Blow for Boks as lock suspended

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SOUTH Africa lock Flip van der Merwe will miss his nation's Rugby Championship decider against the All Blacks after being banned for a week for a dangerous tackle.

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Van der Merwe was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle on Wallabies winger Joe Tomane in the Springboks' 28-8 win last weekend but was subsequently cited for striking after the commissioner deemed it met the red card threshold for foul play.

Judicial officer Nicholas Davidson ruled the tackle was dangerous, executed high and leading with the forearm and without any attempt to grasp the player in the initial contact.

He said it was also a strike, but not intentional as cited.

Van der Merwe has not been suspended before at international and Super Rugby level and Davidson said this and his conduct, including a concerned approach to Tomane, warranted a discount to a one-week suspension only.

South Africa host competition leaders and defending champions New Zealand in Johannesburg next Sunday in the final round.

The Springboks need to win with a bonus point, while also depriving the All Blacks of a bonus point, to lift the title.

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Wallabies ready for Rosario roar

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THEY do their best to rattle rival players with rabid support, colourful language and the occasional laser beam, but the Wallabies plan to use the wild Argentinian crowd to their advantage in Rosario.

Coach Ewen McKenzie said that the team would again spurn the dressing room at halftime and stay out in the middle of the field, as they did in Cape Town at the weekend.

Instead of the Wallabies disappearing up the Newlands Stadium tunnel, James Horwill and his side gathered near the halfway line. Chairs, drinks and even massage tables were brought out for players as McKenzie gave his halftime speech.

"I felt our weakness had been in the second half. When we went into the dressing room, when we came out maybe we were too relaxed, I don't know. But we weren't getting the outcome in the second half, so we just stayed out in the environment,'' McKenzie said.

"The players enjoyed it. It was good. I said `we have been doing it in rugby for 100 years, it's only in the last 10 that we went inside'.''

The unusual plan to stay on the field at halftime was first conjured for the Rosario Test, said McKenzie, where the soccer change rooms are a three-minute walk from the field.

"It's not going to win or lose you the game, it is just about keeping you in the atmosphere of the game. You go inside, you go silent and you have to start again. We actually just stayed in the moment in Cape Town and it worked well.

"Guys could hit pads and do different things. We didn't relax. It is an 80-minute game, let's stay in the 80-minute game.''

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'I'm as good a keeper as anyone'

Honours ... Chris Hartley still dreams of a baggy green. Source: Mark Calleja / News Limited

CHRIS Hartley is confident he is the best wicketkeeper in Australia - and so is most of Queensland.

The only problem is the national selectors haven't been on the same page.

Hartley has often watched in frustration as he has been passed over for Aussie selection as glovemen such as Brad Haddin, Tim Paine and Matthew Wade have got the nod ahead of him.

Hartley, 31, insists his first-class record and reputation compares favourably to all of them and he has no doubt he has what it takes to play Test cricket.

And he is hoping it is an era of opportunity for glovemen with the Test position hardly settled with both Haddin and Wade getting a go in recent times.

Haddin will be 36 this month and while Wade is seen as a long-term one-day gloveman, it may not be a good sign for his Test prospects that he had to step aside for Haddin in the Ashes.

That leaves Paine, a wicketkeeper of promise but who seems to be injured more often than not.

And while Paine's batting is often hyped up, the Tasmanian has just one century from 63 first-class games while Hartley has seven centuries from 93 matches.

Hartley is coming off some of his best seasons and has no doubt he can outperform any 'keeper in the land.

"Every player looks at the stats of their rivals for positions and looks at what their performances are and what your own performances are," Hartley told The Courier-Mail.

"If you are performing better than those guys, at some stage you should get rewarded. I know that I am as good a keeper as anyone.

"I definitely think I'm good enough to play Test cricket for Australia and that is still one of my goals.

"Looking at the wicketkeeping position in the Australian team over the last 12-18 months, I don't think it is a settled position.

"And, as such, you have faith in selectors rewarding performance. If at some stage if I was to be rewarded with a selection, it would be deserved."

Ironically, Hartley feels it may be the sheer consistency of his performances that could be counting against him at the national selection table.

"I have got frustrated there has been opportunities with Australia A sides, or Australian squads with a reserve keeper, where I felt that my performances leading up to those opportunities warranted selection, but it didn't come," Hartley says.

"I think one of my strengths is I am on top of my game a lot of the time.

