Hawthorn has started its 2025 season in impressive fashion by outlasting a spirited Sydney Swans comeback to run out 20-point winners at the SCG in the AFL’s season-opener.
Hawks captain James Sicily was outstanding in the final quarter after being moved forward at three quarter time and helped his side kick three unanswered goals to seal a 14.12 (96) to 11.10 (76) win over the Swans.
New recruits Tom Barrass and Josh Battle were excellent in defence, while Will Day starred in the midfield with 26 disposals and three goals for the Hawks, who were able to overcome an ankle injury to star midfielder James Worpel.
Worpel was subbed out of the contest at half-time after turning his ankle in a tackle from Swans big man Brodie Grundy late in the second quarter. He was seen with his right foot in a moon boot during the second half after being replaced by Sam Frost.
Club captain James Sicily was moved forward in the final quarter in what moved to be an inspired move for the Hawks. (Getty Images: Michael Willson)
Following the match, Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell was unable to confirm whether Worpel had suffered an injury to the syndesmosis joint in his ankle, which usually results in players being sidelined for months rather than weeks.
“All I know at this stage is that it’s an ankle (injury). I said, ‘Is it one of those that are OK in a couple of days or one of those six-weekers’, and he (Worpel) goes, ‘I’ll be right’. He’s always going to say that, I’ve got no idea,” he told reporters after the match.
“There was a moment where he looked like he was going to pop up out of a stoppage and he ended up on the ground and limped off after that.
“He could play this week or he could be out a fair while, I actually don’t have an update yet.
“If it’s a syndesmosis, that always sounds bad, and they’re anywhere from six weeks to a lot longer, so I’m hoping it’s not that and hoping he’s just rolled his ankle.”
Will Day was dominant in the first half for the Hawks, kicking three goals. (Getty Images: Cameron Spencer)
Sydney, which had stewed on last year’s grand final agony all summer, missed injured stars Errol Gulden and Callum Mills in their first game under new coach Dean Cox.
Chad Warner (21 disposals, two goals), Nick Blakey (26, one) and Isaac Heeney (21 touches, 10 clearances) stood up in losing cause.
There were six lead changes in a frantic opening quarter as Day’s midfield work and two goals from Dylan Moore helped the Hawks to a six-point lead.
The game predictably tightened up as players tired in the second term, but Karl Amon kept up the pace when he produced a very early goal-of-the-year contender.
Amon took on several opponents and played a one-two with Jai Newcombe, whose clever handpass allowed his teammate to run on and snap a superb major — the first of four successive goals for Hawthorn.
Day had been the star to that point with monster first-half tallies that stood at 19 disposals, five clearances and three goals.
James Jordon was sent to the Hawks star after half-time and put the clamps on Day, who also spent part of the third quarter off the field being assessed by medical staff.
Warner and Blakey were influential as the Swans charged in the third term, producing their own four-goal run to get back within two points before heavy rain made conditions tough.
Goals were at a premium in the final term and Finn Maginness drew first blood for Hawthorn before Ollie Florent’s horror kick across goal gifted another to Connor Macdonald.
Sicily ended the contest with five minutes left to play, adding the Hawks’ third of the term.
Check out the live blog below for all the action between Sydney and Hawthorn as it happened on Friday night.
Key Events
Sydney vs Hawthorn final scores
That’s it for tonight’s live coverage!
That’s where we’ll wrap things up tonight after a thriller to open the 2025 AFL season.
Hawthorn as impressive as ever, really professional performance from Mitchell’s side against last year’s runner up.
We’ll be back on Sunday to cover the second match of the AFL’s Opening Round when the GWS Giants host Collingwood.
Please join us then!
Mitchell unable to confirm extent of Worpel’s injury
Sam Mitchell isn’t aware of reports suggesting James Worpel has suffered an injury to the syndesmosis joint in his ankle.
“All I know at this stage is that it’s an ankle (injury). I said, ‘Is it one of those that are OK in a couple of days or one of those six-weekers’, and he goes, ‘I’ll be right’. He’s always going to say that, I’ve got no idea,” he says.
