If it weren't for a 50 per cent conversion rate in front of goal the Hawks could have won by more than the 103 points that the scoreboard ultimately showed.

That is, with 42 shots on goal to 14 the Cats could have met the opposition in the middle of the park far more than the 24 times and really should have lost by other five or six goals - not that it really matters.

In West Augusta's defence it did have to contend with an often swirly but mostly stiff breeze from the Augusta Terrace end that moved the ball markedly at times.

The Cats started well enough kicking the first two goals via Schutte and Cox as West added five points.

But once Dadleh at full-forward slotted a major the Hawks settled into the demolition job expected.

It was Ray Stapleton who was seemingly everywhere at once that shone as McIntosh returned to form and his bustling, bullocking best blunting the Cat forward parries.

With bright blue boots Dempsey Kelly was impressive as the under-rated Scharenberg with two goals showed plenty as did Michael "Mantis" Hilder, rucking against Matt Turner (as regular tall Allen Margitich was unavailable due to work), who will be some player in years to come once he fills-out.

By half-time West were up by 27 points as Sollies, with a loose man in defence, applied itself to playing man-on-man and making West earn everything.

For the Cats James Moyse was putting in, Matt Turner rucked and ruck-roved and ... well tried to play as if he was three players because he simply had to such was the one-way traffic going past him.

Down back Richie Hobbs absolutely dominated at centre-half-back, Damien Stapleton was locked in a very good competition with Michael Wright on a wing and Kerell Jones quick and creative.

The "Big Man" Shannon Page looked like a Kindergarten Cop compared to the size of his opponents in controlling the air and must have had seven or eight shots at goal from outside 50 for the day and ended the match with four six-pointers.

Funnily enough half-way through the second term Sollies via a Trent Hoare goal inched to within 15 points of West and may have entertained some thoughts of getting over a very young and inexperienced West outfit.

Alas, with a six goal blitz in the third hopes were dashed eternal.

At the start of the third segment as if to demonstrate the day the Cats was having and the tricky wind Damien Foster ran through 50 unchecked and with no physical pressure kicked from 30 and missed the lot!

By this time both Stapletons had the ball on a string but honourable mentions to Linsay Bearman, Damien Trennery and Marc Scollin who were not the worst felines on the arena.

At times there were 35 players camped in the West forward half as Sollies predictably tried to restrict the haemorrhaging as Matt Hannan showed great skills and poise in kicking the eleventh and last goal for the term.

The last quarter was lacklustre, the game lacking atmosphere with the lowest crowd, 366, for the year and everyone listening pleadingly for the final siren.

Of interest now was just how many goals could the Hawks slot in the last term, look for the youngsters to shine in junk time and see if the Cats could show some ticker.

This they did but when Page and then Hilder kicked two goals each in succession the procession had started.

We got to see some of debutant Hawks Damien Kroes at halfback and Vincent Warren taking some of the throw-ins and adding some zigzagging zip at times as Jake Harris and David Gough had their moments.

The full-time score full-time score saw West 20.22.142 defeat Solomontown 5.9.39.

Despite the win by West it wasn’t actually that convincing.

In fact it missed stars in Hayden and Jordan Warren and started without 12 regular first graders and still won by more than 17 goals.

The real questions is where to now for Solomontown.

Its ugly day started with the under 18s beaten by 153 points and the B grade forfeiting.

I would suggest it is at crisis point.