The Tigers won 16.9 (105) to the Hawks' 10.16 (76) to push within two points of the top eight with winnable matches against Fremantle and Melbourne to come.
The Tigers soaked up all the pressure the Hawks could throw at them, and when Matthew Richardson, who had been an enormous presence in the second half, goaled 21 minutes into the final term after Trent Croad gave away a 50m penalty, they had sealed a famous victory.
The Hawks came with a rush early in the last quarter, with two quick goals to Campbell Brown, who was shifted forward by Alastair Clarkson to try to give Lance Franklin some support.
The margin was down to just 15 points, and Tigers' fans were getting nervous, but Brett Deledio, who had been in the hands of trainers seconds earlier, steadied the ship with a running goal.
The Hawks weren't done with, and Mark Williams slotted his first for the day, but they were still unable to mount a convincing run-on, and Jordan McMahon replied for Richmond.
Franklin hit the post from 25m directly in front at the 18-minute mark, making it 3.6 for the match for the erratic full-forward, and his miss signaled the end of the Hawthorn fight-back.
The Tigers led by 17 points at the first break and 31 at half time, and the Hawks' inaccuracy – 4.10 in the first half – was symptomatic of a general malaise.
Turnovers, poor decision-making and wasteful kicking for goal typified Hawthorn's effort in the first two quarters, and they failed to develop any significant momentum in the third term, although the Tigers' intensity appeared to drop off.
Franklin kicked his third goal just 15 seconds into the third quarter and gave his team a great launching pad for a comeback, but Richmond replied almost immediately through the impressive Mitch Morton, who took advantage when Rick Ladson fluffed a simple mark and restored the Tiger's five-goal margin.
Cyril Rioli goaled after brilliant work from Franklin, who centred the ball rather than have a pot shot from the boundary line, but once again Richmond responded, this time through ruckman Tristan Cartledge, who was the beneficiary of a 50m penalty.
The trading of goals continued when Chance Bateman dodged and weaved his way through defenders to top off some precise lead-up work.
The ball was camped in the Hawthorn forward 50, but the Hawks couldn't buy a goal, recording four successive behinds through Franklin (twice), Bateman and Ellis.
And when Morton snapped truly on the stroke of three-quarter time, Hawthorn's wastefulness was amplified, and the Tigers led by 27 points.
Richmond managed five goals to two in each of the first two terms, with Daniel Connors a surprise packet with three goals.
The Tigers led by 17 points at quarter time, but Jordan Lewis quickly ate into that margin after Jay Schulz gifted him a 50m penalty. The reply came through Richard Tambling, who cleverly roved a pack that contested a mark in the goal square and booted the ball through in mid-air from a couple of metres out.
The Hawks needed some magic, and got it through Michael Osborne, who ran onto a kick from Franklin close to the boundary line. Under pressure from a Tigers defender, Osborne banged the ball onto his boot and saw the ball float through for a goal.
Hawthorn was hanging on, but Richmond was giving them plenty of headaches. Shane Edwards crumbed a pack and goaled, and when Connors got on the end of a fine move from deep in defence, launched by a 75m torpedo kick in from Chris Newman, the Tigers led by 21 points.
Franklin missed a gettable shot on goal, giving him 2.3 for the half, then Stuart Dew also squandered an opportunity for the struggling Hawks.
Trent Cotchin opened the scoring with a snap before Franklin kicked his 92nd goal for the season five minutes in with a brilliant effort from deep in the right forward pocket. 'Buddy' won a contested possession, threw the ball onto the outside of his left boot and dribbled it across the line.
Successive goals to Shane Tuck, Connors and Joel Bowden gave the Tigers a handy break.
Franklin was the only forward offering anything for the Hawks in the early stages, but he was typically profligate in his approach to goal. A set-shot from 40m on a slight angle brought a point; another from outside the boundary line on the wrong side for a left-footer sailed through. A kick out on the full and a shot from 35m that didn't reach the line completed his first term.
Key midfielder Nathan Foley was a late withdrawal for the Tigers, replaced in the selected side by Dean Polo.
RICHMOND 5.2 10.5 13.6 16.9 (105)
HAWTHORN 2.5 4.10 7.15 10.16 (76)
GOALS
Richmond: Connors 3, Morton 3, Cotchin, Tuck, Bowden, Tambling, Edwards, White, Cartledge, Deledio, McMahon, Richardson
Hawthorn: Franklin 3, Brown 2, Lewis, Osborne, Rioli, Bateman, Williams
BEST
Richmond: Richardson, Bowden, Deledio, Newman, Tuck, McMahon, Cotchin
Hawthorn: Sewell, Franklin, Lewis, Hodge, Bateman, Mitchell, Ladson
INJURIES
Richmond: Foley out, replaced in selected side by Polo
Hawthorn: Nil
Reports: Simmonds (Richmond) reported for front on bump on Murphy (Hawthorn) in the first quarter by umpire Nicholls
Umpires: James, Nicholls, Mollison
Official crowd: 44,523 at the MCG
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
