HAWTHORN’S premiership defence has hit another early-season pothole with the reigning premiers suffering their fourth loss of the season, going down to a cleaner Essendon side by 44 points at Docklands on Friday night.

The Bombers were simply more skilled than the Hawks on the night and had all the answers, eventually running away to win 17.14 (116) to 10.12 (72).

Essendon led by 17 points at the final change and the Hawks were still within three goals midway through the final term.

But when Nathan Lovett-Murray booted his third goal 18 minutes into the final quarter, it signalled the end for the Hawks and party time for the Bombers.

Matthew Knights’ team kicked another three goals to celebrate a memorable victory – their third over one of the highly-touted Melbourne clubs this season.

Things just didn’t click on the night for the Hawks, with several stars struggling to get into the action.

While Lance Franklin booted five goals, even he struggled to really exert a major influence on the contest with Essendon’s young defenders doing a good job on the star forward and fellow threat Jarryd Roughead.

Jordan Lewis and Brad Sewell were terrific early while Cyril Rioli worked his backside off all evening and provided spark when he went near the ball.

Essendon had winners across the ground, with small forward/midfielders Angus Monfries and Brent Stanton particularly damaging, while Matthew Lloyd led superbly.

The first term was one of wasted opportunities for the Hawks.

A disappointing 1.8 was the return while the Bombers were enjoying a ruthless efficiency whenever they penetrated their forward arc.

Lloyd booted his team’s fourth goal just after the quarter-time siren, and the Essendon skipper punched the air to buoy the home side as it took a 12-point lead.

The Hawks looked far better in the second term as Franklin started to work his way into the game.

However it took the efforts of one of the youngest Hawks – Rioli – to ignite the brown and gold.

He had six touches in the second quarter, put his body on the line when it mattered and also provided arguably the game’s highlight when he booted one of the goals of the season.

It was late in the second term when the emerging star applied his trademark defensive pressure to a couple of Bombers before taking possession, dishing off a handball, receiving again and drilling a superb goal to cap his efforts.

Shortly afterwards, Franklin added a long-range bomb from 55m – his second for the term – and the Hawks had snatched the lead by the narrowest of margins.

One thought the Hawks might have just been warming to their task after an improved second term, but the Bombers weren’t going away.

A highly-entertaining third term yielded nine goals but unfortunately for Hawks fans, six of them went to Essendon.

The Bombers came out like a team possessed and not only were their skills cleaner, but their decision-making when going forward was far sharper.

Another blow for the Hawks was the loss of Chance Bateman, who left the field early in the third quarter with a calf injury and did not return.

Two quick goals to the Bombers had them out to a 13-point lead before Roughead booted his second. But each time it looked like Alastair Clarkson’s men might have the ascendancy, the Bombers had an answer.

They skipped clear to a handy 17-point break at three-quarter time, and while some sensed it was just a matter of time before the Hawks hit top gear, they were found wanting against a slicker and hungrier Essendon lne-up.

Hawthorn has a full seven days – and one extra on their opponent – before taking on Fremantle at Subiaco next Friday night, while Essendon meets St Kilda next Sunday at Docklands.

Essendon  4.2  6.7  12.10  17.14 (116)
Hawthorn  1.8  6.8  9.11  10.12 (72)

GOALS
Essendon: Lloyd 3, Lovett-Murray 3, Monfries 2, Neagle 2, Zaharakis 2, Lonergan, Hocking, Stanton, Bellchambers, Lovett
Hawthorn: Franklin 5, Roughead 2, Dew, Williams, Rioli

BEST
Essendon: Stanton, Monfries, Lloyd, Davey, Winderlich, Pears, Lovett-Murray, Watson
Hawthorn: Rioli, Birchall, Lewis, Franklin

INJURIES
Essendon: Lovett-Murray (corked thigh)
Hawthorn: Bateman (calf)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Vozzo, Grun, Chamberlain
Official crowd: 50,475 at Docklands

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.