THE THIRD-QUARTER report of Hawthorn spearhead Lance Franklin threatens to overshadow the Hawks 71-point win over the Gold Coast Suns at Aurora Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Franklin was booked for what appeared to be a high shot on Suns utility Maverick Weller midway through a quarter that saw the Hawks kick six goals to nil to set up their 19.15 (129) to 8.10 (58) victory.

The incident came amidst a flurry of Hawthorn majors, the floodgates opening after what had been a dour first half that saw the Suns stick doggedly to their more fancied opponents.

Small forwards Shane Savage and Luke Breust announced themselves on the big stage with four goals apiece while former skipper Sam Mitchell again showed his leadership credentials with 38 possessions in a dominant midfield performance.

Young forward Tom Lynch showed signs of promise in kicking three for the Suns and Gary Ablett battled his way to 33 touches for the afternoon.

FIRST QUARTER
With Gary Ablett toting up the touches (11 in the first quarter) and his Gold Coast teammates winning the clearances, the Suns got off to a good start in the opening term against Hawthorn at Aurora Stadium. Jared Brennan got the Suns off to a good start with an early goal and it took the Hawks 11 minutes to get on the board when Shane Savage goaled on the run. Ablett found Maverick Weller for the Suns’ second, before Luke Breust goaled smartly from the angle to level the scores. A pair of lovely goals on the run from Isaac Smith, separated in the middle by a trademark freakish snap, helped the Hawks to a seven-point lead at the first change. Ablett was the star for the Suns while Sam Mitchell had 10 touches for the Hawks.
 
SECOND QUARTER
Hawthorn got on top everywhere but the scoreboard in the second term. It took 13 minutes for either side to goal and it was the Suns who bridged the gap to three points after Tom Lynch snapped truly from a set shot deep in the forward pocket. It was a nice reward for a rare forward entry during a term when the play was largely inside Hawthorn’s attacking half. It took 18 minutes for the Hawks to goal and they got two within a minute - the first to Shane Savage on the run and then another to Lance Franklin, which was set up by some brilliance from Sam Mitchell, who feigned to kick on his right foot, then swiftly moved to his left and drilled the pass to Franklin. The Hawks ended up with a 29-15 edge in inside 50s, at half-time, and 23 touches to the brilliant Mitchell, but only a 17-point lead at the long change.
 
THIRD QUARTER
Despite kicking against a freshening breeze, the Hawks iced the game against the Suns with six unanswered goals to extend their lead to 50 points. The crafty Cyril Rioli booted two of them, as did Shane Savage, to take his tally for the match to four. Hawthorn’s defence held firm, Sam Mitchell was well on top in the middle, but the story of the quarter was Franklin’s report for striking Gold Coast’s Mav Weller with a 'high elbow'. At first glance, it didn’t look good for the Hawk superstar.
 
FOURTH QUARTER
Hawthorn cantered away to a comfortable win, as expected, banging on seven goals to four, to win by 71 points, which given the considerable list of outs, was a reasonable performance. Of most interest to the Hawks was the continued good form of small forwards Shane Savage and Luke Breust, who each kicked four goals to provide another avenue to goal on a day when Franklin, who kicked three, didn’t really shine. For the Suns, Tom Lynch added two goals to give him three for the day and underline his undoubted abilities, while after talking about it for a considerable time, Karmichael Hunt saw some time in the midfield and enjoyed some key clearances.

Hawthorn              4.3 6.8 12.10 19.15 (129)
Gold Coast            3.2  4.3 4.8 8.10 (58)

GOALS
Hawthorn: Savage 4, Bruest 4, Franklin 3, Smith 2, Rioli 2, Hodge, Hale, Osborne, Suckling
Gold Coast: Lynch 3, Brennan 2, Weller, Day, Gorringe

BEST
Hawthorn: Mitchell, Savage, Bruest, Birchall, Rioli, Gibson, Hodge
Gold Coast: Ablett, Stanley, Iles, Lynch, Hutchins, Harbrow

INJURIES
Hawthorn: Ladson (hamstring)
Gold Coast: nil

SUBSTITUTES
Hawthorn: Rick Ladson (hamstring) by Michael Osborne in the third quarter. Gold Coast: Luke Russell replaced by Rex Liddy.

CHANGES
Hawthorn: Schoenmakers (foot) in selected side by Lisle.

Reports: Lance Franklin (Hawthorn) for high contact on Maverick Weller in the third quarter

Umpires: Stewart, Ryan, Jeffery

Official crowd: 16,377 at Aurora Stadium