The Bulldogs put a fortnight of tight results behind them, including their first loss, to win 15.16 (106) to 12.2 (74).
For the Hawks, it was their first stumble since round 22 last season and a blip on a near-perfect recent record at the Launceston venue – seven victories from nine games before Saturday's encounter.
The Bulldogs were led to the result by Jason Akermanis (24 touches, seven tackles), Adam Cooney (28 disposals, two goals) and Scott Welsh (four goals), despite five goals from Lance Franklin and four from Jarryd Roughead.
Akermanis was tough and ran tirelessly, Cooney was polished and gave the Dogs the edge they needed in the middle, while Welsh equalled his best return since crossing from Adelaide at the end of last season.
The Dogs crossed Bass Strait intent on rebounding from last Sunday's narrow loss to North Melbourne, while the Hawks arrived keen to keep their unbeaten streak alive.
The first goal went to the ladder-leaders through Roughead, but the Bulldogs were quick to respond via Cooney, who slotted his first on the run four minutes later.
Throughout the remainder of the first, the Bulldogs slowly chipped away with Will Minson and Brad Johnson goaling, earning a six-point lead and the momentum at the change.
In the second, Franklin began to win an edge over opponent Tom Williams, although his first two goals came more from Bulldogs mistakes than his own craft.
First he found himself 30 metres clear of Williams and then pounced on an errant Daniel Cross handball for his second.
While the Hawks upped their output in the second term, it was a more eventful quarter for the visitors.
The Bulldogs outscored their opponents five goals to three to take a 24-point lead into the second half, but forward Robert Murphy was reported for rough conduct and captain Brad Johnson left the field concussed and bleeding from a separate incident.
Murphy's bump dazed Hawk Xavier Ellis, while Johnson's forehead was clipped by Robert Campbell's knee.
However, both players returned in the second half, with Ellis finishing with 13 possessions and Johnson 16.
The two incidents ignited some fire between the sides that translated into a minor fracas as players left the field for half time.
The Hawks re-emerged the feistier candidate, and had three unanswered goals on the board in the opening 10 minutes with Franklin and Roughead again featuring.
But the Bulldogs weathered the storm and, with four of five final goals of the quarter going their way – the last of which was kicked by Ryan Griffen after taking an impressive mark at the back of a pack, it was a 27-point margin with a term to go.
It was a lead easy to enforce as darkness crept into the Apple Isle venue, with the temperature dropping and the hopes the Hawks had of extending their unbeaten streak for another round going with it.
Western Bulldogs 3.2 8.8 12.11 15.16 (106)
Hawthorn 2.2 5.2 9.2 12.2 (74)
GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Welsh 4, Cooney 2, Griffen 2, Minson, Johnson, Eagleton, Gilbee, Akermanis, Boyd, Giansiracusa
Hawthorn: Franklin 5, Roughead 4, Taylor, Campbell, Young
BEST
Western Bulldogs: Akermanis, Cooney, Welsh, Murphy, Griffen, Gilbee, Boyd, Giansiracusa
Hawthorn: Franklin, Ladson, Mitchell, Lewis, Roughead, Morton
INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Johnson (cut head), Callan (hamstring)
Hawthorn: Nil
Reports: Murphy (Western Bulldogs) reported for rough conduct against Ellis (Hawthorn) by umpire McBurney in the second quarter
Umpires: McBurney, Kennedy, Ellis
Official crowd: 19,378 at Aurora Stadium
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of the clubs or the AFL.
