Full forwards get beaten.
I hate to break to those condemning the performance of Charlie Curnow on the weekend, but it happens.
Often, actually.
The opening quarter of the Hawks’ win over Sydney prompted Hawthorn coach, Sam Mitchell, to make a change. In 2025, Josh Battle did the job on Curnow, in a performance that arguably won him an All-Australian blazer. He picked up 21 touches and five marks, whilst restricting the Carlton full forward to only five touches and no goals.
It was a comprehensive win. Their rematch saw Curnow fare a little better, snagging two, but the honours still went to Battle. There was no reason for Mitchell not to deploy Battle in the role of Curnow killer once more.
Until he saw a reason not to.
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Oh… a Mongrel paywall… the worst of all paywalls. We’re all in on the 2026 AFL season. Player articles, stats, awards, game coverage. Dump the mainstream lip service and dive into articles like this – you will never look back. If you don’t want to, that’s fine. I consider it your loss as we get into the grind of the season, and you’re stuck with the stuff that’s frustrated you for years.
