Inspired by midfielder Brent Stanton and the youth and exuberance of their young core, the Bombers were brave, resilient and in the end defiant in winning 17.14 (116) to 10.12 (72) in front of a sell-out 50,475 fans.
Trailing by a point at half time, the Bombers outscored the highly fancied Hawks 11 goals to four in a blistering second half highlighted by the red and black’s willingness to take on the game – and the opposition – all over the field.
Stanton gathered 36 possessions to be best afield, while Alwyn Davey, Jason Winderlich, Andrew Lovett and Angus Monfries gave more than able support in a brilliant team football display.
Young defenders Cale Hooker and Tayte Pears were undaunted by opponents Jarryd Roughead and Lance Franklin, who despite kicking five goals was generally well held.
After kicking eight goals last week to sink the Blues, Roughead managed just two in a disappointing display against the emerging Pears.
To the sound of the air raid siren to signify Essendon’s marketing ploy to ‘Bomberise’ the Docklands stadium, it was the Dons who had the better of the first term.
With Stanton and Bachar Houli winning plenty of ball, and Davey allowed space to use his speed, the Bombers negotiated their way through Hawthorn’s disciplined zone.
Up forward, Monfries was right on top of last year’s Norm Smith Medallist Luke Hodge, grabbing four marks and a goal inside 15 minutes of the first bounce.
While aided by Hawthorn’s inaccuracy – 1.8 for the term – it was the Bombers who took the game up to the reigning premier, which looked out of sorts and decidedly down on intensity.
Paddy Ryder set the stadium alight with a good-old fashioned screamer over Sam Mitchell and with Hooker doing well on Franklin, and Pears likewise on Roughead, the Essendon coach had his match-ups right. His side deserved every bit of its 12-point quarter-time advantage.
Needing a lift, the Hawks got it courtesy of early goals to Roughead, Franklin and Mark Williams to snatch an unlikely lead midway through the second term.
With Brad Sewell and Travis Tuck gaining the ascendancy in the middle, and Cyril Rioli finding the footy, it looked as though the Hawks were poised to take control.
However, Essendon refused to surrender.
Goals to Monfries and Nathan Lovett-Murray restored the lead before an act of brilliance from Rioli again had fans on their feet.
Off balance, the Hawk wizard laid a ferocious tackle on Houli, snared the loose ball, danced through traffic, fired off a lightning handball, ran to receive then burst away to drill one of the goals of the year.
It was one for the highlight reel from a player destined to have hours' worth of them come his career’s end – he ended up the Hawks’ best player on the night.
Franklin followed up with his second after a trademark play-on from 55 metres to give the Hawks a one-point advantage heading into the main break.
Any thought the Bombers were going to surrender meekly were put to bed with a stunning third term that rocked the Hawks back on their heels.
With a willingness to take the game on and a propensity to funnel through the corridor, Essendon’s emerging young stars grabbed the bit between their teeth.
Sam Lonergan and Heath Hocking goaled early to snatch back the lead and when Monfries dragged down a screamer and passed off to Matthew Lloyd for a goal, it was Essendon by 11 points.
Franklin kicked two goals for the term to keep his side in touch, but the side was playing without spark.
When Tom Bellchambers dragged down a colossal contested mark and goaled at the 26-minute mark, Essendon, who went in despised outsiders, was on the verge of a memorable upset with a 17-point lead.
It was confirmed three minutes into the final stanza when Matthew Lloyd marked an errant Grant Birchall kick and kicked truly to all but end the Hawks night.
In the run to the wire it was all the Bombers, who finished the night in style with the game’s last four goals to cap off a memorable night for a young and improving outfit.
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.
