HAWTHORN midfielder Jordan Lewis believes yesterday's 30-point win over St Kilda could turn out to be a season-defining victory.
The Hawks went goalless to quarter-time as their opponents skipped out to a 32-point lead, but responded strongly to play some of their best football of the year for the remainder of the match.
"It's definitely one of our best wins for the season," Lewis said from Waverley Park on Monday afternoon.
"I think our last three quarters were probably the most consistent quarters that we've had all year."
The Hawks' slow start prompted a typically frank assessment from club president Jeff Kennett on the club's website.
"Yesterday I witnessed perhaps the worst quarter of football of the last five years, and then three quarters which, as they unfolded, filled me with great pride," Kennett wrote on Monday morning.
Lewis didn't share his president's views on his team's first quarter effort.
"It certainly didn't feel [that bad] out on the field," he responded.
"We felt like we were in control of the football, but they got a couple of easy goals out the back from our mistakes."
While player and president disagreed as to the extent of Hawthorn's first quarter woes, the Hawks' domination after the first change of ends was unquestioned.
They kicked 14 goals to St Kilda's five, went inside attacking 50 48 times to 17, and won the contested possession count 111-86.
Most telling of all was the centre clearance figure.
The Hawks' midfielders drove the ball forward from centre bounces 14 times to St Kilda's two after quarter-time (18-3 for the match), with Lewis, Luke Hodge, Brad Sewell, Liam Shiels and Sam Mitchell all winning multiple centre clearances.
The centre clearance dominance was all the more impressive given key forwards Jarryd Roughead and Lance Franklin were forced to shoulder the load in the ruck after the team's sole selected tap specialist, David Hale, went down with a knee injury in the second quarter.
Lewis said there was no great catalyst for the turnaround, just a focus on doing the basics right.
"We just came in at [quarter-time] and thought that we had to do the simple things well, and we knew our big guys went down so we had to run a lot more. We did that in the last three quarters, and it helped us win the game," he said.
Even more pleasing for Hawthorn was the significant contribution from several younger players, who justified Clarkson's decision to leave out 2008 premiership stars Xavier Ellis and Clinton Young.
Midfielders Shiels and Shane Savage were among the best on ground with 51 possessions and 13 tackles between them, second-gamers Isaac Smith and Paul Puopolo were once again important, and promoted rookie Luke Breust bagged two goals and looked lively throughout his debut.
"Not only do they come in and contribute, they bring a great energy to the side," Lewis said of the Hawks' new brigade.
"Luke Breust came in on the weekend and kicked 2.2, but it's his off-the-ball stuff.
"It's him being out there and seeing the smile on his face that really lifts the other guys.
"I think they're complementing the side really well. It certainly makes the older guys like Sewell and Mitchell really happy."
Mark Macgugan covers Hawthorn news for afl.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @mmacgugan.
