Hawks star Josh Ward has broken his nose in a freak accident while celebrating during Hawthorn’s 37-point win over the Western Bulldogs in the first AFL elimination final.
The Hawks will travel interstate for a knockout semi-final against Port Adelaide next week after running the Bulldogs ragged in the 14.15 (99) to 9.8 (62) victory at the MCG on Friday night.
It was Hawthorn’s first finals victory since completing a famous hat-trick of premierships in the 2015 grand final.
And it was the latest chapter in the so-called Hollywood Hawks’ stunning revival under Sam Mitchell, after a horror 0-5 start to the season.
However, midfielder Josh Ward got more than he bargained for while rushing in to congratulate teammate Jai Newcombe after scoring a goal.
Newcombe didn’t see Ward behind him and the pair briefly clashed heads, with Ward copping a nasty knock to the face.
‘Josh Ward comes flying in, and bang, cops a headbutt,’ said Seven football commentator Campbell Brown.
‘He’s got a broken nose – it didn’t look like much on the slow-mo, but after the game he’s got a big cut on his head and a badly broken nose.
Josh Ward (pictured) has broken his nose in a freak accident while celebrating during Hawthorn’s 37-point win
Hawthorn ran the Bulldogs ragged in the 14.15 (99) to 9.8 (62) victory at the MCG
‘Sometimes you can over-celebrate.’
The Hawks trailed by two goals at quarter-time but kicked nine majors to two through the second and third periods, seizing control at the coalface.
‘The players just handled every aspect of the game pretty well,’ Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell said.
‘Whatever was thrown at us, whether it was tactical or even little things like score reviews and blood rules.
‘All those little details in a game with which you can lose your way … I just thought we showed a level of maturity which gives me a bit of confidence.’
Hawks livewire Jack Ginnivan, who courted criticism with a trip to a Richmond pub the night before the game, was creative and celebrated kicking the sealer midway through the final term by miming opening and drinking a can of beer.
Mitchell said he knew about Ginnivan’s Thursday evening plans and said he had no problem with the watering hole visit given the Hawks forward’s early bedtime.
The 21-year-old had 15 disposals at 93 per cent efficiency along with three goal assists in an assured performance on return to September after Collingwood’s 2023 flag.
The Hawks will travel interstate for a knockout semi-final against Port Adelaide next week
‘Absolutely (a non-issue). I didn’t ask, I probably should have: I wonder how many players went out for dinner to a public place last night? I would guess maybe half,’ Mitchell said post game.
‘I think most of us have watched Friday night footy or watched Thursday night footy at a public venue for the majority of the year – (Ginnivan) played well, he lives how he lives, and I knew about it.
‘As long as he went home around the halftime mark, then I was going to be pretty happy with what he’s doing – it’s no issue for me at all.’
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