"I am very consistent behind the stumps and I think sometimes that might be to me detriment. I sort of set the standard at a certain level and that becomes the norm and the expectation.

"I'm very happy with the way I've been playing for Queensland, I've been scoring runs and taking all the catches that come."

The Brisbane Heat played their last Champions League game against the Hyderabad Sunrisers in the early hours of Tuesday and will fly home to prepare for the Ryobi Cup competition.

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Genia no certainty for Wallabies start

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TEST coach Ewen McKenzie concedes a crisis of confidence is sabotaging the Wallabies attack, but he remains undecided whether to recall experienced halfback Will Genia to steer Australia through a tricky clash with Argentina on Sunday.

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Genia was one of the few bright lights for the Wallabies in their 20-point defeat to the Springboks at the weekend, coming off the bench in the second half and re-generating fluent gold attack that stressed the home team.

But McKenzie isn't ready to ditch newly promoted No.9 Nic White just yet.

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Not unlike the Wallabies' jumbled gameplans this year, McKenzie is undecided whether to deploy White for a kicking-based strategy against the Pumas or bring Genia back to play a running style in Rosario.

"You saw two halves of footy (in Cape Town)," McKenzie said.

"You saw a kicking half and a running half. Clearly if we are playing running footy Will is our best exponent, if it's a kicking game then Whitey is our best exponent of that. It depends on how you want to pitch the game."

McKenzie said White was one of the best pure kickers he'd seen, but the effect of pressure via his boot was undone by sloppy catching of the return Bok high-balls.

The fact that the Wallabies looked twice-as-good in the second half with Genia running, and feeding runners around the corner, was not lost on McKenzie. Nor the fact the kicking strategy in the first half coincided with a 20-point Springbok surge.

But overall, the coach said the core of the Wallabies' problems was the inability to adapt to the game and mix both styles in attack.

"We looked more comfortable running the ball in the second half, so I am conscious the reality of what you're going to be doing, you want to be mixing it up. If you have some variety in your game it's hard for the opposition to know what you're doing," McKenzie said.

"In terms of how we play, we're not getting the balance between the running and kicking side.

"The middle ground is where you feel the game and you feel relaxed enough to make the decisions you normally make.

"I think at the moment because confidence is low and we're under pressure, guys are worried about making mistakes. We are taking that millisecond to think when they normally wouldn't.

"That's where we're coming up with errors. Errors where we have been conservative when we need to take risks, and vice-versa.

"I will try and free up their minds and help with confidence a bit."

Confidence must be found fast, with the Pumas proving they'll be a tough opponent in their game against the All Blacks in La Plata.

Argentina led at the 60-minute mark with bold attack, and in particular, a beast of a scrum that dominated the Kiwis.

"It doesn't surprise me. The Latin way, scrummaging is a very personal affair, there is a lot of prestige and pride that goes with that," McKenzie said.

"They are on home turf, and they always play brilliantly at home. There's not one team in the world who will say going and playing in Argentina is an easy task."

The Pumas gave Australia plenty of trouble at scrum-time in Perth but McKenzie believes the pack performed well against the Boks.

"Our scrum improved on the weekend, and we will continue to work on it. We handled it better technically. It was probably our best effort technically. There is some progress there," he said.

McKenzie demurred on whether Benn Robinson would be considered for a starting berth after a strong return, but he praised Ben McCalman's impact as a reserve loose forward. The abrasive Force flanker could be summoned to help handle the passionate Puma forwards.

"You have to start with the extreme physicality and emotion of theirs, you have to be able to deal with that," McKenzie said.

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Penthouse and Outhouse: GF edition

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FOX FOOTY expert Julian de Stoop takes a look at the AFL Grand Final with the Hawks proving too good for Fremantle at the MCG.

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IN THE PENTHOUSE

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BRIAN LAKE
12 months ago Brian Lake was sitting in the MCG car park drinking beer before the Grand Final now the former Bulldog is a Hawthorn premiership hero.
Lake's strength has always been his ability to intercept mark and in windy conditions he was at this very best in this aspect of the game.
Lake pulled in 10 marks including vital grabs in the final term. The veteran defender also gathered 22 disposals on his way to a deserved Norm Smith Medal…the first key defender since Carlton great Bruce Doull in 1981 to win the medal.

