Let's flashback to Round 11, 10 years ago, as two old rivals renewed hostilities...
The Hawks come up against old rivals Essendon desperate to bounce back from their first defeat of the season at the hands of the Western Bulldogs.
Starting hot favourites against the fourteenth-placed Bombers, who had lost their past seven matches, the Hawks brought back Luke Hodge from a hamstring injury, as well as forward Tim Boyle, to replace Brad Sewell and Tom Murphy.
QT: The Bombers outshone the Hawks early with Sam Lonergan slotting the game’s first before skipper Matthew Lloyd sent through the side’s second after receiving a handball in the goal square.
But the Hawks responded to pile on three majors in quick succession via Tim Clarke, Hodge and spearhead Lance Franklin and earn themselves a six-point lead.
Lloyd claimed his second before Buddy did the same, while star midfielder Sam Mitchell appeared to be well-held by Bomber Andrew Welsh, who restricted the on-baller to just two possessions in the opening term.
HT: It took the Hawks just 68 seconds to goal in the second quarter, as Hodge snapped truly from a tight angle, while Franklin found his third shortly after in what was fast appearing an ominous performance.
But Essendon continued to find the answers with two consecutive goals of their own as the margin was again brought back to six points.
Franklin was dominant against opponent Paddy Ryder, proving too strong both on the lead and at ground level as he kicked his fourth mid-way through the second.
Scott Lucas slotted another for the Bombers as the two sides went goal for goal while Hodge also continued to star both through the middle and up forward, landing his third major on the run from outside 50.
A third to Lucas and a fifth to Buddy continued the high scoring term, as an Adam McPhee goal after the half time siren had the sides separated by just seven points.
3QT: Forward Angus Monfries immediately cut the deficit to a single point within seconds, but from there it was all one-way traffic with the Hawks piling on six goals to two for the third quarter.
Two quick goals saw Franklin take his total to seven, and a first for fellow forward pillar Jarryd Roughead stretched the Hawks’ lead to 20 points.
Jason Winderlich broke the Hawks’ run with a major of his own, before Michael Osbourne added a goal of the year contender, dribbling one through from tight on the boundary, as Roughead stretched the margin to 34 points with his second.
FT: Franklin moved to eight early in the last term to all but seal the result for the Hawks, as Tayte Pears drifted forward for his first goal of the game.
Goals to Clinton Young and Roughead put the Hawks further in front while an impressive ninth goal to Buddy saw him match his previous best haul and move to 59 goals for the year, as the Hawks finished 51-point winners and consolidated their place on top of the AFL ladder.
Essendon 3.3 8.4 10.7 12.7 (79)
Hawthorn 4.3 9.5 15.11 19.16 (130)
GOALS
Essendon: Lucas 4, Lloyd 2, Winderlich 2, McPhee, Monfries, Pears, Reimers
Hawthorn: Franklin 9, Hodge 3, Roughead 3, Clarke, Boyle, Osborne, Young
BEST
Essendon: Lovett-Murray, McVeigh, Fletcher, Houli, Welsh, Stanton, Winderlich
Hawthorn: Franklin, Hodge, Bateman, Osborne, Lewis, Campbell, Clarke
INJURIES
Essendon: Laycock (ankle) replaced in selected side by Bellchambers, Nash (concussion)
Hawthorn: Bateman (corked thigh), Taylor (gashed knee)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: McBurney, Avon, Mollison
Official crowd: 46,377 at Telstra Dome
