THIRD-game forward Ben Ronke has inspired Sydney to a stirring comeback win over Hawthorn, piling on a game-high seven goals to lead the Swans to a memorable eight-point triumph.
On a bitterly cold and windy night that had followed a day of almost constant rain in Melbourne, the scene was not set for a forward to play the match-winner, especially with Swans spearhead Lance Franklin still sidelined with a bruised heel.
But Ronke soon put paid to that thinking with four goals in the first quarter and the Swans' first five, while he added two more goals in the final term as the Swans rammed on five to the Hawks' one to turn an 11-point three-quarter time deficit into a glorious 12.7 (79) to 10.11 (71) win.
SWANS IN A THRILLER: Full match coverage and stats
The Swans' victory looks set to be soured, however, with Luke Parker reported for a head-high bump on Jarman Impey late in the match.
In Parker's favour, he was contesting the ball, but Impey had his head down when Parker collected it with his hip.
Sydney's win drew them level with the Hawks on five wins for the season, while it also continued its unbeaten record on the road this year.
YOUNG BLOOD RUNS FREE: Ben Ronke's seventh heaven
While Ronke was undoubtedly the star, Parker (28 possessions, seven clearances and two goals) was also instrumental and kicked the goal that put the Swans back in front for good at the 26-minute mark of the final term.
Sydney successfully limited the influence of the Hawks' prime midfield movers, with Harry Cunningham (27 possessions) holding Isaac Smith to just 16 possessions and little of his usual influence, while George Hewett (23 possessions) held the prolific Tom Mitchell to 20 possessions.
WATCH: The exciting last two minutes
Isaac Heeney (26 possessions) was also influential, as was the run of Zak Jones (18) from defence.
Swans coach John Longmire was pleased with his team's storming finish to the game, but was mindful the Hawks had also generated their share of shots on goal in the final term.
"We kicked 5.0 and they kicked 1.5 (in the last quarter), so we were aware of that," Longmire said.
"They probably were a little bit pressured from where [their shots] were from, which maybe contributed to that, but we thought our boys had a real crack most of the game, to be honest.
"We turned the ball over a bit too much at times – a bit in that third quarter – but our persistence was fantastic."
Jack Gunston was outstanding in attack for the Hawks, kicking five goals, including the Hawks' final major that put them seven points up at the 12-minute mark of the last quarter.
WATCH: Gunston is all class
James Sicily (26 possessions and nine marks) was a stumbling block for the Swans across half-back, especially in the first half, and led the Hawks' rebound from defence along with Shaun Burgoyne (26 possessions and nine tackles), Liam Shiels (22 possessions) and Ricky Henderson (24) helped to cover quiet nights by Mitchell, Smith and Jaeger O'Meara, while Daniel Howe performed a vital run-with role on Josh Kennedy, holding the Swans skipper to 19 disposals, and Luke Breust kicked three goals.
Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said the match felt like a missed opportunity for his team, but conceded the Swans' 40-31 edge around the clearances had been a key factor in the result.
"We've had 62 inside 50s to 39, but that was probably the only statistic that we were happy with for the night to be fair," Clarkson said.
"I thought Sydney hunted the ball in the contest a lot better than we did over the course of the night.
"When it comes to a close game, only two goals separate the two sides for the whole of the night, sometimes the team that wants it the most wins the game.
"And I felt over the course of the game Sydney were just a bit hungrier and a bit more polished with using their numbers over the ball than what we were."
But it was Ronke's night. The youngster proved a constant thorn in the Hawks' defence with his electrifying speed, keen goal sense, strength over the ball and clinical finishing.
WATCH: It was Ben Ronke's night
When he kicked his fifth goal early in the second term, he was outscoring Hawthorn on his own – 5.0 to 4.3 – while there was a sense of anti-climax when Will Hayward (three goals) became the Swans' second goalkicker at the 21-minute mark of the second quarter.
Hayward's goal put the Swans seven points up, while the Hawks could only trim that margin to six by half-time as the forward-half pressure of both teams slowed scoring to a trickle.
WATCH THE GAMEBREAKER: Young Swan stars with seven stunners
The first quarter had been a more free-scoring affair as both teams piled on four goals.
Gunston kicked three of those goals for Hawthorn and its only goal in the second term as his team managed to stay within striking distance of Sydney at the main break.
MATCH: Luke Parker was doing it all
MEDICAL ROOM
Hawthorn: Jarman Impey came from the ground midway through the final term after being bumped by Luke Parker. The Hawks speedster was bleeding from the head but returned to the field for the last couple of minutes. When asked after the game whether Impey had suffered any injury from the clash, Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson noted simply that the midfielder had come back on the ground.
Sydney:The Swans emerged with a clean bill of health.
NEXT UP
The Hawks play Brisbane at the Gabba next Sunday, when they are set to come up against their former captain Luke Hodge for the first time. The Swans host Fremantle next Saturday night at the SCG, having not lost to the Dockers at their home ground since 2011.
WATCH: Ronke gets going
HAWTHORN 4.3 5.4 9.6 10.11 (71)
SYDNEY 4.1 6.4 7.7 12.7 (79)
GOALS
Hawthorn: Gunston 5, Breust 3, Roughead, Morrison
Sydney: Ronke 7, Hayward 3, Parker 2
BEST
Hawthorn: Gunston, Sicily, Breust, Burgoyne, Roughead, Shiels
Sydney: Ronke, Parker, Heeney, Jones, Cunningham, Lloyd
INJURIES
Hawthorn: Nil
Sydney: Nil
Reports: Luke Parker (Sydney) for rough conduct on Jarman Impey in the fourth quarter
Umpires: Foot, Dalgleish, Rosebury
Official crowd: 32,784 at the MCG
