Let’s flash back to Round 11, 2004, when an age-old rivalry became even more fierce…
Having lost their last eight encounters with the Bombers, the Hawks were desperate to turn the tide against an old foe, despite so far only notching two wins for the season.
Making four changes for the clash at the MCG, Hawthorn brought back young star Luke Hodge along with forward trio Mark Williams, Ben Dixon and John Barker, but lost Shane Crawford, Rayden Tallis and Mark Graham and Matthew Ball.
QT: The Bombers proved a handful early as midfielder Jason Johnson nailed the first goal of the game after skipper James Hird spotted him in space 30 metres out.
Dean Solomon and Matthew Lloyd both kicked truly from set shots, while ominous signs were appearing after midfielder Justin Murphy kicked a long goal from the edge of the centre square.
Lloyd capped the Bombers’ great start with a second major after marking close to goal, but it was Simon Beaumont who finally got the Hawks on the board, snapping a goal out of a stoppage on his non-preferred right foot.
Chance Bateman then hit stand-in skipper Nathan Thompson 40 metres out, who went back and sent through a crucial goal for the side.
The Hawks’ momentum running into the break was broken however, with the Bombers finding a late goal via Damien Peverill, pushing the differential out to 26 points.
HT: Full forward Lloyd continued to prove a handful for defender Danny Jacobs, claiming the first goal of the quarter after again marking in the goal square, while Hawk Mark Williams did the same as he found the handy reply.
But the Bombers continued to prove to be the better team, with Lloyd leading the way as he soon had a fourth.
The two sides continued to go goal-for-goal with Luke Hodge snapping an impressive goal from the pocket, while Nathan Thompson landed another as the Hawks looked to be working their way back into the contest.
However a late goal to Mark Johnson appeared to undo some of the Hawks’ good work, with the two sides entering half-time 32 points apart.
3QT: Williams again got the Hawks’ first of the term, kicking truly from 35 metres out as the Hawks looked to work their way back into the contest.
Tempers began to bubble between the two sides at the ensuing centre bounce, with a mass of players piling in before play resumed, but it was only moments later – after Jason Winderlich copped an accidental knee to the head from Bateman – that players from both sides went into an all-out melee in scenes reminiscent of the 1980s.
Former Hawks great Dermott Brereton would turn out to be a catalyst for the violent scenes, having allegedly urged the Hawks to ‘draw a line in the sand’ and stand up against the Bombers.
Essendon soon after worked the ball forward, finding Lloyd one-on-one in the goal square, who quickly sent through a fifth major, with the goal kick-starting a run of nine goals to two for the Bombers in the third term, with the Hawks left in their wake, down by 74 points at the final change.
FT: The Bombers continued to dominate clearances, this time finding forward Dean Rioli from the opening bounce who edged the margin up to 80 points from 50 metres out.
Chance Bateman meanwhile provided Hawks fans with a rare highlight as he slotted a tight goal from the boundary, albeit with the game done and dusted.
The two sides finished with five goals each for the term, with the final margin remaining at the three-quarter-time differential of 74 points.
The return of Luke Hodge did however provide one bright spark for Hawk fans as he impressed with his class and toughness through the midfield in what was an affair memorable for all the wrong reasons.
The fall out from the game would also continue with 18 players fronting the tribunal, with Hawks Richie Vandenberg (six weeks), Lance Picioane (four), Campbell Brown (four) and Simon Beaumont (one) all suspended.
HAWTHORN 2.2 5.3 7.6 12.8 (80)
ESSENDON 6.4 10.5 19.8 24.10 (154)
GOALS
Hawthorn: Williams, Everitt. Bateman, Thompson 2, Beaumont Hodge, Smith, Vandenberg
Essendon: Lloyd 7, Lucas 3, Mark Johnson, Murphy, Rioli 2, Henneman, Bolton, Alvey, Misiti, Jason Johnson, Peverill, Allan, Solomon
Official Crowd: 42,682