JACK GUNSTON
The Hawks' big three up forward Lance Franklin, Jarryd Roughead and Cyril Rioli didn't set the world on fire this finals series, kicking just seven goals between them.
The trio ended up playing a back seat to former Crow Jack Gunston who was arguably the player of the finals series.
The second year Hawk finished with 11 goals in his three finals and missed out on the Norm Smith Medal by just one vote.

HAWKS' RECRUITING
In 2008 former Port Adelaide star Stuart Dew played a key role in the Hawks premiership win and five years on some more shrewd recruiting paid off in a big way.
Brian Lake and Jack Gunston were the Hawks' best two players in the Grand Final and since that 2008 triumph the Hawks have also added former Kangaroos duo Josh Gibson and David Hale.
Jonathan Simpkin was delisted by Sydney and Geelong but is now a premiership winning Hawk while via the draft the club addressed a lack of leg speed via the recruitment of Isaac Smith and Brad Hill.

HAWKS' TACKLING
All the talk leading into the Grand Final was about Fremantle's defensive pressure but the Hawks beat them at their own game.
Hawthorn won the tackle count 80-65 with Liam Shiels leading the way with nine while Cyril Rioli created havoc up forward laying seven of his own.
The Hawks also won the clearance count by eight despite Aaron Sandilands dominating the ruck.

DAVID MUNDY
If people across the country didn't already know, this man is a star.
Mundy was instrumental in the Dockers' third quarter fightback and was clearly Fremantle's best player gathering 28 disposals, 7 clearances and 8 tackles.
With Mundy, Nathan Fyfe, Stephen Hill, Michael Barlow and the best tagger in the business in Ryan Crowley the Dockers boast a midfield that will be a force for years to come.

IN THE OUTHOUSE

FREMANTLE'S CONVERSION
Last year the yips struck the Hawks on Grand Final day and this year it was Fremantle's turn and ultimately it cost the Dockers any chance of winning.
Nat Fyfe set the tone early with two first quarter shanks while in the last quarter Hayden Ballantyne got the staggers as his team was making one last surge.
Ross Lyon suffered the same fate with St Kilda in 2009 when they went down to Geelong by 12 points.

GRAND FINAL AESTHETICS
The bar has been set high in recent years but this year's Grand Final wasn't one for the archives.
It wasn't a bad game by any means but it lacked the individual highlights of previous years. But I'm sure Hawthorn fans aren't complaining.

ZAC DAWSON
Dawson has been a fine player for the Dockers and played well on Grand Final day in the past with St Kilda but this time he had a shocker.
Jack Gunston was too nimble and too smart for Dawson and his four goals out of 11 played a huge role in the Hawks' win.

COUNTDOWN CLOCK
The atmosphere in the seconds leading up to the first bounce is so electrifying there is no need to add anything to it. The countdown clock to the most anticipated bounce of the season isn't necessary.

DOCKER FORWARDS
Matthew Pavlich and Michael Walters came into the game in the third term but for most of the game the Dockers' forwards had little impact.
Hayden Ballantyne and Chris Mayne were well below their usual standards while Zac Clarke has no impact at all.
Four of Hawthorn's top six possession winners… Grant Birchall, Brian Lake, Luke Hodge and Josh Gibson… are defenders, indicating Fremantle's famed forward pressure wasn't up to its usual standard.

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PM's XIII too strong for PNG

Jarryd Hayne in PNG with the PM's XIII. Source: DailyTelegraph

AUSTRALIA'S Prime Minister's XIII rugby league side has defeated Papua New Guinea 50-10, with the only surprise being the absence of the usual crowd violence.

Several players pushed their claims for selection in next month's World Cup, including Parramatta's Jarryd Hayne, who has made known his desire to be in the squad.

Hayne scored the opening try of the match in the PNG city of Kokopo, and was quickly followed onto the scoreboard by NSW and Australia teammate James Tamou.

A third try by Brent Tate put Australia up 18-0.

Heavy rain started to fall in the game's second half, but the visitors, coached by NSW State of Origin coach Laurie Daley, still racked up tries to David Shillington, Aidan Sezer, Kevin Gordon, Josh Morris and a second to Hayne.

The Kumuls struck back with tries either side of halftime to Israel Eliab and 18-year-old Nene MacDonald.

The annual match draws huge crowds in PNG, the only country in the world where rugby league is the national sport.

Outside the 4,000-capacity stadium a crowd of about 6,000 well-behaved people gathered in the hope of seeing the match, with some of the local crowd scaling 30-metre telegraph poles to see the game.

