ESSENDON 4.3 5.4 9.6 13.9 (87)
HAWTHORN 6.1 10.6 16.1 22.11 (143)
GOALS
Essendon: Hurley 3, Bellchambers 2, Myers, Ryder, Stanton, Colyer, Dell’Olio, Goddard, Kommer, Jetta
Hawthorn: Franklin 8, Roughead 4, Lewis 2, Puopolo 2, Gunston 2, Breust 2, Rioli, Hale
BEST
Essendon: Melksham, Heppell, Goddard, Hibberd
Hawthorn: Franklin, Mitchell, Hodge, Lewis, Guerra, Stratton, Roughead
Official crowd: 49,505 at Etihad Stadium
Who played?
Hawthorn
B: Stratton Lake Guerra
HB: Mitchell Gibson Whitecross
C: Smith Hodge Hill
HF: Gunston Roughead Breust
F: Franklin Hale Rioli
FOLL: Bailey Lewis Puopolo
IC: Duryea Simpkin Savage Sewell
Essendon
B: Baguley Carlisle Hibberd
HB: Stanton Hooker Dempsey
C: Goddard Heppell Hocking
HF: Kommer Daniher Melksham
F: Dell’Olio Hurley Ryder
FOLL: Bellchambers Myers Zaharakis
IC: Howlett Pears Colyer Jetta
The Hawks last met the Bombers at an interesting stage of the year last season, when Essendon hit a flat point in their season and the toll of the supplements saga showed.
In one of Hawthorn’s best performances leading into the business end of the season, the Hawks thumped Essendon at Etihad Stadium, with fluent and precise ball use the story of the night.
Sam Mitchell (31 disposals), Luke Hodge (30), Brent Guerra (27) and Josh Gibson (25) cut through the Essendon midfield with ease to set up Lance Franklin (eight goals) and Jarryd Roughead (four).
It was Mitchell in particular who did the damage by constantly bringing the ball through the middle of the ground and hitting teammates on the chest inside 50.
Leading by 10 points at the first change, the Hawks got out to a handy 22-point at the main break thanks to a four goal to one second term but the second half was all Hawthorn.
The Hawks kicked 12 goals to eight in the second half and six goals to four in each of the third and final quarters to run away with a 56-point victory.
Paul Puopolo and Cyril Rioli were brilliant in the midfield and up forward, with their tackling pressure in particular putting the acid on the Bombers. Puopolo laid a game-high 10 tackles and Rioli laid five for the match along with 14 disposals and a goal.
For the Bombers, Michael Hurley kicked three goals and Tom Bellchambers bagged two, while Michael Hibberd had 26 disposals in a disappointing night for the Bombers.
