EARLIER in the week, Brisbane Lions coach Leigh Matthews opined that Lance Franklin was a freak. He didn't quite say he was the best player in the competition — he does, after all, have Jonathan Brown on his own team. It's becoming a close-run thing, though.

As it turned out, Franklin did almost everything for Hawthorn last night while Brown had little impact despite starting in the centre, presumably as a kind of shock weapon against the big-bodied Hawk midfield.

In the end, Hawthorn simply had too much firepower. Franklin kicked 8.6 and, despite seven majors at the other end from Daniel Bradshaw, "Buddy" was clearly the difference between the two sides.

The Lions deserve great credit, however, for continuing to challenge a side that appeared to have their measure, running the match down to the last few minutes until a raking long shot from Luke Hodge sealed the game for the visitors. Brown was reported for a late charge on Sam Mitchell in the second quarter, although it didn't look worth more than the 50-metre penalty that gifted Mitchell a goal.

It was easy to see what had occupied most of the Lions' thinking in the lead-up to this match. Full-back Daniel Merrett didn't have the athleticism to counter Franklin; his fellow defender Joel Patfull lacked the height. What to do?

Matthews' solution was to send Jared Brennan to the back line to rotate with Merrett. When Franklin played deep, Merrett took the job; whenever he ranged further upfield, Brennan followed.

It looked good on paper; the problem was that Franklin was too good. The Lions took the game to Hawthorn from the start, going to quarter-time with a four-point lead, but every time they looked like they might be getting the better of the contest, Buddy intervened.

There are moments when a player looks to be performing on another field to the 35 around him. Franklin produced several such moments in the first half alone: a one-handed mark pushing off Merrett; a goal from 60 metres loping through the middle.

The last, Franklin's third goal for the half, took the Hawks eight points clear at the break. And while it was close, Hawthorn seemed to have silk in reserve, not least a rejuvenated Mark Williams and the absurdly gifted Cyril Rioli. But just in case anyone was in any doubt whose show this was, there was Buddy again a minute into the second half: an overhead mark, this time against Patfull, on the 50 and a set shot from outside the boundary that split the centre like an arrow.

The Lions weren't about to go away. Bradshaw was less spectacular than Franklin but he was matching him goal for goal; another to Ash McGrath brought the Lions back to within two points.

Rioli threaded the needle again to keep the home side at bay, but another goal to Bradshaw, and a smooth piece of work from Travis Johnstone put the home side briefly in front. And then Franklin again, for his fifth, this time from a free kick.

Still, had the Lions kicked straight late in the quarter, they might just have pinched a lead going into the last quarter. They didn't. No prizes for guessing who made them pay.

HAWTHORN 4.5 10.9 14.13 19.16 (130) BRISBANE LIONS 5.3 9.6 14.11 17.16 (118)

GOALS: Hawthorn: Franklin 8, Rioli 2, Williams 2, Roughead, Ellis, Osborne, Mitchell, Young, Sewell, Hodge.Brisbane Lions: Bradshaw 7, McGrath 2, Johnstone 2, Hooper, Adcock, Leuenberger, Charman, Begley, Corrie.

BEST: Hawthorn: Franklin, Mitchell, Crawford, Sewell, Osborne, Croad. Brisbane Lions: Black, Bradshaw, Power, Rischitelli, Johnstone, Corrie.

INJURIES: Brisbane Lions: Lappin (Achilles) replaced in selected side by Copeland.

REPORTS: Brisbane Lions: Brown for allegedly charging Sam Mitchell in the second quarter.

UMPIRES: Farmer, Chamberlain, McInerney.

CROWD: 30,019 at the Gabba.

THE UPSHOT

AT THIS early stage of the season, the Hawks seem to be the only side with the ability to challenge Geelong — hard, resilient, but with silk to spare and arguably the game's most potent matchwinner up forward.

TALKING POINT

WHO can stop Lance Franklin? Only Buddy himself, it seems. A crowd of 30,000 at the Gabba had the thrill of watching a player a cut above everyone else on the field — including Jonathan Brown, whose charge on Sam Mitchell will attract scrutiny.

HOT AND COLD

THERE simply isn't a hotter player in the competition than Buddy right now and on present form, he looms as a rare key-position Brownlow prospect. Jonathan Brown, however, had a rare dirty night, failing to kick a goal.