Usually local police have to deploy tear gas to disperse the crowd.

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Broken neck ends Richie's title dream

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MANLY'S Richie Fa'aoso will miss the NRL grand final due to a broken neck.

Contrary to reports, his career is not over, with the tough prop set to return to NRL football for round one next season.

The Sea Eagles said in a statement: "Scans today revealed that Richard Fa'aoso has sustained a fracture of his C7 vertebrae and will miss the 2013 Grand Final.

"X-­Rays taken at hospital after the Sea Eagles' win over the Rabbitohs on Friday night did not show any damage, however an MRI scan subsequently identified the broken bone in Richard's neck.

"He is stable and continues to improve. He will however miss the grand final and will be in a neck brace for six weeks.

"The Sea Eagles medical staff are confident there will be no long-­term issues and Richard will be back to 100 per cent by the start of the 2014 season.

"Understandably Richard is devastated about missing the game and we ask that his privacy be respected at this time. The club will be making no further comment at this stage.

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Ugly ducking has heads turning

Glen Boss (red cap) presents Rebel Dane at the perfect time to pinch the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes from Fontelin (orange and blue silks). Picture: Colleen Petch Source: Colleen Petch / HeraldSun

THE pit pony nobody wanted proved a giant slayer at Caulfield yesterday.

Ridden by big stage specialist Glen Boss, the tiny Rebel Dane nosed roughie Fontelina on the post to win the Rupert Clarke Stakes, vindicating Boss's pre-race assurance that Rebel Dane "would just go out and win".

Trainer Gary Portelli revealed Boss gave virtually a gilt-edged tip in the minutes and days before the 1400m Group 1.

"He just went out today and said 'leave it to me'," Portelli said. "He got cover after 50m and the rest is history. That's why I chose Glen for this horse. He wasn't only chasing the ride but this is a horse you've really got to think about how to ride.

"He said after getting beat up the straight on him the other day that he learned how not to ride him and said he wouldn't get beat at his next start."

Portelli, who has now trained three Group 1 winners, said "every trainer in the world wanted to train a Group 1 winner but these horses are very hard to find".

Trainer Gary Portelli and jockey Glen Boss with the trophy for the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes. Picture: Colleen Petch Source: HeraldSun

Boss, who resisted a lavish across the line celebration — because a recent fine cost his wife money for "dresses and shoes" – said the race panned out perfectly for Rebel Dane.

"That was hectic, that was," Boss said.

"But he ended up behind the perfect horse in Linton, who I didn't expect to race so close.

"Gee he's a tough colt, he really dug deep. I have nothing but admiration for this colt." There were fairytale elements to yesterday's win.

Some of Rebel Dane's owners raced the colt's mother and grandfather. Rebel Dane was a runt.

"He was an ugly duckling. We couldn't sell him and I got him to train," Portelli said.

"He was so plain, after the breakers I couldn't even get a girth around him he was so small and weak and offset — but he moved so well.

Trainer Gary Portelli with Rebel Dane after his win. Picture: Colleen Petch Source: HeraldSun

"He eventually got to 440kg and now races at 460. He's a plain little horse but he gets the job done."

For Boss, the win was a spectacular first salvo for the new racing season, which unofficially began yesterday off the back of Saturday's AFL Grand Final.

Portelli said Rebel Dane might be freshened up for the Patinack Farm Classic on the final day of the Flemington spring carnival.

"His rating will now go through the roof. He might be a weight-for-age horse next season," he said.

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Player Ratings: Fremantle

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FREMANTLE midfielder Nathan Fyfe starred while Hayden Ballantyne had a stinker. We give every Docker a mark out of 100.

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NICK SUBAN - 46
Obviously has the WWE series linked at home given his bizarre fish-hook gouge on Mitchell in the first term. That was ordinary, much like his game. Missed an easy shot on the run from 45m.

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MATT DE BOER - 50
Like vanilla ice cream, he was just OK. Showed terrific poise with first touch to create Freo's first shot at goal. Just a participant after that.

HAYDEN BALLANTYNE - 34
Copped an overdose of his own medicine, with the game's chief rattler, rattled. Dropped a sitter 30m out, slipped in the middle of the ground when Freo were away and didn't score from from 40m and 30m with set shots. Didn't handle pressure.

