stars, no one could have possibly predicted the scenes that would unfold in the first half of the clash on Saturday.
At half-time Hawthorn had just one goal on the board, while the Demons had raced to 13.8 (86).
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“I can’t remember a game like it,” Hawks great Jordan Lewis said in the commentary, just before half-time.
“Especially down here, where it’s been such a happy hunting ground for the Hawthorn Football Club.”
Brownlow medallist Gerard Healy said: “This is just embarrassing.”
The Hawks were without defenders Josh Battle, Karl Amon, Jarman Impey and Josh Weddle, as well midfielder Conor Nash and star forward Nick Watson, but the lack of effort from the senior players out there was alarming.
“They just can’t handle the pressure, it’s as simple as that,” Lewis said during the second quarter.
“They look so far off, Hawthorn, with their ability to move the ball, and then their ability to defend. I think it’s one of those games.
“The class level, right now, between these two teams, visually, is so far.”
It was much of the same after half-time with the Demons still running rings around the shellshocked Hawks.
The margin nearly hit triple figures before Mabior Chol kicked two late goals to make it 78 points at the final change.
Lewis said in the third term: “It looks like Melbourne is playing with two extras.” And Healy added: “I still can’t believe this scoreline. It’s just mind-boggling.”
Hawthorn leader Dylan Moore failed to have a kick in the first three quarters, while evergreen veteran Jack Gunston was goalless until the last quarter.
Despite the margin hitting a high of 96 points, there would have been some nervous Demons fans as the Hawks incredibly kicked the next 12 goals in a row without missing.
At one stage the Hawks looked a chance of pulling off the greatest comeback of all-time when they piled on nine straight in the term, but it was ultimately a bridge too far.
The Demons failed to register a score in the final term until Bayley Fritsch kicked his fifth with just over a minute remaining and Jacob Van Rooyen matched that haul to round off a deserved 35-point victory.
More to come …
