HAWTHORN is the most impressive side in the League and is primed for another tilt at the premiership, Western Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney believes.
After the Hawks sauntered to a 62-point win at Aurora Stadium on Sunday- a result that lifted them to the top of the table - McCartney said the brown and gold machine was primed for a serious September campaign.
“I don’t know what their reaction to the win was but I haven’t seen too many better teams than them this year, to be honest. They’re probably the best I’ve seen," he said after the match.
“They can deal with games and win however it’s needed. Today they were strong and passionate about beating us at our strength, which is at the stoppage and contested ball area.
“We had patches where they got some dominance and we didn’t deal with that very well.
“If you can’t capitalise you have to hang in there and (that was) no more evident than the last six or seven minutes of the third quarter. That’s what was most disappointing and that probably derailed us for the rest of the game because they had use of a strong breeze (in the final term).”
RECAP: View the match report and highlights from the Bulldogs and Hawks clash.
The Hawks play Melbourne next round before a tough run home with matches against Fremantle in Perth, Geelong at the MCG and Collingwood at the MCG.
Despite ruing his side’s inability to maintain the kind of pressure required to compete with Hawthorn, McCartney still found positives to take away from his side’s loss, with 200cm ruck/forward Tom Campbell one player to earn his coach’s praise.
“We’ve looked at him a few times (and) he’s had very good year developing his ruck craft against men,” McCartney said.
“We think we’ve got a good young player, he’s a good young boy. He hasn’t probably been ready for that constant battering you get as an AFL ruckman but he is just getting to that age and strength now where he’ll be able to.”
While he did provide Will Minson with some cover in the ruck, Campbell spent much of his time forward against the Hawks and kicked two goals during an impressive patch in the third quarter where he caused genuine headaches for the Hawthorn defence.
PHOTO GALLERY: View the match photo gallery from AFL Photos
“He did some nice things today and actually straightened us up and dealt with some good opponents,” McCartney said.
“He could be OK, he’s had to wait his time. Other people have been given opportunities and haven’t been able to take them as well, but that’s not to say they won’t come back, either.
“We’ve got a lot of depth, a lot of evenness. We’ll keep on coaching them and see who comes through.”
