Curnow declares he is staying at Blues; Docherty bows out as Hawks win comfortably

Hawthorn have introduced the most vital card to their premiership pack, Will Day, at the right time of the season only to sub out last year’s finals star, Jai Newcombe, after he passed a fitness test before the game. Hawks coach Sam Mitchell said the midfielder would be fine to play Adelaide next week.

It was that sort of night for the Hawks, who comfortably won a flat encounter by 24 points in a game that carried as much tension as a morning cup of tea on a beach holiday.

Day, the club’s best player, was the final, and most important cog, to be re-introduced to the fray after being sidelined with a navicular injury since round three.

His return followed last week’s reappearance of key forward Mitch Lewis, just one round after the hugely talented Calsher Dear found form against Fremantle in his second game for the season.

The win over Carlton was the first time the three players had played together.

The match was a perfect tune-up as the disjointed and dispirited Blues aren’t capable of providing the sort of resistance the Hawks can expect if they make it to September for a second successive season.

At least the Blues can take one small win from the night as Charlie Curnow declared he would be staying at the club after reports he had explored a possible trade.

Day received a cheer when he won his first touch in the opening quarter as you’d expect for a player who is so important to the Hawks, who have won 17 of the 21 matches he has played since the start of 2024.

He is skilful and tough with his tackling a feature early.

Dear is a future star, his spectacular mark on the quarter time siren a contender for mark of the year. He was exciting in the air, taking three memorable grabs in the first half and then a huge grab in the final quarter. He is a lock for one of the key forward posts.

Lewis was impressive too, kicking his first goal since round 18 last season after taking a strong grab early in the game.

He is mobile and demands the ball and will be challenging Mabior Chol for a key forward post in the finals. Jack Gunston kept winding back the clock in an outstanding season, and the trio of key forwards combined for seven goals.

Despite all that happening, the Hawks were not convincing. Once they opened up a five-goal margin in the first quarter they seemed content to turn the match into a holding pattern.

It was disappointing as there was an opportunity to build percentage in a season where it actually matters, as the Hawks were 40 points up early in the match.

They won by just four goals when the lead seemed to be more than 10 goals for most of the match.

The Blues may have wanted to put on a show for veteran Sam Docherty’s retirement and Jacob Weitering’s 200th match, but they were incapable.

The Blues dominated contested ball early but were torched on the outside of the contest with Hawthorn running them ragged.

They threw Tom DeKoning forward alongside Harry McKay while Curnow roamed far and wide, but it didn’t work.

Tom Barrass, Jack Scrimshaw and James Sicily thrashed them taking intercept mark after intercept mark before distributing the ball to any of their runners Jarman Impey, Karl Amon and Massimo D’Ambrosio.

It was Barrass and Sicily’s best games for the season. At half-time McKay had one disposal, Jesse Motlop just two and DeKoning five.

But Carlton’s midfield was competing, young defender Harry O’Farrell was having a serious dip and Will White showed enthusiasm when he kicked the first of his two goals.

The sting seemed to leave the game until Docherty provided a nice moment when he kicked a goal in the third quarter and took a bow in front of an appreciative crowd.

He played well giving his all as only he can, but his teammates weren’t quite on the same page with Curnow having just one touch in the second half, his mind seemingly on sun and surf. He finished the game on the bench.

But the main interest lies in Hawks who are hanging in the top eight and hoping for a lift in performance.

They will hope Newcombe’s injury is minor and that Day, Lewis and Dear can recover and help the team build momentum into finals.

That’s all we have for you tonight.

Thanks for following along this evening and please join us again tomorrow night for our Friday footy blog.

Bye for now.

Blues coach Michael Voss laments that his side’s whole season could be surmised as “sometimes, not always”.

The season has been one to forget and Voss said he knows his side has to change that starting with their last few games of this season.

“That’s been most of our season. We’ve been sometimes, not always. We’ve had patches when we are great and patches where we have let ourselves down and that’s almost been the story of our season.