TENDAI MZUNGU - 75
Kicking the Dockers opening goal in the second quarter and never gave up the fight. Not recognised as one of the club's biggest names but he can hold his head high after Saturday's performance.

ZAC DAWSON - 38
Just ugly. Bullied by Gunston in first half to such an extent Ross Lyon's anger bubbled over before half time. Repeatedly outbodied; this was the player who left Hawthorn, not the new and improved version.

Fremantle forward Hayden Ballantyne is rag-dolled off the play. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: HeraldSun

NATHAN FYFE - 83
Inspirational. Carried his side when the chips were down in the first half with 18 touches and only a lack of polish stopped him from completely owning this contest. Ran out of puff, but hard to blame him. Did all he could.

DANYLE PEARCE - 48
Butchered it more than those Indonesian abbatoirs. Normally so composed, he shanked running shots ands dropped easy marks. Won points back for running back with flight with supreme guts in the second term when he was poleaxed by Birchall.

MICHAEL WALTERS - 59
Slower to get going than the half-time entertainment and that's saying something. Got Guerra and got well beaten. Kicked two big goals in the third quarter to give the Dockers a chance, but was otherwise anonymous.

MICHAEL JOHNSON - 63
Dogged by a calf injury in lead-in and kicked like it too. Usual precise foot skills abandoned him on big stage. Better defensively helping keep Hawthorn forwards to 11 goals for game.

LEE SPURR - 45
A bit like the two-year old jar of your nanna's relish that sits in the back of your fridge all summer. Hard to identify but was OK keeping Rioli to one goal. Limped through second half. Unsung hero for Freo, just not on Saturday.

Dockers forward Michael Walters stretches out in an attempt to stop Hawk Ben Stratton. Picture: Michael Klein Source: HeraldSun

DAVID MUNDY - 85
Undies were being ripped off everywhere in Freo loungerooms as he led a procession around the stoppages in the third term. Lifted enormously winning hard ball. Had the better of Brad Sewell.

CAMERON SUTCLIFFE - 30
Turned the screws on Hawthorn's small forwards but offered little offensive. Will appear in the highlights albeit when was on the end of a superb don't argue from Gunston.

ZAC CLARKE - 35
Provided the game's only real 'turtle head' moment when he ducked in a contest in the second term. Bit overawed and largely ineffective. At least he kept Pav happy with a Joe the goose handball in the goalsquare in third.   

AARON SANDILANDS - 63
Had more taps than a bathroom decorator but it meant stuff-all when he hit it straight to Luke Breust for the decisive last quarter goal. Tallest bloke since Lurch could only manage one mark.

LUKE MCPHARLIN - 65
Decent performance manning Lance Franklin but turned the ball over on the rebound. Should have taken responsibility kicking a goal after long run down the wing in second term. Skipper not happy.

RYAN CROWLEY - 81
Should post a signed pair of his sweatbands to the All-Australian selectors after shutting down the opposition's biggest danger man, Sam Mitchell, for the umpteenth time.

Sam Mitchell lays a big tackle on Docker Ryan Crowley. Picture: Michael Klein Source: HeraldSun

CHRIS MAYNE - 43
Down day for the bloke who loomed as the difference maker in the Freo forward line. Attacked the contest off the back of the square like mad man in third term but was otherwise blanketed by Josh Gibson, mainly.

MATTHEW PAVLICH - 54
Not a lot of 'wharfie time' from the skipper. Came to life in third term but stinker of a first half will haunt the greatest figure in Dockers' history. Missed set shot from 35m out in second quarter a howler. 

MICHAEL BARLOW - 68
Built up a lot of credits in enormous season but the thing that kept him in the VFL all those years – average foot skills – cost him on the big stage. Hauled Freo off canvas in third but half his touches went down the drain.

LACHIE NEALE - 45
Tried to spark the Dockers coming off the bench as the substitute with seven touches but unenviable task when the game looked gone. One to watch for all the SuperCoaches next season.

STEPHEN HILL - 68
Won't want to rekindle September memories sitting across from his brother, Brad, at Christmas lunch. Put head over the ball but butchered it by foot early, sapping confidence.

PAUL DUFFIELD - 67
A better defender than what many will give him credit for. Only gave up one goal to Jack Gunston in the second half but was invisible offensively.  Didn't win the loose ball or hit up teammates on the wing like normal. Some big tackles, including a huge hit on Ben Stratton, helped his cause.

