Hawthorn kicked seven goals to two as they dominated the first quarter, before the Roos kicked the first three goals in both the second and third quarters, only for the Hawks to respond.
That response saw them 29 points clear at half-time, but the Kangaroos were still in the contest at the last break, down by three goals, and with the last three majors of the match, all well into time-on, closed to within three points.
In a desperate last roll of the dice for the Roos, they rushed forward with David King looking set to run away for a shot on goal that could win the match, but Jonathan Hay laid a brilliant tackle that allowed Hawthorn to hang on and win, 15.11.101 to 14.14.98.
Hay, Jade Rawlings and Joel Smith all dominated across the half-back line for Hawthorn, Hay in particular keeping a badly underdone Wayne Carey to a minimum of possessions and then laying the tackle that probably won the day at the death.
“I just saw him (King) go and it was going to be an open goal so I had to go,” Hay said of the tackle. “They played really well and stepped it up in the last quarter and put us under pressure.”
“It definitely lifts the team when you have your stars coming back. The boys played with a lot of heart today. That was a huge game for us. For us to get over the line, against good opposition, was huge for us.”
Angelo Lekkas and Mark Graham gathered plenty of touches for the Hawks with great support from Shane Crawford, Daniel Harford and Daniel Chick, while Ben Dixon and Lekkas kicked three goals each.
John Barker was also one of the best on the ground in the first half, kicking a goal and pulling in four contested marks, before taking no further part after half-time with a thigh injury.
Anthony Stevens put his body on the line all day for the Kangaroos, but was unable to inspire his team to a win, while Shannon Grant, Brent Harvey and Brady Rawlings also played well in the midfield.
Digby Morrell showed plenty for the Roos after coming off the bench to replace Carey in the second term, kicking three goals, while Matthew Burton’s solid recent form in the ruck continued with Shaun Rehn a late withdrawal for the Hawks.
“Starting so slowly put us behind the eight ball and we were playing catch up all day and just didn’t quite get there,” Morrell said. “Denis was very disappointed, giving them a seven goal head start, and everyone has to bounce back and get back next week.”
The Hawks dominated from the first bounce, kicking the first five goals of the match through Dixon (two), Crawford, Chick and Nick Holland, before the Roos hit back slightly with goals to Byron Pickett and Corey McKernan.
Despite starting to find some more of the ball, the Kangaroos found themselves 29 points adrift at the first change, 7.2.44 to 2.3.15, after the Hawks got the last two of the quarter through Barker and Lekkas.
The Kangaroos climbed within 13 points with majors to Grant, Glenn Archer and Morrell, but Hawthorn had all the answers, replying with goals of their own to Lekkas, Dixon, Nathan Thompson and Chick.
Morrell took a strong mark late in the quarter and kicked his second after replacing Carey in the forward line, but the Hawks still led by 29 points at the long break, 11.7.73 to 6.8.44.
Shane Clayton, Morrell and Leigh Colbert all goaled to bring the margin back to 11 points, but again Hawthorn were able to reply through a couple of six-pointers to Brett O’Farrell.
Sav Rocca got the final goal of the quarter from 60m out as both teams missed late shots for goal, and the Hawks went to the last break leading by an even three goals, 13.10.88 to 10.10.70.
Rocca’s second long bomb from 60m out cut the deficit to two goals, but Lekkas’ third from a mark in the goal square and another to Rayden Tallis provided the responses Hawthorn were looking for.
Grant, Adam Simpson and Rawlings kicked three quick goals for the Roos in the dying minutes of the game to slash the margin to just three points, but the Hawks were just able to hang on for their first win in over a month.
Scoreboard:
HAWTHORN: 7.2 11.7 13.10 15.11 (101)
KANGAROOS: 2.3 6.8 10.10 14.14 ( 98)
Goals: Hawthorn: A Lekkas 3 B Dixon 3 B O'Farrell 2 D Chick 2 N Holland R Tallis S Crawford N Thompson J Barker.
Kangaroos: D Morrell 3 S Grant 2 S Rocca 2 L Colbert B Rawlings A Simpson G Archer S Clayton B Pickett C McKernan.
Best: Hawthorn: J Hay J Smith M Graham A Lekkas B Dixon R Tallis D Chick. Kangaroos: B Harvey A Stevens S Grant B Rawlings D Morrell.
Injuries: Hawthorn: S Rehn (calf) replaced in selected side by B O'Farrell, J Barker (thigh), T Woods (hamstring).
Kangaroos: S Motlop (leg).
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: B Allen, S Jeffery, S McInerney.
Official crowd: 41,295 at MCG.
