As it happened: Classy Hawks have the answers for courageous Dons, but key defender faces MRO trouble

Dylan Moore celebrates a key goal on a big night for the Hawks.Credit: AFL Photos

Hawthorn 17.9 (111) d Essendon 12.13 (85)

Sam Mitchell’s box-office Hollywood Hawks are the early March champions.

This is not intended as a slight. Last year, the Hawks didn’t open their account until the third weekend of April, which cost them a decent spot on the grid in September. They aren’t making the same mistake twice.

In their first game on home soil this year, the Hawks gave their proud, paid-up and passionate a spectacular opening act.

The show fizzled out a bit after the intermission but by the curtain call a large majority of the 80,735 were belting out “the mighty fighting Hawks” with gusto in appreciation of a 26-point win over the old enemy, Essendon.

There was a toll for both sides. Reliable defender Jack Scrimshaw was concussed after a clash of heads with teammate Josh Battle, ruling him out of Thursday night’s game against Carlton. But he may not have played anyway, after striking Jordan Ridley high with his left arm in an attempted tackle.

Ridley was later ruled out with concussion, leaving the Dons without their important, but injury-prone, defender for next weekend’s game against Adelaide.

Their best forward, Kyle Langford, is likely to be out for longer after pulling up abruptly with what appeared to be a hamstring injury in the third quarter while picking up a ball off his laces that should have been hitting him lace-out instead.

Scans on Saturday will reveal the full cost, but there was an immediate price. From the same passage of play, the Hawks wheeled the ball to the other end for the first of back-to-back goals to Dylan Moore, which snuffed out one of the Bombers’ brief challenges.

Thanks for joining us for Friday night football. We are bringing our blog on the Hawthorn-Essendon clash to a close. The Hawks are now sitting pretty, winning their opening two games.

Be sure to join us again tomorrow for another cracking day of AFL.

Sam Mitchell had some words of caution after Friday night’s victory that might unsettle opposition teams: his Hawks are 2-0 to kick-start the 2025 season, but they are still well short of their best.

“Our midfield got a bit of a touch up, to be honest,” Mitchell said after Hawthorn’s 26-point win against Essendon at the MCG.

Dylan Moore celebrates a key goal on a big night for the Hawks.Credit: AFL Photos

“We lost the clearance count by 20-odd, and they were a bit cleaner.

“Their ball handling, I thought, was a bit better than ours across the day. So there’s a bit of work to do across the midfield.”

Mitchell said it was “sweaty, dewy type of game” that hampered ball movement. He also made a point that Essendon won the contested possession count and finished with more tackles.

“I think taking a bit more territory, we could have done it better,” Mitchell said.

“I thought we overused the ball and let them put more pressure on us at times. We probably would have liked to take a bit more territory.”

Still, Hawthorn used the ball better than the Bombers. Their disposal efficiency was 77.3 per cent compared to Essendon’s 71.2 per cent and their efficiency inside 50 was 58.3 per cent to 50 per cent.

Beaten Essendon coach Brad Scott said the Bombers were unable to match Hawthorn’s polish in their 26-point loss at the MCG.

“Clearly, you know, there’s a gap between the two sides at the moment,” Scott said.

Essendon’s Jade Gresham is tackled by Will Day.Credit: Getty Images

“Our ability to defend with effort was really good, but our ability to defend against their class was certainly wanting in the first half.”

The Hawks jumped Essendon in the opening term, clearing out to a 27-point lead after kicking six straight goals. From then on, the Bombers were able to stay within striking distance.

“I like the fact that we never ever conceded,” Scott said.

The Bombers coach said they needed to get better in certain parts of their game.

“It’s a contested game, and you’ve got to be able to win contests,” Scott said.

“We’re able to win a lot of contests, but we lost some crucial contests, particularly in our back half.

“To concede to, I think, a combined six goals from centre bounces and kick-ins … we trained for that but then we still didn’t execute.”

Scott said the Bombers would not be using as an excuse the fact that they missed their opening game because of the Queensland cyclone.

Essendon’s concussion protocol policy might come under scrutiny in the coming days after Jordan Ridley was subbed out of the clash against Hawthorn at the MCG.

Ridley copped a knock to the head after a clash with Hawk Jack Scrimshaw.

Hawthorn’s Jack Scrimshaw incident with Bomber Jordan Ridley set to face MRO scrutiny.Credit: Channel Seven

But the Essendon defender played on before later complaining of feeling ill and being taken out of the game at half-time.

Clubs are expected to look at players as soon as they suspect they have suffered a head knock.

“It’s pretty bad to lose a guy like him for 14 days,” teammate Jye Caldwell said of Ridley’s concussion after the Bombers’ 26-point loss. “He’s a rock down back so we will miss him for sure.”

Scrimshaw, who is expected to be cited by the match review officer for his swinging arm on Ridley, suffered concussion of his own in a separate incident.

He was brought down by friendly fire, clashing heads in a marking contest with teammate Josh Battle.

The Bombers will expect to lose forward Kyle Langford for several weeks to a hamstring injury.

“I feel bad for Kyle,” Caldwell said. “He had surgery on it, I’m pretty sure on the one he just did tonight, so it is probably not the greatest thing.”

Cheeky forward Jack Ginnivan says he owes teammate Mabior Chol a coffee.

After Hawthorn’s 26-point win against the Bombers, during which the Hawks had 10 individual goalkickers, Ginnivan made special mention of Chol for his ability to compete in the air.

Jack Ginnivan and the Hollywood Hawks.Credit: AFL Photos

The Hawks went into the MCG clash without talls Mitch Lewis and Calsher Dear, leaving Chol to do a lot of the heavy lifting.

“We just need him to bring the ball to ground,” Ginnivan said.

“We’re all so small, so if he can do that, we can kick goals. I think one of my goals, two went up and Cholly hit it down and I kicked a goal. So I’ll buy him a coffee this week for sure.”

Ginnivan, who is rocking a short-back-and-sides hair-do, said that the game was a “bit of a scrap” but was impressed that the Hawks still kicked 111 points.

They were efficient in front of goal, booting 17.9 for the night. Ginnivan and Chol both kicked two goals.

Nick Watson has credited some behind-the-scenes work with teammate Luke Breust for helping him rediscover his goal-kicking form after a horror opening week against Sydney.

“The Wizard” was held to four touches against the Swans after some close checking from Sam Wicks.

Nick Watson is on fire.Credit: AFL Photos

But he bounced back in emphatic form at the MCG with three goals from 13 disposals in Hawthorn’s 26-point win over the Bombers.

“I went to work last week with Breust who taught me some tactics,” Watson said.

“Thanks to him for helping me out.”

Hawthorn’s small forwards spread the goals. Dylan Moore nailed three, while Blake Hardwick and Jack Ginnivan booted two apiece. Tall target Mabior Chol also chipped in with two majors.

The diminutive Watson almost pulled in a spectacular grab during the game, but after climbing high he dropped the ball on the way down. He dismissed concerns that he had hurt his head in the fall.

Hawthorn have scored their second straight victory for the 2025 season.

They have beaten a plucky Essendon by 26 points.

It is a stark difference to last year. The Hawks dropped their opening game to the Bombers in 2024, and lost their first five straight.

We are inside the final minute and Hawthorn lead by 26 points.

Despite the comfortable victory, Essendon have shown glimpses.