“There was a moment where he looked like he was going to pop up out of a stoppage and he ended up on the ground and limped off after that.
“He could play this week or he could be out a fair while, I actually don’t have an update yet.
“If it’s a syndesmosis, that always sounds bad, and they’re anywhere from six weeks to a lot longer, so I’m hoping it’s not that and hoping he’s just rolled his ankle.”
Mitchell thrilled with Hawthorn’s composure
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell is a happy man after his side’s impressive win.
“It was a tough game the whole game. My heart rate wouldn’t go down the whole game, so I thought the players did a fantastic job of handling the pressure,” he says.
“We’ve tried to put last year behind us, for us we know we need to get better and we need to improve.
“We’re going to have to be better than we were and we’re going to have to be better than we are now.
“The game looked intense the whole time and the way we handled that was a bit of validation.”
Cox ‘disappointed’ by Sydney’s final quarter
Sydney coach Dean Cox has spoken to reporters after a loss in his first game in charge.
“A little bit disappointed. To play against a really good footy team with our group, to come back and get to a really good position and let it slide the way we did was disappointing,” he says.
“A little bit sour but there are still a lot of things we need to improve on, and we know that.
“We didn’t take our opportunities when the (final) quarter, some of our decisions centre-forward (were poor).
“They’re a really good football team. They were one of the best teams in the competition (in the back half of last year) … so we were aware of what they were going to deliver tonight.”
Cox was full of praise for Sam Wicks who has been shifted into defence and shut down Hawks livewire Nick Watson tonight.
Worpel facing lengthy stint on the sidelines
There’s a bit of a dampener on this result for the Hawks, with midfielder James Worpel looking like he might spend some time on the sidelines.
Worpel made 25 appearances last season and averaged 21.8 disposals per contest. He is a restricted free agent at the end of this season.
Final stats from the SCG
Here are the numbers from Hawthorn’s 20-point win over Sydney at the SCG:
- Disposals: Hawthorn 332-321
- Inside 50s: Hawthorn 58-40
- Clearances: Hawthorn 47-33
- Contested Possessions: Hawthorn 133-121
- Marks: Hawthorn 89-71
- Tackles: Hawthorn 60-55
The top three highest-rated players on the ground were all Hawks in the end.
- 1.Will Day (HAW): 26 disposals, nine clearances, three goals
- 2.Lloyd Meek (HAW): 14 disposals, 29 hitouts, six clearances, two goals
- 3.Karl Amon (HAW): 27 disposals, one goal, 698m gained
James Sicily’s take on Hawks win
Hawthorn captain James Sicily reveals the Hawks weren’t happy with their pre-season efforts in the lead-up to tonight.
Tom Barrass speaks after Hawks debut
Off-season recruit Tom Barrass was excellent tonight in his first match for Hawthorn.
Barrass and fellow off-season arrival Josh Battle were awesome down back and allowed James Sicily to move forward in the final quarter.
“It was a great game. It was a great midfield contest, that’s where the game was won,” he tells Fox Footy.
“He’s (Sicily) such a gun. He’s a bit of an unconventional footballer, but he just gets it done. We love him down back, but we love him up forward when he does that.
“We’re a really tight group and they’ve been really welcoming for me and JB (Battle).”
FT: Hawthorn 14.12 (96) defeats Sydney 11.10 (76)
Impressive stuff from the Hawks as they knock off the Swans on the road to start their season.
It’s been a thoroughly professional display from Sam Mitchell’s men.
Mitchell will love the fact that they didn’t have it all their own way tonight.
He looks absolutely rapt in the coaches box after that one. Massive hugs all around for all the Hawks coaches.
After leading by 27 points early in the third quarter, Sydney cut Hawthorn’s lead to under a goal, but the Hawks responded by kicking three unanswered goals in the final term to seal it.
Sicily sniffs out Swans comeback attempt
James Sicily wins a free kick in the forward line and kicks his first of the night, and that’s the sealer you’d think.
It’s been a masterstroke from Sam Mitchell to send his skipper forward in the final quarter with the game on the line.
Sicily has made things happen in the final quarter and his side has kicked three unanswered goals to take a 20-point lead.
