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LUKE Hodge has starred in his return from a knee injury as Hawthorn belted arch-rival Essendon by 94 points in front of 44,899 fans at Etihad Stadium on Friday night.

Hodge booted five goals in his first game since round six, helping the Hawks run out 27.18 (180) to 12.14 (86) winners and extend their unbeaten streak to eight.

Capping a perfect night for Alastair Clarkson's team after a turbulent week, ruckman Max Bailey also made a successful comeback from injury, and Cyril Rioli was brilliant in his 100th game.

Hawthorn dominated from the outset, booting the first eight goals of the match to open a 43-point quarter-time lead - its biggest first-term lead of all-time against the Bombers.

Essendon didn't show any life until the third quarter, when it managed six goals, but the Hawks took back control in the final term and won going away.

Hodge played exclusively as a forward and showed his class with several contested marks and pinpoint passes to go with his bag of goals.

The 28-year-old was subbed out of the game at three-quarter time.

Clarkson said the performance of his skipper was the most pleasing aspect of the night.

"He's the captain of our club and he's been sorely missed," Clarkson said.

"It was beyond our wildest dreams that he'd kick five goals in his return game, so it panned out nicely for us."

Rioli had 21 touches, including seven clearances, laid nine tackles and a brilliant smother, and booted two goals.

Alongside Hodge up forward, exciting youngster Jack Gunston continued his rise, booting three goals and taking some towering marks.

Gunston has now kicked 10 goals in the three weeks that Coleman Medal leader Lance Franklin has missed with a hamstring strain.

Hodge and Gunston were two of 12 different goalkickers for Hawthorn, with Matt Suckling contributing four and Jarryd Roughead three.

Brad Sewell was superb early in the game, setting the tone at stoppages.

Down back, Josh Gibson spoiled relentlessly, and Suckling found it too easy to find space and hurt Essendon with his silky kicking.

Ruckman Bailey, a late inclusion for the injured David Hale, had 25 hitouts in his first AFL game of the season.

Already severely undermanned with Michael Hurley, David Zaharakis, Paddy Ryder, David Myers and Michael Hibberd all missing, the Bombers lost Stewart Crameri and Cale Hooker 90 minutes out from the first bounce.

Of those who did play, only Jobe Watson could count himself a clear winner on the night.

The Essendon skipper had 37 disposals, including nine clearances, in a determined in-and-under performance.

Scott Gumbleton was well beaten by Ryan Schoenmakers to half-time, but responded with four second-half goals to be his team's leading goalkicker.

It was the injury-prone forward's best career haul.

Bombers coach James Hird said his players lacked a willingness to run defensively.

"It will be interesting to look at the tape and see which guys wanted to defend and which guys didn't want to, and why it went the way it did," he said.

In some consolation for Hird's team, Jason Winderlich made it through his first match in 18 months without incident after a left knee reconstruction.

Hawthorn now sits atop the AFL ladder, but will fall back to third by the end of the round if Adelaide beats Geelong and the Sydney Swans beat Gold Coast.

They face hoodoo team the Cats in another Friday night blockbuster next week.

Having lost back-to-back matches, Essendon faces another tough assignment, travelling to AAMI Stadium to face the Crows.

ESSENDON      1.4     3.7      9.11      12.14 (86)
HAWTHORN    8.5    14.9    20.15    27.18 (180)
 
GOALS
Essendon: Gumbleton 4, Hille 2, Dell'Ollio, Howlett, Jetta, Lovett-Murray, Monfries, Winderlich
Hawthorn: Hodge 5, Suckling 4, Gunston 3, Roughead 3, Young 2, Breust 2, Rioli 2, Smith 2, Lewis, Puopolo, Shiels, Whitecross

BEST
Essendon: Watson, Gumbleton, Howlett, Heppell, Carlisle
Hawthorn: Rioli, Hodge, Suckling, Gunston, Mitchell, Whitecross, Sewell
 
INJURIES
Essendon: Crameri (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Kavanagh, Hooker replaced in selected side by Dell'Olio
Hawthorn: Hale (soreness) replaced in selected side by Bailey
 
SUBSTITUTES
Essendon: Nathan Lovett-Murray replaced Alwyn Davey in the third quarter
Hawthorn: Shane Savage replaced Luke Hodge in the third quarter
 
Reports: Nil
 
Umpires: Meredith, Findlay, Jeffery
 
Official crowd: 44,899 at Etihad Stadium

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.