In an enthralling battle underneath the Friday night lights before 80,735 fans, the Hawks were able to withstand a spirited Essendon outfit to take the four points, running out 26-point winners in Conor Nash's 100th game in the brown and gold.
Having won one of the last five matches against the Bombers, Hawks were looking to make a statement and make it two wins on the trot for the first time since 2022, when Sam Mitchell first took over as head coach.
The Hawks took the lead early in the game and were never headed, keeping a plucky Essendon at bay to record Mitchell's first win as a coach against the Bombers.
Mitchell commented that the team showed both glimpses of their best and that there is a long way to go to be more consistent.
โWe lost a lot of statistics that says we shouldn't win that game. We got a touch-up in clearance, lost the inside 50 count by ten,โ he said post-game.
โWe've not only lost contested possession by 20, we also lost the tackles by close to that as well.โ
โThere's a lot of areas that still need attention. But we're also able to kick 111 points and win the game, so that part makes me happy.โ
The Hawks won the momentum battle in several key moments to stop Essenson's surge in a performance that showed the team's ever-growing maturity.
โAs a team we have to handle momentum and that was a big issue for us over the journey.
โWe are slightly better at handling momentum when they got a bit of a run on. We were able to execute a couple of things that gave us a bit of time and consistency in the way we played.โ
While each quarter was an arm wrestle, the Hawks gained ascendancy in the latter part of each quarter, where their leg speed allowed them to break open the game and put points on the scoreboard.
โThere's a couple of plays from individual players where they use their leg speed. It's a big part of the game,โ Mitchell added.
โI think our players have a license to play with the strengths they have and those guys who are quick, show us.โ
Josh Ward and Cam Mackenzie showed promise in the Hawthorn midfield, helping to cover the loss of experienced inside midfielder James Worpel.
While the Hawks comfortably lost clearances, Mitchell was pleased with what he saw from the young duo as they gained valuable minutes in midfield alongside emerging stars Will Day and Jai Newcombe.
โI was really pleased that they were able to play full games, get great minutes in and look comfortable at the level,โ he said.
โI thought they both had those moments where you were like, he's going to be a very good AFL player.โ
After a quiet week in Opening Round, Hawthorn's small forward contingent returned to their damaging best, causing problems for the Essendon defence to kick nine goals as a group, led by Nick Watson and Dylan Moore with three apiece.
Mitchell was pleased with the display of the small forwards as they helped energise the forward line that is still missing Calsher Dear and Mitch Lewis.
โThey're all very good footballers. They all work extremely hard on their craft,โ he said.
โI think all of our guys bounced back pretty well.
โI was pleased that they were able to stick to it and work hard.โ
Watson reminded fans of what they can expect from the man known as 'The Wizard' in a dazzling display.
The young Hawk was heavily involved in the play and made sure to make every touch count, with his three goals and five score involvements showing he can be a force to be reckoned with in his second season in the AFL.
Watson almost claimed a mark of the year contender late in the third quarter with a massive attempt over Essendon ruckman Nick Bryan that saw the small forward leave the playing surface for a brief period of time.
Moore continued his strong start to the season, featuring prominently in the Hawks attack and helping to steady the tide whenever the Bombers were pressing.
He finished the game with 21 touches at almost 86% efficiency while taking his chances inside forward 50 to kick three goals and have a direct hand in five score involvements.
The physical nature of the contest meant that there were some sore bodies post-match, with the Hawks to have a lighter week on the track with a six day break before their Round 2 clash.
โWe have an understanding of what the players are capable of and the training loads we need, how much physicality we need to do during the week,โ Mitchell said.
โWe have a game on Thursday again, so it'll be pretty limited training this week. It was quite a physical game tonight.โ
For the Hawks, a nasty facial injury to Jack Scrimshaw after friendly fire in the second quarter with teammate Josh Battle means that there will need to be a reshuffle to the lineup for next week.
While contesting the same ball, the two Hawks clashed heads, with Scrimshaw remaining on the ground for a period of time before being taken from the field under the blood rule.
While Scrimshaw was off the field being assessed, the Bombers kicked three straight goals to narrow the gap, before Hawthorn were able to arrest momentum.
Scrimshaw was subbed off before half-time, with key defender Sam Frost replacing him.
Scrimshaw will miss at least the next 12 days after being placed in concussion protocols, with the club to have a better grasp of the full extent of his injury over the next few days.
โHe's got a concussion, so sort of like 12 days, so he'll certainly miss the next game,โ Mitchell said.
โBut nothing has been confirmed at this stage, so we'll check it out over the next couple of days.โ
The Hawks return to the MCG in six days time to kick off Round 2 under the Thursday night lights, taking on a Carlton team that is smarting from their loss against the Richmond Tigers.
