by Nicholas Duck
Drouin's 2025 tour of Gippsland is off to an inauspicious start following a sizeable loss to Morwell.
The noticeable younger Hawks unit's first match under new coach Leigh Horsburgh began promisingly with three first quarter goals to the home side's one.
As the day wore on, however, the more experienced Tigers took control around the ground and on the scoreboard, the floodgates opening late as Drouin were downed 7.11 (53) to 22.10 (142).
With the Hawks forced to rejig their senior side following an exodus of their star talent over the off-season it was a vastly different side to the one they last named.
Twelve players in the side's starting 22 had played fewer than 10 games, with five of them on debut in the Gippsland League's top flight.
And it showed at times as Drouin's mistakes were happily accepted by a ruthless Morwell team that refused to take the foot off the throat once they found the ascendancy, kicking 11 goals in the final term alone.
There was a bit of Jekyll and Hyde about the Hawks. If you just watched their first and third quarters you'd think they were going alright. If you tuned in only for the second and fourth though? Not so much.
Too often past quarter time Drouin's execution was found wanting as they missed targets with the blustery conditions likely playing a role.
A kick slightly too short here, a handball slightly too wide there and it added up, with the Tigers cashing in on their turnovers to full effect.
The third quarter saw them stem the flow on the scoreboard but without that reward up the other end, some heads dropped by the time the final term rolled around.
Aden Quirk (31 disposals) put in a power of work through the middle to be Drouin's best for the day, refusing to give an inch even when things were at their most dire.
Young Zachary McMillan got the full tour of Morwell Recreation Reserve as he was deployed everywhere from the wing to the backline to even the ruck at times, putting in a strong effort wherever he went.
Two-time reigning best and fairest Kye Quirk was his usual quality self with 34 touches, as were Caleb Quirk and Box Hill Hawk Seb Amoroso, while new backman Ben Tranfield was solid.
For Morwell big man Isaac Abas was everywhere, giving the midfield silver service while also floating forward for two goals.
Playing coach Boyd Bailey (28 disposals, four goals) was lethal with ball in hand, as was spearhead Brandon McDonald (four goals).
Cody Macdonald, Tyler Hillier and Brandon Mcauliffe were all strong as well.
The gulf in experience between the named sides was a major factor in the final result, but based on the way the game began you wouldn't have known it.
Despite conceding the first goal early through Tiger Tom Gray, the Hawks were up for the fight, limiting Morwell's attacking ability before striking their own blows.
New Hawk Riley Wierzbicki got them going, grabbing a loose ball before turning and letting one through from distance on the run before Max Williames and Kyron Smith capitalised courtesy of 50-metre penalties.
Heading into the second term there was plenty of reason for optimism from the Hawks – before it was quickly snuffed out.
Five straight Morwell majors in the first 10 minutes of the quarter had the visitors scrambling for answers. The Tigers kicked two more before the Hawks found a desperately needed steadier from Amoroso on the eve of half time from a free kick.
A much better effort in the third had its moments for Drouin as they sought to work their back into the game but too often that final kick inside 50 let them down.
By the time the fourth term arrived the young Hawks didn't have much left in them as the Tigers ran rampant, McDonald in particular enjoying the term with three goals by himself.
Speaking post-game Horsburgh said the loss was a good experience for the club's younger players.
"It's a learning curve for the guys. They've had a taste, they know what they need to compete at that level," he said,
While disappointed with his side's drop-off late, Horsburgh was taking positives away from the match.
"The things that we did wrong are things that we control and we can fix. We had six goals against from free kicks, 12 directly from turnovers. We had 10 or so set shots from 40 to 50 metres that just fell short or missed. If we can fix some of that we'll be much better off.
"Overall we showed glimpses of what we want and what we want Drouin to look like."