A FINAL quarter comeback and some inspiration up forward from Lance 'Buddy' Franklin and Jarryd Roughead have led the Hawks to a courageous come-from-behind 16-point win over North Melbourne at Telstra Dome on Saturday afternoon.
The Hawks 15.12 (102) defeated the Kangaroos 13.8 (86) to gain a measure of revenge over the team that bundled them out of last year's finals.
In a highly entertaining contest North Melbourne dominated the first term before the Hawks hit back in the second quarter. The pendulum then swung back in favour of the Roos after the main break, before Hawthorn hit back hard, despite some injuries, with six goals to one in the last quarter, including two goals each from Franklin and Roughead.
Franklin finished the day with five goals, Roughead booted four and Michael Osborne chipped in with three goals. Midfielders Brad Sewell, Chance Bateman and Jordan Lewis dominated, with more than 90 disposals between them.
For the Kangaroos, premiership player Brent Harvey was his side's standout with 27 disposals.
North Melbourne controlled the opening term, leading by 21 points at the first break.
But the Roos squandered several opportunities to gain a greater advantage, as they had 10 scoring shots to four. Franklin was prominent early for the Hawks, but his goal at the four-minute mark proved to be his side's only major.
Skipper Sam Mitchell and vice-captain Luke Hodge were well held in the first quarter, with the duo gaining just four disposals between them.
Early on in the second term it was a goal-for-goal affair, although the Roos led by 27 points on two separate occasions.
It wasn't until Franklin went bang off a couple of steps from just outside 50 that the Hawks got their act together.
His third kick stirred the brown and gold into action, as Osborne followed up with his second and Roughead bagged two in a row before the main break. This reduced the deficit to just two points.
The Roos went into the main break under the pump, as the Hawks had the momentum.
Sewell (18 disposals) and Bateman (16) were particularly prominent for the Hawks in the first half. The duo's ability to send the ball inside 50 helped set up several Hawthorn attacks. Roo Brent Harvey was the leading ball-winner with 19 touches to half time.
The Hawks hit the front for the first time at the three-minute mark of the third term when Hodge kicked truly.
But the Hawks' lead lasted little more than 60 seconds, as Matt Campbell scored North Melbourne's first goal since the nine-minute mark of the second term.
Campbell not only ended a five-goal Hawthorn streak, his effort also launched a four-goal run by the Kangaroos which gave them a 19-point buffer.
The attrition rate on Hawthorn's man-power was severe as defender Tom Murphy was crunched by ex-Hawk Nathan Thompson on the city side wing.
In the hands of the trainers, a groggy-looking Murphy was aided over the boundary line – not the interchange area – meaning he could take no further part in the match.
It appeared to be the correct decision at the time, as Murphy seemed concussed and unlikely to take the field again, but moments later he was jogging around the interchange area. A discussion with AFL officials during the three-quarter time break confirmed his inability to take part in the final stanza.
The Hawks, trailing by 17 points entering the final term, were dealt another blow early in the last quarter when key forward Tim Boyle copped a knee in the buttock from Franklin in a marking contest.
The cork forced Boyle to the bench and Cameron Stokes, himself struggling with injury, back on the paddock.
Still, the Hawks showed great spirit to start the term with the first two majors, putting them within three points. Although Leigh Brown answered with his second, it proved to be North Melbourne's only goal for the term, as the Hawks booted the final four goals to win a gritty match.
For the record, it was just Hawthorn's eighth win over the Kangaroos since 1994.
North Melbourne 4.6 7.7 12.8 13.8 (86)
Hawthorn 1.3 7.5 9.9 15.12 (102)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Jones 3, Brown 2, Grant 2, Campbell, Edwards, Hale, Rawlings, Thomas, N.Thompson
Hawthorn: Franklin 5, Roughead 4, Osborne 3, Hodge, Lewis, Sewell
BEST
North Melbourne: Harvey, McIntosh, Harris, Pratt, Jones, Grant
Hawthorn: Sewell, Bateman, Franklin, Lewis, Roughead, Osborne
INJURIES
North Melbourne: Harris (thumb)
Hawthorn: Boyle (corked buttock), Murphy (concussion), Stokes (corked thigh)
CHANGES
North Melbourne: McMahon replaced in selected side by Watt
Hawthorn: Nil
REPORTS
North Melbourne: Nil
Hawthorn: Nil
Umpires: Head, Ellis, Keating
Crowd: 39,816 at Telstra Dome
