HAWTHORN sent a clear message during the week that no one is safe when it dropped out-of-sorts forward Jarryd Roughead back to the VFL.

Young or old, coach Alastair Clarkson is scrutinising individual performances – not just the team's – as closely as ever during a fascinating period of his tenure.

The Hawks responded strongly on Sunday to the Roughead news and last week's disappointing loss to Melbourne to take down a Greater Western Sydney side with premiership ambitions by 33 points.

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"The game was really based around the spirit and endeavour of our players and just hanging in there and trying to deny them the space they usually utilise so well," Clarkson said.

"So that was a really pleasing performance."

Roughead put his hand up for an immediate senior return with five goals in the curtain-raiser, but fellow 30-something Isaac Smith (foot) didn't play at all after being a late withdrawal.

Those two "big spirit players", as Clarkson put it, have been integral Hawthorn members, but when the whips were cracking in the third term against the Giants it was two kids who stepped up.

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The Hawks were dominating in general play but not translating it on the scoreboard, including Liam Shiels' faux pas on the goal line, when he stumbled trying to pick up the loose ball.

After a series of misses by his teammates, Mitch Lewis – the heir to Roughead's throne – hung onto a tough grab, then slotted a brilliant goal from 50m out while tucked on the boundary.

Seven minutes later, James Cousins, in his first game back from suspension, pinched an errant GWS handball, bolted inside 50 and kicked a great goal on the run.

Cousins won nine of his career-best 25 disposals in the term as Hawthorn went to three-quarter time 22 points up.

"We just believe there's some young guys at our footy club, like a Mitch Lewis … that if they're given an opportunity and they get that belief that they can play at the level (they can make an impact)," Clarkson said.

"With Tom Mitchell missing, too, we need that depth through the middle of the ground.

"Jaeger (O'Meara) didn't have a significant contribution today – (he made) important contributions at key moments for us – but we needed that depth through the midfield.

"Young guys like (James) Worpel and Cousins and (late inclusion Harry) Morrison are pretty important for us as we try to challenge and search for ways we can climb the ladder.

"It's tough, but we'll keep searching for players who can help us win our next premiership."

WATCH Alastair Clarkson's full post-match press conference

Clarkson gave little away about whether Roughead would return next week, but hinted he was keen to see how Lewis and co would perform without the 2013 Coleman medallist in the team.

"Mitch Lewis is ready to play senior footy. He's going to have his ups and downs, but he just needs to have that space," Clarkson said.

"Strangely enough for a young player, if Rough's there all the time with him, he's probably always going to sit back, because of the icon he's been at this footy club, and allow Roughy to be the target.

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"So we need to look at it all in its entirety. What's Roughy's form like? What's Mitch's form like? What's Conor Nash's form like? How are they all going and how are they functioning together?

"Rough got dropped three times in his second year of footy, so that may happen to Mitch Lewis at some point in time … he just needs that opportunity and we'll just see where that goes for us."