IN A performance no one, least of all Carlton, saw coming,the Blues' two-game winning streak came to an abrupt end when they were humbledby Hawthorn 27.18 (180) to 12.8 (80) in front of a record Telstra Dome crowd of53,459. 

Having gone into the game on the back of two spirited winsover Port Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs, the Blues had high expectations ofmaking it three against a Hawthorn side minus star Lance Franklin, who was alate withdrawal.

But, it wasn’t to be as the expectations turned to despairby a relentless Hawthorn who never allowed Carlton to get into its previouslyfree-flowing style and attacking brand of football.

Early on, the Blues problem wasn’tkicking goals, it was stopping them. And that was to be the story of the night.

Despite Franklin’sabsence the Blues had all sorts of trouble containing Tim Boyle and JarrydRoughead, who posted four goals between them in a frenetic first term. JasonSaddington found Boyle too nimble whileskipper Lance Whitnall found it tough to go with the much younger Roughead.

As hard as the Blues onballers Andrew Carrazzo, Marc Murphy,Heath Scotlandand Adam Bentick worked, the Hawks kept the pressure on with easy clearances toset up the leading forwards, who lapped up the service. Around the ground it wasthe Hawks who ran unchecked, unimpeded and with reckless abandon as theBlues played reactive, second-to-the-ball football. It was a theme that wouldhurt Carltonall night.

Only two goals to Brendan Fevola and the work of JarradWaite kept the side in touch at the first break.

Thirty minutes later the game was out of touch as the Hawksslammed on 7.2 to 2.3 in a dynamic second-term burst that had the Blue stunned. A 14-point quarter time margin blew out to 43 at the half asBoyle, Roughead and Trent Croad ran riot inside the Hawks' 50-metre arc. Only aSimon Wiggins goal at the 30-minute mark and another a minute later to BradFisher saved the Blues from a goalless quarter.

Carrazzo,Scotland, RyanHoulihan, Kade Simpson and Murphy did what they could to stem the flow, butwithout support, it was to no avail.

Fevola and Waite, who had looked damaging in tandem in thefirst term, lacked the supply to be scoreboard contributors and could do littlebut watch the carnage unfold at the other end. Waite ended the half in defenceas Pagan sought to stop the bleeding.

He couldn’t, as the Hawks continued on their merry way withthe opening four goals of the third term to blow the margin out to 69 points.

One of the few highlights for the Blues after half time wasa fantastic Andrew Walker goal midway through the third term when he roved aRobert Campbell hit-out near the boundary. His left foot snap on the run was abeauty.

But, the highlights were few and far between.

By game’s end the margin was a record winning margin for the Hawks over Carlton in a lop-sided contest that left Carlton fans scratching their heads.Twenty-one goals to eight after quarter-time and 45 scoring shots to 20 tellsthe story of the night.

It was an uncharacteristic effort given the passionwith which the side has attacked this season. Carrazzo, Murphy, Wiggins, Scotland, Walker,Brad Fisher and Simpson tried hard, but without support, the going wastough. Fevola ended with three goals in an honest effort from limitedopportunities while down back Bret Thornton was solid in the face of adversity.

HAWTHORN    6.4    13.6    18.13    27.18(180)

CARLTON    4.2    6.5    9.6    12.8 (80)

GOALS - Hawthorn: J Roughead 5, L Hodge 4, T Boyle3, R Ladson 3, T Croad 3, J Smith 2, R Campbell 2, M Osborne, S Crawford, J Lewis, XEllis, G Birchall. Carlton: B Fevola 3, B Fisher 2, J Waite, M Murphy, S Wiggins, AWalker, L Whitnall, K Simpson, A Koutoufides.

BEST - Hawthorn: B Sewell, L Hodge, J Smith, SMitchell, J Roughead, R Campbell, R Ladson, S Crawford. Carlton: A Carrazzo, M Murphy,K Simpson, H Scotland.

CROWD: 53,459 at TelstraDome.

UMPIRES: M Avon S McBurney KNicholls.

INJURIES - Hawthorn: L Franklin (calf) replaced in the selected side by X Ellis.Carlton: C Ackland (broken nose).