The Hawks led from the fifteen-minute mark of the first quarter, and at one stage skipped to a four-goal advantage, but a gritty West Coast snatched the lead 21 and-a-half minutes into the final term.
With his side peppering the goals – Phillip Matera missed a sitter from 15 metres out 18 minutes into the last term - Andrew Embley kicked West Coast's most important goal for the day, putting it five points in front.
But an excellent final quarter from Hawks skipper Shane Crawford helped see his undermanned side to victory.
After being well-held by Josh Wooden all day, Crawford had nine critical possessions in the last, and set up the eventual winning goal, which came from stand-in full-forward Jade Rawlings.
Rawlings lined up at full-forward in the absence of key forwards, Nathan Thompson (knee), Peter Everitt (suspension), Nick Holland (calf) and John Barker (osteitis pubis). And the Tasmanian lived up to a local paper’s morning prognosis that the man from Devonport would be the key factor in the match.
He presented extremely well and nailed the decider from a high-pressure set shot with just two minutes remaining.
West Coast did not give in all day, but seriously mounted its charge late in the third term.
Having goaled after the three-quarter time siren, Travis Gaspar backed up with another critical major just minutes into the last quarter. Both scores came from the unfortunate play of one-time All-Australian defender Jonathan Hay, who improved after a terrible round one match, but endured a couple of shaky moments.
Playing at centre half-forward, Gaspar gave his side some much-needed momentum at the final break – reducing the margin to seven points - after Hay misjudged a marking contest. Gaspar lined up again after Hay ran out of defence early in the fourth term, took a bounce and lost control of the ball.
West Coast chipped away at what had been a four-goal deficit with regular majors, and benefited from their opponents’ inaccuracy before the sticks.
Ruckman Michael Gardiner resumed his duties in the middle against the considerably less-experienced David Loats and Robert Campbell, and combined well with talented trio Ben Cousins, Chad Fletcher and Chris Judd.
Suddenly, West Coast was winning the clearances and it was paying dividends on the score board.
The Hawks began the match sluggishly, taking 13 minutes to register their first goal through an opportunistic snap from Kris Barlow. West Coast had already snagged two through Travis Gaspar, before the two-minute mark, and later Rowan Jones who profited from Hawks skipper Shane Crawford being caught holding the ball within the Eagles forward 50.
But with Lance Picioane running his opponent Jeremy Humm off his feet, Hawthorn got going. Drew Banfield kicked a good goal from 50-metres to give his side the lead late in the term, but Crawford nailed a major on the run to give his side a three-point advantage at the first break.
West Coast hit back with an exciting goal from the previously quiet Daniel Kerr in the opening minutes of the second, but what followed was something of a Hawthorn onslaught.
Picioane goaled again before Rawlings, Tallis and Hodge followed suit, making it four goals in under nine minutes for the ‘home’ side.
Campbell Brown had the chance to further his side’s 21-point lead, missing two snaps in a minute, and West Coast managed to capitalise.
Matera converted before Cousins – acquitted of a suspension by the AFL appeals board during the week – kicked truly with a difficult shot across his body to restore his team’s confidence. With the margin back to 11 points, Matera hit the post from a set shot, before Hawk Angelo Lekkas and Crawford also missed at the other end.
The Hawks face an away game against Port Adelaide in round three, and West Coast meet St Kilda at Subiaco.
HAWTHORN: 3.4, 7.8, 11.11, 13.13 (91)
WEST COAST EAGLES: 3.0, 6.2, 11.4, 14.5 (89)
GOALS: Hawthorn: Picioane, Rawlings 3, Barlow 2, Crawford, Brown, Tallis, Hodge, Ries.
West Coast Eagles: Gaspar 3, Cousins, Embley 2, Judd, Kerr, Banfield, Jones, Matera, Haynes, Fletcher.
BEST: Hawthorn: Picioane, Crawford, Rawlings, Tallis, Dixon, Smith, Graham.
West Coast Eagles: Gardiner, Fletcher, Judd, Wooden, Cousins, Green, Wirrpunda.
INJURIES: Hawthorn: Lonie (knee)
West Coast Eagles: Cousins (jarred ankle)
CHANGES: Hawthorn: Nil
West Coast Eagles: Ashley McIntosh replaced by Ashley Sampi.
UMPIRES: Rowe, Dore, Jeffery
CROWD: 16,271 at York Park, Launceston.
