Hawthorn wins 2008 AFL Grand Final

September 27, 2008 The Hawthorn Hawks have won the 2008 Australian Football League Grand Final in front of a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground. The game was being played after a week of excitement. The Australian Football League is the major Australian Football competition in Australia.

The Grand Final week was full of action, with Adam Cooney winning the Brownlow Medal, and Geelong having to stand David Wojcinski down from their team, to make way for Paul Chapman.

The game was preceded with a motorcade of those who have retired from Australian Football during 2008, as well as a presentation showing the heroes of Australian Football in the last 150 years. A performance by rock band Powerfinger followed. Glenn Archer then received the premiership cup from a box traveling down from the roof of the stadium, and gave it to greats of the competing clubs.

Both teams started the game unchanged from what was originally named. Alastair Clarkson, coach of Hawthorn said that his team was ready to run out, with strategies to try and curb the 29°C heat in Melbourne.

The coin toss was won by Geelong. The game commenced with a large amount of push and shove in the center square, resulting in a ball up and, eventually, a free kick to Geelong. Tom Lonegan, after 1min35 had been played, kicked the opening goal. Hawthorn then kicked three goals in quick succession. Gary Ablett then kicked a goal, thanks to two 50m penalties. A free kick was then given to Max Rooke, resulting in a goal. Rooke then followed up with another goal. Hawthorn then rushed through two rushed behinds to level the scores. Cameron Mooney then kicked a spectacular goal to put Geelong in front by 7 points. However, Hawthorn made this goal up, and at quarter time Geelong lead by one point.

Geelong opened the second quarter with a goal to Paul Chapman. Hawthorn responded with a goal to Cyril Rioli. Hawthorn rallied to go ahead and lead at the change. The players were described by 3AW commentators as "out on their feet".

Hawthorn tied the scores a 45 points each at about the twenty minute mark before scoring a behind. They led from there on in out scoring Geelong three goals one behind (nineteen) to one goal nine behinds (thirteen) for the quarter.

Geelong opened the third quarter with a behind. Jarryd Roughead responded with a behind for Hawthorn. Teams went goal for goal, before Geelong scored two points to even the score up. However, Hawthorn then kicked three goals to take the lead. However, just before Three Quarter Time, Geelong kicked two goals. At Three-Quarter-Time, Hawthorn were leading by 23 points.

Both sides traded behinds at the start the last quarter. After twelve minutes, Lance Franklin kicked a goal around his body, the first for the quarter. Sam Mitchell kicked another goal one minute later, to take the score sixteen goals seven behinds to nine goals twenty two behinds. Rick Ladson closed out the game with a goal four minutes later. Max Rooke scored a consolation goal for Geelong two minutes later.

''NB - Australian Football scores are written Goals.Behinds.Total, where a Goal is worth 6 points, and a Behind is worth 1 point. For example, a score of 1.5.11 would be correct, as (1X6=6)+(5X1=5)=11

Outside Links

 * 2008 AFL Grand Final teams