Hawthorn Hawks defender slapped with hefty fine following rash act in Saturday’s win over Adelaide Crows

Hawthorn Hawks defender Changkuoth Jiath copped a headbutting charge after an incident in the first half of Saturday’s game that they won 107-80 against the Adelaide Crows. The second term of the game evoked squabbles among many players, including Jiath, after teammate Jack Ginnivan was awarded a free kick.

Jiath’s stepping between Ginnivan and Adelaide Crows defender Mark Keane had Mitch Hinge come to his teammate’s defense. The setup looked to potentially instigate a fuss between the Crows and the Hawthorn Hawks.

On Ginnivan’s way back to getting ready for a set shot on goal, Hinge grabbed Jiath by the throat, but the Hawk responded with a headbutt. He was reported on the spot, which resulted in a reversal free kick.

The officiating umpire penalized Jiath and placed him on report for high contact on Hinge.

The Hawk defender’s actions attracted the attention of the MRO, who then handed down a ‘contact using head' charge. This could have ended in Jiath earning either a suspension or a fine. A suspension was more likely, considering that it was a 'high' contact, 'low' impact offense.

Next week, the Hawthorn Hawks would clash against the GWS Giants in Launceston, followed by a game against Richmond in Round 14 two weeks later.

The MRO’s findings from Saturday's match came in on Sunday evening and Jiath was handed a fine for misconduct.

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Adelaide Crows continue winless MCG streak with loss against Hawthorn Hawks

AFL Rd 12 - Hawthorn v Adelaide

The Crows seemed too out of form to break their winless MCG streak which just hit double digits after their 27-point loss to the Hawthorn Hawks on Saturday.

The Adelaide Crows have not won a game at the ‘G since the 2017 Grand Finals loss to Richmond, which began the Tigers' dynasty.

The win for the Hawthorn Hawks looked like a costly trade as defender Changkuoth Jiath was cited and eventually fined for a headbutt to Mitch Hinge.

In the second term, Jiath and Hinge got into a mild squabble. Hinge placed one hand around Jiath's neck, which the latter found threatening and responded by headbutting the Crow.

The act was graded as low impact and immediately reported by the umpires. As of Sunday, the MRO let Jiath off with a fine.

Jiath's incident aside, the Hawthorn Hawks' fifth win of the season allowed some of the side’s youngsters to show their prowess.

Jai Newcombe made 26 disposals and Dylan Moore kicked five goals and had 27 touches. The Crows' losses at the MCG have reached double digits, with Saturday afternoon’s defeat being the 10th since 2017.

Crow Matt Crouch made 35 disposals for the Crows, while Hinge managed 31 touches.

With a 5-7 record, Hawthorn has made it up to number 12 on the ladder, while the Crows dropped down to 14 with a 4-7 record.