While the Demons had a tougher than expected battle against the cellar dwellers before registering a 15.17 (107) to 9.9 (63) victory, the cards beautifully fell their way after Brisbane lost to Sydney, Port Adelaide succumbed to Essendon and Geelong held on to defeat St Kilda at Skilled Stadium.
It's a remarkable effort from Melbourne, after being widely-tipped to contend for the wooden spoon this year, following a disastrous 2003.
And the Demons have the chance to further distance themselves from one of their leading challengers, when they face Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium next Sunday.
Perhaps Hawthorn can take some encouragement from the way Melbourne has been able to change its fortunes so dramatically in just one year.
Under interim coach Donald McDonald for the first time, Hawthorn showed plenty of fight in the first three quarters, but ran out of steam in the last, registering just one rushed behind, as Melbourne iced the contest with four unanswered goals.
While an upset always seemed unlikely, the Demons only held a 16-point advantage at three-quarter time, after the Hawks outscored them by four goals to two in the third term.
The Hawks returned from the half-time interval on fire, kicking three goals in the first six minutes to reduce the margin back to just seven points, following Nathan Thompson's third goal.
They were set alight by a great individual effort from Mark Williams, who gathered a loose ball across half-forward, distanced himself from the pack with a turbo-charged burst of speed and bounced his way forward to score the goal of the match.
Hawthorn played with a vigour and enthusiasm that had been lacking for so much of the season, but was unable to sustain it for four quarters.
Melbourne captain David Neitz, who had been kept out of the contest by Mark Graham and the resting Hawk ruckmen (Everitt and Thompson) after booting two goals from four opportunities in the first term, bobbed up again in the final period to lead his team to victory.
The giant awoke from his slumber to goal in the opening minute of the quarter and then followed up with another two, to have three goals by the 4-minute mark.
Every time Hawthorn went forward in the last term, the ball was repelled by Demon defenders Clint Bizzell, Matthew Whelan and Alistair Nicholson.
The Melbourne midfield was led by Travis Johnstone, who rarely missed a target, and Cameron Bruce, who was terrific at winning clearances.
But they were shaded for best afield honours by Adem Yze, who was freed up from his defensive role for the second week in succession and was dominant across half-forward, amassing 29 kicks and three handballs.
Hawthorn fans were entitled to be encouraged by the game of Chance Bateman. While he made a couple of costly errors on the day, he provided strong run out of defence and through the middle of the ground, while Peter Everitt split the honours in the ruck with Jeff White.
The Hawks' third win of the season is certainly not beyond them when they face fellow battlers the Western Bulldogs at Telstra Dome next Saturday night.
After emerging from the potentially tricky matches against the Bulldogs, Tigers and Hawks unscathed, Melbourne coach Neale Daniher is excited about a challenging couple of weeks ahead against the Power and Swans.
"We're pleased as a footy club to win the game today and be sitting on top of the ladder after 18 rounds, but there are no prizes for that," Daniher said.
"We've got Port and Sydney, two really good tests, but I think we're ready for those now."
"We've got a great opportunity playing Port to go two games ahead of them, that's how big a game it is for us and our blokes will be looking forward to it."
After his first match as a senior AFL coach, Donald McDonald said Hawthorn's improvement was a step in the right direction.
"Until three-quarter time we were right in the ball game. Our first and third quarters have been pretty ordinary (this year) and I thought today we were really competitive. At least we were in the game and…. with a chance to win the game," McDonald noted.
"But they're a very good side. They might be the eventual premiers. We're two games clear on the bottom of the ladder and we were playing a side that's one game clear at the top and at three-quarter time we were 16 points down and right in the ball game.
"It was just their class in the end that came out."
Melbourne: 5.4, 9.8, 11.12, 15.17 (107)
Hawthorn: 2.6, 5.8, 9.8, 9.9 (63)
GOALS: Melbourne: Neitz 5, Robertson 4, Yze, Johnstone, McDonald, Bruce, White, Walsh 1
Hawthorn: Thompson 3, Everitt, Williams, Hodge, Beaumont, Clarke, Brown 1
BEST: Melbourne: Yze, Johnstone, McDonald, Bizzell, Whelan, Bruce, Robertson, Neitz
Hawthorn: Bateman, Holland, Vandenberg, Everitt, Barker, Smith
CHANGES: Melbourne: Wheatley (necK) replaced in selected side by Ward
INJURIES: None
REPORTS: None
UMPIRES: Schmitt, Avon, Chamberlain
CROWD: 28,392 at the MCG
