BFNL - Early blitz sets up Storm's 77-point win over Hawks in season re-start | PHOTOS

MORE than a month off hasn't halted the momentum of BFNL flag favourite Strathfieldsaye, which made a scintillating return to the field against rivals Eaglehawk on Saturday.

In a game that normally would have attracted one of the league's biggest home and away crowds of the season given the large and parochial followings of both clubs, it was instead a game played with no atmosphere at Tannery Lane given the ban on spectators.

Not that the Borough faithful would have had much to cheer for given the Hawks kicked just seven goals, were belted by 77 points and the game was already as good as over by quarter-time.

In what was the BFNL's first round of matches since July 10, both teams could have been expected to be rusty early and needing time to blow the cobwebs out.

Not the ladder-leading Storm, whose barnstorming first quarter paved the way for their 19.15 (129) to 7.10 (52) victory - their 10^th win in a row spread over the course of 16 weeks, such has been the disjointed nature of the COVID interrupted 2021 season.

The Storm immediately picked up from where they left off 35 days earlier with an eight-goal to one onslaught in the first quarter.

The Storm cut the Hawks apart with their slick ball use and transition from the back half that had the Eaglehawk defence under siege.

However, the game did start positively for the Hawks when Brodie Filo - who spent the day being shadowed by the Storm's Patrick Blandford (one goal) - kicked the opening goal when he got boot to ball in the goalsquare three minutes in.

But the remainder of the quarter was all one-way traffic as the Storm teamed superbly to pile on eight unanswered goals, including three each to captain Lachlan Sharp and Cooper Jones, whose game would later end with a dislocated shoulder.

The Storm led by 44 points at quarter-time, 8.4 to 1.2, and from there they didn't allow the Hawks back into the game, winning all four quarters.

The Storm were constantly able to pick holes through the Eaglehawk defence to regularly spot-up free players inside 50 and create open goals, with many of their attacks started from their back half where they were able to intercept and launch.

The Storm were far more fluent and precise in their ball movement throughout and relished the open space of their Tannery Lane fortress to utilise their running game against the Hawks, who had it not been for the BFNL decision during the week to change from a top-five to a top-six format would have had their finals hopes officially dead and buried following the loss.

Among the standouts for the Storm was Riley Wilson in his first senior game since suffering an ACL injury playing in Queensland last year.

Playing on the wing, Wilson found plenty of the ball and provided run and carry, as did veteran Kallen Geary, who was named Strathfieldsaye's best player.

Midfielders Daniel Clohesy (one goal) and Callum McCarty - who have been two of the side's breakout players this year - also featured among the best for the Storm, who had the trio of Sharp (six), James Schischka (four) and Jones (three) combine for 13 of their 19 goals.

With his six goals Sharp has retained his position at the top of the Ron Best Medal race with 68 ahead of the final round of the now-shortened season.

"It was a fantastic effort by the boys today," Storm co-coach Shannon Geary said.

"We were obviously missing a few of our Melbourne boys, as Eaglehawk was as well, but you don't make finals just with 22 players, you need a deep group and I think that was highlighted today.

"To start the way we did was fantastic. The last game we played against Maryborough we didn't use the ball well at all and that has been a big focus of ours when we've been able to train over the past few weeks.

"Looking after the footy is the key to moving it well and it was pleasing to see the way we did that today.

"I thought we looked after our forwards well today with our ball-use."

The Hawks' cause wasn't helped by losing Riley McIvor to a lower calf injury that left the side one rotation down from the opening minutes - always a challenge to overcome, let alone after such a lengthy lay-off.

Key midfielder Sam Harper later ended the game on the bench with a tight hamstring on what was a day the Hawks copped their biggest loss since 2014, while they didn't win a quarter for the first time in 45 games.

"You always try to find the positives out of a game and what we saw today is a look at the benchmark team in the competition. I look back to 2019 when we copped a hiding off Strath (72 points) in the second semi-final and then two weeks later had our opportunities to beat them in the grand final," Hawks coach Travis Matheson said.

"So it's not all negative and today gives us a clear look at the level we've got to get ourselves to over the coming weeks."

On-baller Koby Hommelhoff, who mas made a strong return this year from a knee injury, was named best for the Hawks, who had centre half-forward Darcy Richards with three as their only multiple goalkicker.

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