Hawthorn 9.6.60 def. by West Coast 11.9.75

It’s one of football’s most tried and tested adages. And even as much as the game has changed in 160 years, it still holds true. The longer the game goes, the fast men get slower, but the tall men don't get shorter.

So it proved on Sunday at Etihad Stadium, as West Coast won their ninth consecutive game by dominating the last quarter of what had been a nip and tuck affair against Hawthorn. The Eagles had led by only a goal at three-quarter time but got near-immediate reward in the final term when Nic Naitanui - who had been on very limited minutes throughout the afternoon - took a towering contested mark against Ben McEvoy 40 metres out from the first attacking foray of the quarter. This hadn’t been a Naitanui masterclass, but he goaled, and from there the Eagles had the game on their terms.

It was a telling moment, because while the statistics had largely been even across the board, West Coast had clearly won the aerial battle, with their frightening spread of talls all chipping in despite no one tearing the game to shreds.

Hawthorn, still desperately missing the forward half buzz of Cyril Rioli, had held their own for three quarters, even as West Coast threatened repeatedly to break the game open. But while the dam wall never fell, the Eagles had a huge territorial ascendancy in the last quarter, and in truth Hawthorn had just been holding on. Hawks fans vented their frustration at a missed a free kick which should have been paid to Tom Mitchell for high contact from Jack Darling, after which Josh Kennedy extended the margin beyond three goals, effectively sealing the game.