CARLTON has fallen by 21 points to Hawthorn at the MCG.

In a spirited affair on a wet Thursday night in Melbourne, the deficit was under a kick at every break up until the last term, when Hawthorn kicked away in the 12.8 (80) to 8.12 (60) result.

George Hewett (27 disposals, 11 tackles) and Adam Cerra (28 disposals, 550 metres gained) didn’t stop fighting on a night where the Blues showcased their endeavour from the outset, but were outrun in the final half hour.

The Blues’ endeavour was evident from the outset, with three tackles inside forward 50 leading to Hewett kicking the team’s opening goal of the game.

Patrick Cripps led from the front from the outset, with the captain contributing six disposals and three disposals in his opening 10-minute spell on the ground. It set the tone for the pattern of the opening term: Carlton’s contest (+6 clearances, +8 contested possessions) versus Hawthorn’s uncontested game (+13 marks, +16 uncontested).

After Hawthorn had the early territory, the Blues got their game going in the second half of the term on the back of a Matthew Cottrell goal, with Jacob Weitering and Nick Haynes standing up well.

There was a two-point deficit at the first change as showers started to fall, with Hawthorn getting the jump when play resumed with a pair of goals inside the opening 70 seconds of play.

Defensive efforts from Mitch McGovern and Haynes helped turned the tide into goals, with Brodie Kemp and Jack Silvagni - who played up forward following Harry McKay’s late exclusion - both hitting the scoreboard.

The Blues’ response came on the back of their pressure, kicking four consecutive goals in the second quarter - at one point it looked like five, if not for Jesse Motlop’s soccer getting called back on the score review for nicking the inside of the post. Hawthorn's Blake Hardwick responded almost immediately after, bringing the Blues’ half-time lead back to five points.

The first half was very much a tussle, with two sides giving each other their best shot and responding in kind. It was the kind of conditions which the Blues’ midfield relished, with Tom De Koning and his midfield charges all bringing their combative best.

Once the second half resumed, Hawthorn continued the trend of bursting out of the blocks, as the Hawks took their chances in front of goal while the Blues spurned some half chances. Hawthorn kicked five consecutive goals while the Blues registered five consecutive behinds, until an opportunistic Zac Williams snap got the Blues back in it.

Motlop added to it immediately afterwards, and once again there was less than a kick in it on the back of a heavily contested term, with 57 tackles shared between the two sides.

However, with an extra game under their belt to start the season, Hawthorn finished the game full of run which Carlton couldn’t overcome. The Blues could only muster four behinds in the final term, unable to take their moments in a second half which could’ve gone much differently if not for 2.8 in the second half.

The Blues will recharge next Friday night when it goes again against the Western Bulldogs under the roof of Marvel Stadium.

CARLTON          2.1     6.4     8.8       8.12 (60)

HAWTHORN     2.3     5.5     9.7       12.8 (80)

GOALS

Carlton: Williams 2, Cerra, Cottrell, Hewett, Kemp, Motlop, Silvagni

BEST

Carlton: Hewett, Cerra, Cripps, Weitering, Cottrell, De Koning