Skipper Luke Hodge’s five-goal return after 12 weeks out with a knee injury meant Hawthorn AFL coach Alastair Clarkson was unlikely to punch a hole in the wall of the coach’s box for the second successive week.
However, despite Hawthorn’s 27.18 (180) to 12.14 (86) demolition of Essendon at Etihad Stadium, Clarkson’s face still wore the signs of a tough week that was finally over.
Not only was Hodge back and firing as the Hawks (13-4) claimed their eighth successive win, but 206cm ruckman Max Bailey had 25 hitouts in his first game of the season.
Clarkson was suspended for four games by the South Metro Junior Football League on Wednesday night for swearing at an official at a under-nines game and admits he’s working through his anger issues.
“It’s been a big week, but I think it’s been done to death, all the stuff to do with me,” Clarkson said after Friday’s win over the Bombers.
“If we can just focus on the team and their performance, I’d probably prefer to do that.”
While small forward Cyril Rioli (21 possessions, two goals, seven clearances and nine tackles) was exception for the Hawks, Clarkson said the most pleasing aspect of the win was the safe return of Norm Smith Medallist Hodge.
“He’s the captain of our club and he has been sorely missed throughout the course of the year,” Clarkson said of Hodge, who has played only three games in 2012.
“It was beyond our wildest dreams that he’d kick five goals in his return game. It panned out nicely for us.
“As he regains his match condition he’ll probably go through the middle of the ground a little bit more and he’s also got that great flexibility to play at our back end as well.”
Hodge, 28, said it had been a long 12 weeks.
“But to get back out there was great and the knee feels fine,” the 198-game veteran said.
Hodge was subbed off at three-quarter time.
Ruckman David Hale, who was a late withdrawal with a bruised foot, is set to return for next Friday’s MCG clash with defending premiers Geelong. Star forward Lance Franklin is also desperate to get back on the field after three weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.
“It’s been one of the few times in my time at Hawthorn that we’ve had three genuine options in the ruck,” Clarkson said of the combination of Bailey, Hale and Jarryd Roughead.
“If ‘Bud’ (Franklin) returns as well, we’d be bringing in some dinosaurs if we bring in two guys that are around 200cm,” Clarkson added, in an indication Bailey may face a battle with Hale for selection.