“That’s the gap we’ve got to bridge.”

Voss said his players had to take all they could from their remaining matches, especially when they face finals-bound teams.

“There is always something to play for and there is no protect or save here, we are running right up to the line,” Voss said.

Carlton star Charlie Curnow has moved to end speculation he wants to leave the Blues telling reporters post game he will definitely continue his career at Ikon Park.

“I’ll be playing at Carlton next year boys,” Curnow said.

He admitted the season had been frustrating but said “things can turn quickly” and he was determined to push through the adversity.

MORE TO COME

Hawthorn have introduced the most vital card to their premiership pack, Will Day, at the right time of the season only to sub out last year’s finals star, Jai Newcombe, after he passed a fitness test before the game. Hawks coach Sam Mitchell said the midfielder would be fine to play Adelaide next week.

It was that sort of night for the Hawks, who comfortably won a flat encounter by 24 points in a game that carried as much tension as a morning cup of tea on a beach holiday.

Day, the club’s best player, was the final, and most important cog, to be re-introduced to the fray after being sidelined with a navicular injury since round three.

His return followed last week’s reappearance of key forward Mitch Lewis, just one round after the hugely talented Calsher Dear found form against Fremantle in his second game for the season.

The win over Carlton was the first time the three players had played together.

The match was a perfect tune-up as the disjointed and dispirited Blues aren’t capable of providing the sort of resistance the Hawks can expect if they make it to September for a second successive season.

At least the Blues can take one small win from the night as Charlie Curnow declared he would be staying at the club after reports he had explored a possible trade.

Day received a cheer when he won his first touch in the opening quarter as you’d expect for a player who is so important to the Hawks, who have won 17 of the 21 matches he has played since the start of 2024.

He is skilful and tough with his tackling a feature early.

Dear is a future star, his spectacular mark on the quarter time siren a contender for mark of the year. He was exciting in the air, taking three memorable grabs in the first half and then a huge grab in the final quarter. He is a lock for one of the key forward posts.

Lewis was impressive too, kicking his first goal since round 18 last season after taking a strong grab early in the game.

He is mobile and demands the ball and will be challenging Mabior Chol for a key forward post in the finals. Jack Gunston kept winding back the clock in an outstanding season, and the trio of key forwards combined for seven goals.

Despite all that happening, the Hawks were not convincing. Once they opened up a five-goal margin in the first quarter they seemed content to turn the match into a holding pattern.

It was disappointing as there was an opportunity to build percentage in a season where it actually matters, as the Hawks were 40 points up early in the match.

They won by just four goals when the lead seemed to be more than 10 goals for most of the match.

The Blues may have wanted to put on a show for veteran Sam Docherty’s retirement and Jacob Weitering’s 200th match, but they were incapable.

The Blues dominated contested ball early but were torched on the outside of the contest with Hawthorn running them ragged.

They threw Tom DeKoning forward alongside Harry McKay while Curnow roamed far and wide, but it didn’t work.

Tom Barrass, Jack Scrimshaw and James Sicily thrashed them taking intercept mark after intercept mark before distributing the ball to any of their runners Jarman Impey, Karl Amon and Massimo D’Ambrosio.

It was Barrass and Sicily’s best games for the season. At half-time McKay had one disposal, Jesse Motlop just two and DeKoning five.

But Carlton’s midfield was competing, young defender Harry O’Farrell was having a serious dip and Will White showed enthusiasm when he kicked the first of his two goals.

The sting seemed to leave the game until Docherty provided a nice moment when he kicked a goal in the third quarter and took a bow in front of an appreciative crowd.

He played well giving his all as only he can, but his teammates weren’t quite on the same page with Curnow having just one touch in the second half, his mind seemingly on sun and surf. He finished the game on the bench.

But the main interest lies in Hawks who are hanging in the top eight and hoping for a lift in performance.

They will hope Newcombe’s injury is minor and that Day, Lewis and Dear can recover and help the team build momentum into finals.