HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson has lauded his group of young small forwards after the Hawks' 65-point thumping of Essendon without suspended spearhead Lance Franklin at the MCG on Friday night.

The Hawks score of 23.8 (146) was their highest for the season so far, with half-forwards Liam Shiels (three goals), Shane Savage (three), Isaac Smith (three), Cyril Rioli (two) and Brendan Whitecross (one) booting 12 goals between them.

The coach also highlighted the work of Luke Breust, who went goalless but was another who looked dangerous and presented to his ball-carrying teammates upfield.

"We were a little bit like the football community, a bit twitchy thinking about where our goals were going to come from without the big 'Bud' (Franklin), but we'll just slip him in at centre-half-back next week," Clarkson joked post-match.

"We've just got some guys down there (in the forward line) now that are playing with some really good spirit and some really good attack on the ball and plenty of energy, so that was really pleasing."

The Hawks' lack of height was a major concern entering the match, as their injury-hit defence looked set to be stretched by an Essendon forward line featuring Michael Hurley, Paddy Ryder and a resting David Hille or Tom Bellchambers.

That worry became even more pronounced when final teams were filed 90 minutes out from the first bounce with Tom Murphy scratched from the Hawks' 22 with a shoulder problem, rendering the backline even shorter.

Clarkson flagged on Thursday the need for Hawthorn to win the midfield contest and dictate play from ground level, a plan that worked to perfection during a 14 goals to four first half.

Combined with the impressive work of the Gibson-led defence, that meant Hurley, Ryder and the other Essendon talls were never a factor.

"We knew that if we were able to get the ball to ground level we'd give ourselves a really good chance in terms of our run, and that's the way the game panned out in the first half," Clarkson said.

"It became a bit more of a battle in the second half, but the real hard work was done early by our boys, which was good."

Hawthorn slammed on eight goals to the Bombers' one in the second quarter in a display Clarkson described as "as good a brand of footy as what we've played".

While the win was soured with the loss of Rioli to a hamstring complaint and midfielder Brad Sewell to a knee injury, Clarkson was hopeful neither player would be long-term absences.

"We don't think either of them are too serious," he said.

"They might be a week or they might be two weeks or they might be nothing.

"We'll get them scanned early in the week, but we won't take a risk with them.

"We'll bring another couple of guys in if they're no good."

Clarkson expected Murphy to return for next Sunday's big clash with Collingwood, a game he said would give the club another chance to measure itself against the league's best.

"We're going to need everyone firing next week against the 'Pies," he said.

"They and the Cats are obviously the benchmarks of the competition and it will be a really good test to see where we're at as a footy club."

The Hawks will also regain Franklin for the showdown between the top four teams, and Clarkson predicted there were another "two or three lads" still in line for an opportunity if Sewell and Rioli are ruled out.

"We're confident that they'll be able to come in and do a job as well," he said.

Mark Macgugan writes for hawthornfc.com.au and covers Hawthorn news for afl.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @mmacgugan.