Hawthorn captain James Sicily blasted for reaction to rookie’s mistake in game against Western Bulldogs

by
URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL URL

Hawthorn captain James Sicily has been called out after losing his mind at rookie teammate Nick Watson on Sunday.

As the Hawks took on the Western Bulldogs, the contest was going down to the wire in the fourth quarter as the teams duked it out.

Watch every game of every round this Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >

With the goals flowing in a nailbiting final term, Sicily lost his cool at Watson for missing an opportunity to kick a valuable goal.

But it was his reaction that caught the attention of fans watching on and left the AFL world divided.

Holding onto a slender five-point lead, a kick from James Worpel found Sicily all alone in a vacant forward 50.

As he turned towards goal he looked to dish it off to Watson to set up an easy goal and extend the margin out. Sicily’s handball however missed the mark by a long way.

As Watson tracked the ball he eventually collected it around 15m out as Dogs defender James O’Donnell gave chase.

Watson felt the pressure and rushed his attempt on goal, kicking it straight through the points for a single behind.

Sicily, like Hawks fans in the stands, couldn’t believe it and was left blowing up as he flailed his arms about before staring at his teammate.

Thankfully the missed opportunity from Watson didn’t cost the Hawks as they held on to defeat the Dogs.

The reaction from the Hawks skipper however was called out by those watching on with many blaming Sicily after his errant handball.

Commentator Brent Ford wrote: “Mans cooked him with one of the worst handballs of all-time then acts like this.”

One user wrote: “I don’t care what anyone says. A captain shouldn’t be acting like this when such a young player makes a mistake.”

Not everyone was of the belief the outburst from Sicily was over the top, with some calling out Watson for rushing the shot on goal.

“You’ve just got to back yourself in young kid, James Sicily did everything that was needed,” Jordan Lewis said on Fox Footy’s commentary.

One user wrote: “In fairness to Sicily, exactly the reaction The Wizard deserved.”

The divisive moment was the only potential blip on the radar for Sicily who put his body on the line time and again throughout the contest to help lead his team to the upset win.

Sicily left the field midway through the first quarter after dislocating his shoulder when he hit the turf after a marking contest.

After popping his shoulder back into place, Sicily returned to the field and put the team on his back as he dominated the Bulldogs.

In a surprise move he was thrown forward in the final quarter and fittingly kicked the match-winning goal with three and a half minutes left in the match.

The win is only the second on the season for the Hawks and moves them up into 16th on the ladder, ahead of Richmond and North Melbourne.

Leave a Comment