In his first AFL game for almost 15 months, Joe Daniher has sparked Essendon to a stunning 16-point comeback win over Hawthorn.
Daniher kicked three goals as the Bombers overturned a 36-point deficit at halftime to win 13.9 (87) to 10.11 (71) in Thursday's twilight match at Adelaide Oval.
Daniher booted 3.3 and took several strong grabs as the Bombers revived their season by snapping a five-game winless streak to rise to ninth on the ladder.
Hawthorn's loss was soured by luckless Jonathon Patton suffering another injury.
Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson is uncertain the exact nature of the injury.
"Given how he was looking when it first happened, it looked like an achilles injury," Clarkson said.
"But we are going to need to get it scanned to see what is wrong there because the doctors, when they assessed him, didn't think there was a rupture to the achilles."
Patton has played just 94 games since being the top pick at the 2011 draft.
No doubt, Daniher can relate.
Thursday night was just Daniher's 12th game in the past three years, and the first since round nine last year.
But he showed why he's among the league's most compelling figures with a game-breaking second half.
Daniher's Bombers appeared down and out at halftime: Hawthorn led 7.10 to 2.4 after scoring from 17 of their 22 inside 50s.
But Daniher was a central figure in a stirring comeback. He plucked marks, high and low, kicked goals and missing others.
He finished with 3.3 from 14 disposals and took 10 marks.
"You just very quickly remember how good a player he is," Essendon coach John Worsfold said.
"I think everyone will be happy seeing Joey out there playing footy and enjoying himself.
"He has had setbacks. It has been frustrating ... no question, he would have had doubts at some point about what is going wrong."
Daniher was instrumental in a third-term Bombers blitz, kicking one and setting up another of his club's five goals.
Essendon were nine points down at three quarter-time and then booted six goals to two in the last term, with two to Daniher, including the last of the match.
His teammates Zach Merrett (36 disposals), Ashley McGrath (32 possessions) and Kyle Langford (27 touches) were also standouts. Brownlow medallist Tom Mitchell was Hawthorn's chief ball-winner with 27 disposals while teammates Tom Scully, Jack Gunston and Daniel Howe slotted two majors apiece.