Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Monday 13 July 1925, page 16


HAWTHORN IN THE DOLDRUMS.

No Match for Fitzroy.

Outplayed! No other word more fittingly de-scribes why Fitzroy, on their own ground, beat Hawthorn by 125 points to 41. Judging by their

efforts in the first term it looked as though the "freshers" would make a contest of it, but it takes two to make a fight, and for the remaining three terms there was only one. The game was

played in grand sporting spirit, yet the interest was comparable with the attendance in the outer ground—decidedly small. Considering the cold wind that tore across the ground and the quag-mire in the centre of the arena, which players did their best to avoid, there were remarkably few free kicks for kicking out of bounds.

Fitzroy began quickly. Splatt and Donovan turned their initial incursions, but their next en-

abled Moriarty to open up a busy day for him-

self. His goal, from a free kick, was followed by one from Costigan with a nice running shot. When Hawthorn broke in a shot by Price hit a post, but a nice effort by McCashney, Woodford, and Yeomans ended in the latter scoring the goal. A brilliant mark by Gill over Dickens paved the way for further success, achieved by Price. Fitz-roy massed forward, and a hasty snap by O'Rourke recorded the fifth goal to be registered by the competing teams from six scoring shots—a fine achievement for a wet and muddy ground. Gill was playing finely on the wing, but in the centre Corrigan carried too many guns for Finch. A point to Fitzroy preceded a dash by Hawthorn, and a hasty shot off the ground hit a post—the second occasion. Several Fitzroy forward moves were turned by McKenzie or Pickford, but a bril-liant mark by Moriarty over Bolt gave Fitzroy

another goal and a lead at quarter-time by 4-4 to 2-2.

In the next term Hawthorn attacked, but about six resultless shots revealed the ineptitude of their forwards, who were continually bunching and jostling each other. From that point the game as a contest could be dismissed, and except to pick out salient features very little descrip-tion of the debacle is necessary. Helwig, who began badly, set about correcting the false im-pression his indifferent play in the opening term had given rise to. He brought down some beauti-ful marks and kicked three of the six goals scored during the term by Fitzroy, who at halftime led by 10-5 to 2-4.

Another fine mark and a goal by Helwig marked the opening of the third term. McCashney, who had relieved Finch in the centre, and Gill pioneered a Hawthorn attack, which Yeomans, with a clever snap, turned to advantage. Bolt (late of Carlton) was applauded for some telling rushes in Hawthorn's defence, yet that his mission of curbing Moriarty's effectiveness was fruitless is reflected in the fact that Moriarty, by clever play and very little help from his co-forwards, in-creased his goal tally to six and his team's over-whelming lead to 14-11 to 3-9 at the last change-over.

Jackson tried, by another alteration of the dis-position of his forces, to change the fortunes, but unavailingly. They continued to play with-out the slightest sign of team work, but they deserve commendation for the manner in which they fought out the unequal contest. On the other hand, the Fitzroy machinery was working perfectly, to which a further five goals—without a miss to break the symmetry—bears ample testi-mony. The game ended in an overwhelming vic- tory for Fitzroy with the scores—

FITZROY, 19 goals 11 behinds (125 points).

HAWTHORN, 5 goals 11 behinds (41 points).

On the winning side there was hardly a weak man. Corrigan's centre play was of a high stan-dard. Wigraft was an untiring and purposeful follower. O'Rourke (roving and forward) did finely, as also did most of the rearguard, particu- larly Elliott, Chatfield, Hickey, and Jenkin. Moriarty's goal-getting speaks for itself. Of the others Williams and McCracken did best. Helwig made a creditable first appearance. For Haw-thorn McKenzie and Pickford were two able and staunch defenders. McCashney (when half-for-ward) also did well. Of the others Bolt, Hendrie, and Gill (in the first half) were the best of a team that was overmatched and outplayed.

Goal-kickers:—Fitzroy - Moriarty (8), Helwig (4), O'Rourke (2), Costigan (2), Curtis, Batch-lor, and Williams. Hawthorn — Yeomans (3),

Price, and Hendrie.