LANCE Franklin might have been showered with all the praise after Friday night’s win over Essendon but it was another Hawthorn forward who earned a special mention from coach Alastair Clarkson.

Beau Muston played a crucial role on Friday night as a defensive forward on rebounding defender Dustin Fletcher. Not only did Muston keep Fletcher relatively quiet but he also got away to kick three handy goals.

Clarkson said it was a big job for the 23-year-old, but one that he performed well.

“I’ve got enormous regard for Lanky (Fletcher) as a player. He and Scarlett in my view have been the best key defenders in the game for over a decade now,” Clarkson said after the game.

“We were really pleased with the role Musto played and he was able to get involved in enough contests where he could sneak three goals and in the context of the game, they were very important goals.

“It was a move that we thought about previously and had never initiated on game day because it is such an unusual type of move. It worked well for us tonight.”

Muston has only played four games this season as he tries to consolidate a spot in the Hawthorn side and he said he was looking to making the defensive forward role his own.

“I’d like to hope so. The last couple of weeks I’ve felt like I’ve done a pretty good job but I think it comes down to the coaches showing a lot of belief in me and giving me a big job. I’m happy to take it on,” he said.

Muston said kicking goals wasn’t his main priority but more of a handy bonus that threw a bit of havoc into the Essendon defence.

“They were getting a little confused because I’d gone to Fletcher and then my opponent who was coming down to man me up would get a little bit lazy and drop off me a little bit,” he said.

“My left-foot snap was a bit [of a fluke] but I’ll take that. The one that I soccered off the ground got us in front so I was pretty happy.”

Muston famously did not make his senior debut until 2009 - almost four years after he was drafted - and said his troublesome body was feeling as good as it ever had.

“The body’s really good. I haven’t had any troubles so fingers crossed and I’ll try to get as many games as I can," he said.

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