Jack Gunston kicked six goals and still finished on the losing side as Hawthorn went down to Fremantle by 15 points in Round 9. The veteran forward was the clear standout for the Hawks, collecting eight coaches' votes after a night that also brought three-goal support from Nick Watson.
Gunston led all comers on the ground with six majors, 11 disposals, nine marks and eight score involvements in a performance that did not quite drag Hawthorn over the line. Watson added one coaches' vote of his own after booting three goals, while Jai Newcombe also picked up one vote to go with 26 disposals, eight clearances and four score involvements.
The votes paint a sharper picture of how the match unfolded. Hawthorn had individual contributors who did enough to catch the coaches' eye, but Fremantle had the winning edge on the scoreboard and the higher-end vote tally, led by Luke Jackson on 10 votes. Michael Frederick and Caleb Serong each received five, underlining the depth behind Fremantle's 15-point victory.
For Hawthorn, the Round 9 review will start with Gunston's form and end with the same basic problem: strong individual numbers, not enough team result. That leaves the Hawks with a clear takeaway from the night — the production was there, but the points were not.
