Hawthorn skipper Luke Hodge turned back the clock and dragged his team through the time machine with him in a high-quality 55-point AFL victory over Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday.
The Hawks ran out 22.13 (145) to 13.12 (90) winners, with 28-year-old Hodge inspirational with 31 possessions and two goals.
After a first half where the weight of punching suggested two premiership heavyweights, the knockout blows came in the second half as the Hawks wore down the Magpies, then beat them up on the scoreboard.
And it was the experienced Hodge, in just his second match of the season after battling injury problems last year and during the pre-season, whose appetite for the contested ball swung the match.
Hodge was sensational in the second and third terms, grabbing 10 touches in each and proving vital in helping the Hawks roll back Collingwood’s 22-point second quarter lead.
Collingwood had the better of a tough contest early, with two of key forward Travis Cloke’s five goals for the match helping his side establish a decent second-quarter buffer as they dominated with slick, high-speed handball chains.
But Hawthorn really launched at the Pies late in the quarter.
The Hawks reduced the deficit with the last three goals of the term to Jed Anderson, Lance Franklin and Hodge to trail by just a point at halftime.
The teams traded goals and grunt for most of the third term, with the Hawks first pushing out to a three-goal lead before Collingwood closed to within six points.
With Hodge again prominent, the Hawks then booted the final three goals of the quarter – Luke Breust kicking a critical major on the three-quarter time siren for Hawthorn to open up a 24-point lead.
Franklin then put the contest beyond doubt with the opening goal of the fourth quarter among his four for the match.
Like they did last weekend against West Coast, the Hawks were ruthless late on to blow out the final scoreline – extending their margin with six of the last seven goals of the match.
As well as Franklin’s four, Breust, Jarryd Roughead and Shaun Burgoyne all booted three each.
Collingwood wingman Harry O’Brien was reported for rough conduct for an incident involving Hodge in the second term.
