HAWTHORN has stunned Collingwood with a 64-point victory over the Magpies in front of a big crowd at the MCG on Thursday night.

The ‘Hollywood Hawks’ led at every change, with their four big forwards, Mabior Chol, Jack Gunston, Mitch Lewis and Calsher Dear, kicking nine goals between them.

The Hawks’ height in their forward half created headaches for an undermanned Collingwood defence which lost veteran defender Jeremy Howe in the opening moments of the game following a huge collision with Hawks midfielder Jai Newcombe.

Howe was stretchered from the ground and immediately subbed from the match, while Newcombe passed his head injury assessment (HIA) to play out the remainder of the game.

The Hawks’ tall forward line was joined by fellow big man, ruck Lloyd Meek, who kicked a career-high three goals to help his side to a huge 17.8 (110) to 6.10 (46) win in front of a crowd of 68,515.

Nick Watson put together one of the best games of his young career, finishing the night with two goals, 14 disposals and five score involvements.

Highlights: Hawthorn v Collingwood

The Hawks and Magpies clash in round 22 of the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season

The win put the Hawks a step closer to September action as they moved up to fifth position on the ladder with two games remaining.

For Collingwood, the loss makes it four defeats from its past five games, having lost to the Gold Coast, Fremantle, Brisbane and now Hawthorn in recent weeks.

‘You’ve got to grab the footy!’: Skipper’s shocker punished by the Wizard

Nick Watson makes Darcy Moore pay for a costly tap with a stunning goal, before following it up moments later with another ripper

The Pies still hold second spot on the ladder but coach Craig McRae will be hoping his side’s form turns around as it heads into the pointy end of the season.

Star Collingwood midfielder Nick Daicos was held reasonably quiet, finishing with 24 disposals. Daicos came into the game under an injury cloud, having not trained with the main group during the week off the back of a five-day break. The star started the game on the bench and needed treatment on his neck throughout the match.

De Goey delivers magic and celebrates baby announcement

Jordan De Goey produces a brilliant goal on his left foot to get the Collingwood faithful buzzing

It will be a milestone match that Pies Steele Sidebottom and Harry Perryman will want to forget, with the pair notching up 350 and 150 games respectively.

It was a dramatic start to the game when 90 seconds in, Newcombe and Howe clashed heads on the wing, the pair with eyes only for the ball in the unfortunate incident.

Howe remained motionless on the ground for five minutes while the medical team attended to the former Demon. Newcombe went straight down into the rooms for a HIA, which he passed and returned to the ground later in the quarter.

‘G rocked as star Pie gets KO’d in sickening early collision

Collingwood is dealt a cruel blow only minutes after the opening bounce as returning defender Jeremy Howe is stretchered off after a brutal clash with Jai Newcombe

Watson capitalised on the shocked Magpies when play resumed, intercepting a Darcy Moore tap down in defence and dribbling through a goal from 35 metres out. ‘The Wizard’ then kicked his second moments later, using his elite small forward craft to crumb a marking contest and dribble through the next.

Hawthorn’s run and carry and quick hands caught the tired-looking Magpies off guard, with Massimo D’Ambrosio (24 disposals, six score involvements), Jarman Impey (25 disposals, five inside 50s) and Newcombe (28 disposals, 11 score involvements) putting speed on the ball and delivering to their dangerous forward line. Dear’s marking was exceptional and led to him hitting the scoreboard, joined by Meek and Dylan Moore.

Chol nailing goals for fun after Hawk’s blistering run

Mabior Chol slots his third goal of the game in style after Jarman Impey’s sizzling burst through the middle of the ground

Brody Mihocek provided a glimmer of hope for the Magpies up forward as their only multiple goalkicker, but his goal was Collingwood’s only for the second quarter, while Chol, Meek, Lewis and Gunston helped the Hawks kick seven unanswered goals.

The run of seven goals broke the game apart, the Hawks doing enough in the final quarter to keep the margin beyond 10 goals.

Big four or big five?
Much has been spoken about the Hawks’ forward line in the past two weeks and their four tall forwards. But on Thursday night another tall forward made a name for himself. Ruckman Lloyd Meek pushed forward and hit the scoreboard, kicking a career-high three goals and taking seven marks.

More to come

HAWTHORN                3.3     10.3     14.5     17.8 (110)
COLLINGWOOD          2.3      3.6       4.9       6.10 (46)

GOALS
Hawthorn: Gunston 4, Meek 3, Chol 3, Watson 2, Worpel, Newcombe, Moore, Lewis, Dear
Collingwood: Mihocek 2, Schultz, Membrey, Lipinski, De Goey

BEST
Hawthorn: Newcombe, D’Ambrosio, Sicily, Impey, Amon
Collingwood: Pendlebury, N.Daicos, De Goey, Sidebottom, Mihocek

INJURIES
Hawthorn: Nil
Collingwood: Howe (concussion)

SUBSTITUTES
Hawthorn: Luke Breust (replaced Calsher Dear in the third quarter)
Collingwood: Ned Long (replaced Jeremy Howe in the first quarter) 

Crowd: 68,515 at the MCG