THE SYDNEY Swans have withstood a withering Hawthorn comeback to win a thrilling and bruising Grand Final rematch by four points at the MCG on Saturday night.

The Swans led by 32 points after kicking the opening six goals of the game but the Hawks hit back hard, kicking nine of the next 11 goals, and when Cyril Rioli goaled to put them 12 points up at the nine-minute mark of the final term, the reigning premiers looked home. 

WATCH: The tense final two minutes

But Swans co-captain Jarrad McVeigh turned the game in a rare stint up forward, kicking the next two goals to put his team in front and then setting up a Luke Parker major that stretched their lead to five points at the 22-minute mark.

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The Hawks had their chances in the dying minutes, their best opportunity coming when Luke Breust had a set shot from 40m.

The Hawk sharpshooter could not miss a goal last year but somehow pulled a relatively simple set shot left to allow the Swans to sneak over the line 11.7 (73) to 9.15 (69).

The Hawks belted the Swans by 63 points in 2014's premiership decider but the crowd of 63,319 at the MCG on Saturday night was treated to a far better contest, as the Swans showed the fight and hardness it lacked in last year's Grand Final. 

Five talking points: Hawthorn v Sydney Swans

All night they fought fire with fire and lead from the opening minute until the 25-minute mark of the third term when a Rioli goal put Hawthorn four points up.

But their effort to fight back when the Hawks had all the momentum was what pleased coach John Longmire most, their victory just the second over Hawthorn in the seven games they've contested since the Swans’ 2012 Grand Final victory. 

"You've got to be able to find a way and we kicked the last three goals of the game, which was important," Longmire said after the game.

"There was a couple of things in the last five minutes – they could easily have won it – and it just went down to the wire. 

"We worked hard, we got out of the blocks well, they had their turn as all good teams do and we were able to withstand that and then kick those last three goals in that last quarter, which was so important."

While McVeigh was the hero, Dan Hannebery (36 possessions and seven clearances) worked tirelessly all night and was well supported by Luke Parker (26 possessions) and Josh Kennedy (29).

Ted Richards was solid in defence on Jarryd Roughead, restricting the Hawks spearhead to three behinds, while Nick Smith and Ben McGlynn were also strong contributors.

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson lamented his team's inability to take its chances in front of goal, citing the old adage that "bad kicking is bad football".

"By five minutes into the second quarter it's 1.6 to 6.1, they took their chances, we didn't take ours," Clarkson said. 

"And then we had some chances to convert some opportunities late in the game that we would normally ice and we didn't take them, so we lick our wounds and move on. 

"(It was a) spirited contest, two good sides, two bulls going at each other and it was going to be an arm wrestle all night in the conditions because it was pretty slippery and greasy.

"We're disappointed that we lost but proud of our spirit, proud of the way that we dug in and hung in the game and worked our way back into a winning position."

Sam Mitchell (32 possessions) and Jordan Lewis (31) were outstanding through the midfield for the Hawks, while Rioli's defensive pressure was instrumental in getting the reigning premiers back into the match.

James Frawley, with occasional help from Brian Lake, did an outstanding job on former Hawk Lance Franklin, holding the star spearhead scoreless and to just seven possessions.

The run of Isaac Smith and Bradley Hill helped the Hawks worked their way back into the game, as did Paul Puopolo's lively work in attack. 

The Swans came out breathing fire at the opening bounce, seemingly determined not to let the Hawks use the same standover tactics that had worked so successfully in the 2014 Grand Final.

A good example of the Swans' hardnosed mindset came at the 11-minute mark of the first term when a throng of Bloods rushed to remonstrate with Jordan Lewis after the Hawks vice-captain was involved in some minor niggle.

They had two goals on the scoreboard after the opening three minutes and finished the first term with five majors while holding the Hawks' goalless, to go to the first break with a 27-point lead.

The Hawks had their chances, kicking 0.4 for the quarter, and held control of general play for large chunks of time.

However, the Swans were well placed to exact some Grand Final revenge when McGlynn kicked the Swans' sixth straight goal at the four-minute of the second term to open up a 32-point break.

That major was set up by Dan Hannebery and Gary Rohan, who successfully chased down Luke Breust at half-forward as he was about to pump the Hawks into attack – an act typical of the Swans' fierce defensive pressure. 

But, as they've done so often in the Clarkson premiership era, the Hawks hit back.

Noticeably raising their intensity, Hawthorn chased, harassed and tackled their way back into the game, kicking the next four goals to get back to within four points at the 24-minute mark. 

The Swans regained their composure late in the term, kicking the final two goals of the quarter to go into half-time with a 13-point lead.

The Hawks would have been disappointed they weren't closer, having failed to fully capitalise on their dominance of inside 50s (29-19) and clearances (21-14) in the first half.

After a quiet night, Lance Franklin was happy to celebrate a win at the end. Picture: AFL Media

HAWTHORN          0.4   4.9   8.11   9.15 (69)
SYDNEY SWANS  5.1   7.4   8.7    11.7 (73)

GOALS
Hawthorn: Schoenmakers 2, Rioli 2, Breust, Ceglar, Langford, Gunston, Puopolo
Sydney Swans: Tippett 2, McGlynn 2, Reid 2, McVeigh 2, Rohan, Goodes, Parker 

BEST 
Hawthorn: Rioli, Mitchell, Frawley, Smith, Langford, Ceglar
Sydney Swans: Hannebery, Parker, Reid, McVeigh, Kennedy, Richards 

INJURIES 
Hawthorn: Lake (knee)
Sydney Swans: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Hawthorn: Billy Hartung replaced David Hale at three-quarter time
Sydney Swans: Harry Cunningham replaced Gary Rohan at three-quarter time

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Meredith, Pannell, McInerney

Official crowd: 63,319 at the MCG