Bombers raid Hawks’ Tassie stronghold with a hard-fought 13-point win

It was a see-sawing affair at UTAS Stadium and it took a nearly career-best performance from Jake Stringer to help Essendon get over the line against Hawthorn.

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A POWERHOUSE performance by Jake Stringer kept Essendon’s dream of a top-eight finish alive and kicking after the Bombers extended Hawthorn’s winter of discontent with a 13-point win in Launceston.

“The Package” lived up to his moniker, dominating in the centre and kicking a game-high four goals to generate the edge Essendon desperately needed to shake the Hawks, who led the thriller late in the third and again in the last.

Stringer said it was close to his best game in the AFL with 29 possessions, seven tackles, 10 inside 50s and 12 score involvements.

“We knew it was going to be a hard slog and we knew it was going to be a close one, so that was a terrific effort,” Stringer said.

“In the first half they were killing us on turnovers. It was a much better effort by the boys in the second half.”

Jake Stringer shoves his way past his Hawthorn opponent in a dominating display. Picture: Getty

Fresh off the bye, the hard-earned win put Essendon’s season back on track after its three-game winning streak was ended by Richmond and a 39-point loss in the Dream Time game in Perth.

It was also payback for the Bombers’ one-point loss to the Hawks in round one.

Essendon is now a win and a few per cent outside the eight but face ladder-leader Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday night.

The Bombers took a while to take flight in Launceston and after Hawthorn dominated a brilliant second term with three unanswered goals by Tom Mitchell, Luke Breust and Chad Wingard, the Bombers stuck their noses in front with a Stringer snap six seconds before half-time.

The Bomber’s Sam Draper wins a ruck contest during the match against Hawthorn at UTAS Stadium. Picture: Getty

There was never more than eight points between them in the third term and when Liam Shiels gave Hawthorn the lead to open the fourth quarter, a 51st win from 66 games in Launceston looked possible.

Stringer came to the rescue again with a brilliant snapped goal from a stoppage to wrestle back the lead a minute later.

Harrison Jones then kicked his second and Matt Guelfi gave Essendon breathing space with a third unanswered goal.

Hawk Dylan Moore made it a one-goal margin with two minutes to play, and after a desperate two minutes, Bomber Darcy Parish snapped truly to put the matter to rest.