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Player Ratings: Hawthorn

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HAWTHORN defender Brian Lake was best on, Isaac Smith provided a spark late while Luke Hodge was at his inspirational best. We give every Hawks a mark out of 100.

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LANCE FRANKLIN - 69
A second flag, but how long until his first falafel in Sydney's west? Smashed Crowley twice early and then got down to business. No highlights - just a solid contributor.

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BEN STRATTON - 72
More serene than a rural day spa in a first half in which he did what he liked. Only one brain fart in the third term when he tried to take on the world and turned it over. Late chase down of Crowley epitomised result.

LIAM SHIELS - 62
Started on the bench, but played his role on Stephen Hill when he came on. Did his bit, used it well and tackled particularly well.

PAUL PUOPOLO - 61
The small man who delivered a small performance. Saved one of his least influential game's for last, but still pressured like a maniac which has to be admired.

JONATHAN SIMPKIN - 30
Subbed on at three quarter-time for Bailey for a second premiership in seven days. Not bad for a three-club journeyman.

Hawk Cyril Rioli wraps up Docker Michael Barlow in a chicken wing-style tackle. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: HeraldSun

CYRIL RIOLI - 77
Memories of 2008. Tackled, tackled and tackled again. The man who admitted he froze in last year's GF stopped the Dockers in their tracks. No silk, but his blue-collar work generated several critical Hawk goals. Clever.

MAX BAILEY - 50
Anihilated in the hitouts, as expected. But he managed to break even with Sandilands and Clarke around the ground, which was crucial. Subbed at three quarter-time and not his greatest performance, but will he give a stuff? No.

JARRYD ROUGHEAD - 71
Couldn't have got a kick in a streetfight in first half when beaten at both ends. But two key goals in third term steadied Hawks and he was mighty in the final term.

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JORDAN LEWIS - 80
Went almost unnoticed early, but his numbers and damage in packs were enormous. Will at the contest and ability to stop Dockers' flow in packs was huge – and deadly.

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SAM MITCHELL - 51
Modelled the latest range of full-body Crowley leggings and couldn't exert his normal influence. Dangerous in space, but it was as rare as Christmas Day snow in Alice Springs.

JOSH GIBSON - 69
One of the best in first half and his composure was exemplary. Battled to keep pace with Pavlich when he exploded in third term, but maintained uncanny knack to be effective third man up.

SHAUN BURGOYNE - 62
Dockers tried to expose him in air against taller opponents, but he was good on the burst. Great defensive pressure on Pearce and Ballantyne and rarely misused it.

BRADLEY HILL - 61
Won cup and bragging rights at next family lunch after having better of his big brother when they crossed paths. Amazing awareness for second-year player.

BRAD SEWELL - 59
As rough and tough as hessian undies. At foot of every pack, but didn't slice Dockers when he got his hands on it. His normal exit routes were blocked and with it his impact.

GRANT BIRCHALL - 84
So much for the outside player some have criticised him for being. Still damaging on outside, but didn't mind mixing it when he had to. Huge numbers at halfback in first half.

LUKE HODGE - 80
Just like Chickenman, the skipper was everywhere. Stood on Zac Clarke at fullback, mixed it in the middle and along with Lake was impenetrable in final term.

Hawk Isaac Smith celebrates a long goal in the second half. Picture: Nicole Garmston Source: HeraldSun

ISAAC SMITH - 65
Made amends for shocking miss in first term with massive goal at key time from downtown. Wasn't his best game, but had some really important touches in last term.

BRIAN LAKE - 89
Like Stuart Dew before him in 2008, proved his mettle on the biggest stage to win the hearts of his new club. About as far removed as possible from the Portsea polo.

JACK GUNSTON - 88
Best game ever. Might have led Norm Smith at halftime. Smashed Dockers on lead; wrestled like an MMA warrior and his field kicking was absolutely sublime. Only goalkicking blemish an audacious banana attempt.

DAVID HALE - 61
Like a heart surgeon in an emergency ward, did his best work to keep the team alive when it was most needed. Unsung hero throughout finals and did a lot of little things that won't be on stats sheet. 

LUKE BREUST - 64
Flat first term, but became dangerous as game progressed. Made his name by kicking goals, but made his GF impact by doing team things. Even split a pack wide open when inspired.

BRENT GUERRA - 58
Did some nice things across half-back. Several telling marks in the second half snuffed out Fremantle's attacking forays and helped create counter-attacking opportunities for Hawthorn.

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