There’s just over four minutes left in the contest, surely not enough time for the Swans.
Under 10 minutes to go at the SCG
Time running out for the Swans now, given these conditions.
Hawthorn leading by 13 points, meaning the Swans need three goals to hit the front.
The problem is Hawthorn has the ball locked in their forward half at the moment.
There’s just under nine minutes left on the clock.
Meanwhile Taylor Adams has come off the ground with what has been called “hamstring tightness”, I doubt we see him again tonight.
Florent’s huge blunder helps Hawks extend lead
Oh boy, this is a coach-killer from Ollie Florent.
Firstly, he applies excellent defence to trap James Sicily holding the ball in the forward pocket.
However, after winning the free kick, he uses the free kick to kick the ball straight down the throat of Connor MacDonald, who makes no mistake from the set shot from directly in front.
The camera pans to the Sydney box where Dean Cox basically has this expression like he’s just been told someone has broken into his home.
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An absolute territory game in the fourth quarter
The Swans may not have a goal yet in this quarter, but they look to be playing the conditions a lot better so far.
With the ball slipping about all over the place, the Swans have been hellbent on just claiming territory, even if it’s ugly.
Plenty of soccering and whacking the ball down the ground without grabbing possession.
Hawthorn leading by seven points, but the Swans are far from done with just over 13 minutes to go.
Sicily helps Hawks strike first in the fourth quarter
The Hawks have struck first in the final term in absolutely DRIVING rain.
They certainly took a circuitous route to the goal in the end.
James Sicily takes a mark inside the goalsquare and dishes off a handball over the man on the mark for God knows why in these conditions, but it works out in the end as Finn Maginness kicks the goal.
Hawks legend Jason Dunstall, he who is against all things with any sort of flair, is absolutely losing his mind at all of this.
There is something poetic about a straight shooter like Dunstall being forced to watch his favourite club play the most reckless brand of footy.
Final quarter underway as Day fights cramps
What has Hawthorn got left in the tank?
Rain continues to fall here at the SCG which will be a test for these tired, tired players in the final term.
Will Day revealed to be dealing with cramps, while James Worpel is hobbling around with his right foot in a moon boot.
James Sicily is starting the fourth quarter in Hawthorn’s forward line. Wonder if he’ll apply some sort of tag to Nick Blakey.
3QT: Hawthorn 11.10 (76) leads Sydney 11.5 (71)
A brilliant quarter from the Swans has them right in the contest as we turn for the final quarter.
Dean Cox will have given his side a red-hot rev-up during the half-time break, and the response has been excellent.
Nick Blakey is having a huge say on proceedings running off halfback, and unless the Hawks forwards put a man on him, he will continue to rip apart this game.
Blakey has 21 disposals but has gained a game-high 681 metres for the Swans through three quarters.
It’s been the usual suspects that have gotten the Swans back into this. Chad Warner has 17 disposals and two goals, while Isaac Heeney has 18 disposals and nine clearances.
Swans debutant in the game
Both teams have now activated their subs with Sydney bringing on debutant Tom Hanily for Angus Sheldrick.
No injury for Sheldrick, the change is purely tactical from Dean Cox, who must be thrilled with what he’s seen in this quarter so far.
Blakey unleashes a monster goal on the run
This man Nick Blakey is different gravy.
The conditions have started to get pretty nasty with the rain coming down.
Blakey runs off halfback while his man Mabior Chol watches on like a goal umpire and absolutely DRILLS one on the run from 55m out.
I reckon we might see vision of Sam Mitchell breaking that one down on Full Sweat.
Hawks lead back down to three points.
Swans put clamps on Day after brilliant first half
Will Day has been completely shut down in this quarter as Sydney opted to send tagger-in-chief James Jordon to his side.
Day has so far managed just two touches in this quarter, although one of them was a goal assist to Conor Nash which broke a run of four straight majors to the Swans.
Day is currently off the ground and looks to be having some part of his lower body worked on. He doesn’t look too comfortable on the boundary.
Hawks currently holding a nine-point lead, but this match is well and truly up for grabs.
Rain starting to fall at the SCG is an interesting little added wrinkle as well.
