Veteran aim sneak Luke Breust kicked three majors and helped Hawthorn snatch a thrilling draw with AFL flag fancies Melbourne.
Alastair Clarkson’s Seventeenth-placed aspect trailed by 27 factors halfway via the second time period and seemed gone for all cash towards the close to unbackable flag fancies.
But the Demons have been finally left to rue missed alternatives in the 11.13 (79) to 12.7 (79) draw, performed in entrance of empty stands at the MCG amid Victoria’s COVID-19 lockdown.
Angus Brayshaw and Kysaiah Pickett each had set photographs in the ultimate couple of minutes that might have sealed a win for Melbourne, earlier than Breust pounced at the again of a pack at the different finish.
Neither aspect might handle a rating in the dying levels after the subsequent centre bounce.
Brownlow Medal fancy Christian Petracca was excellent for Melbourne, significantly in the first half, on his approach to racking up 33 disposals, 23 contested possessions and 9 clearances.
Clayton Oliver (34 disposals and eight clearances) and Jack Viney (32 and 6) have been additionally busy and Bayley Fritsch kicked three targets.
But it was the plucky Hawks who have been arguably extra spectacular, taking it as much as their highly-rated opponents in a spirited show.
Hawthorn’s prolific on-baller Tom Mitchell continued to rack up huge numbers with 39 disposals and 6 clearances, whereas James Worpel and Jaeger O’Meara have been additionally influential.
Breust kicked three targets and tall ahead Mitchell Lewis added two in his first recreation again from a number of weeks on the sidelines via a concussion sustained in a boxing incident at coaching.
Melbourne kicked six of the first seven targets, with beginning on-ballers Petracca, Viney and Oliver at the coronary heart of their early dominance.
But the Hawks hit again and closed to inside 5 factors when Worpel kicked the first aim of the second half, benefiting from a contentious 50-metre penalty towards Max Gawn for operating via the protected zone.
Hawthorn deserved to be shut, pegging the margin again to 1 level moments earlier than three-quarter time when Mitchell completed a scrappy passage of play.
They hit the entrance for the first time when Lewis kicked the opening aim of the ultimate time period with a set shot from the pocket, teed up by Tyler Brockman’s neat distribution.
It was tight from there and a draw appeared a becoming consequence, although it might show pricey for Melbourne as groups jostle for finals spots close to the high of the ladder.
© AAP
