HAWTHORN 4.6 6.9 7.12 13.17 (95)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 2.3 3.7 5.9 11.10 (76)
GOALS
Hawthorn: Roughead 3, Lewis 2, Simpkin 2, Hodge 2, Whitecross, Puopolo, Rioli, Breust
Western Bulldogs: Dahlhaus 2, Dickson 2, Giansiracusa 2, Griffen 2, Addison, Grant, Jones
BEST:
Hawthorn: Smith, Hodge, Lewis, Stratton, Hale, Hill
Western Bulldogs: Griffen, Liberatore, Cooney, Picken, Giansiracusa
INJURIES
Hawthorn: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Brett Goodes (arm)
SUBSTITUTES
Hawthorn: Brent Guerra replaced by Jonathan Simpkin at three-quarter time
Western Bulldogs: Nathan Hrovat replaced by Lachie Hunter in the third quarter
Official crowd: 14,022 at Aurora Stadium
The teams
HAWTHORN
B: Stratton Lake Guerra
HB: Hodge Gibson Cheney
C: Smith Mitchell Hill
HF: Gunston Roughead Breust
F: Savage Hale Rioli
FOLL: Bailey Lewis Puopolo
IC: Whitecross Duryea Simpkin Langford
WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: Addison Roughead Morris
HB: Goodes Talia Cooney
C: Murphy Liberatore Hunter
HF: Giansiracusa Jones Hrovat
F: Dahlhaus Grant Stevens
FOLL: Minson Griffen Wallis
IC: Picken Tutt Macrae Dickson
Hawthorn last played the Bulldogs over a year ago, when they triumphed by 19 points in Tasmania in Round 17, 2013.
In a game the Hawks were expected to run out convincing winners, the Dogs pushed the Hawks to the limit with their contested footy and outside running game.
The Bulldogs won the contested ball 131-119 but Hawthorn’s pressure around the footy was superior, laying a massive 77 tackles for the game.
It took some of Hawthorn’s best footy and a brilliant Luke Hodge cameo where he smothered a kick in the middle, ran onto the ball and launched a 70m bomb for a goal to beat them.
The Hawks got out to an early lead of 15 points at the first break and led by 20 points at the main change thanks to a four goal to two opening term and three goal to one second quarter, which ended up being the difference in the game.
Isaac Smith continued his good form with a best on ground performance, picking up a team-high 27 disposals at 88.9 per cent efficiency, while Hodge was second-best with 18 touches, six clearances and two goals.
For the Bulldogs, Ryan Griffen was at his best with a game-high 37 disposals, five inside 50s and two goals, while Tom Liberatore led the way in the packs with 15 of his 28 possessions contested.
What the coaches said
Hawthorn’s Alastair Clarkson: "Really it's just a matter of continuing to play good enough footy to get the four points, and keep adding them up so you put yourself in a good enough position at the end of the year."
Western Bulldogs’s Brendan McCartney: "We've made some terrific steps in the last two weeks," he said after the game. In the last month we've hung in and hung in and hung in and we'll get a win soon if we keep doing that."
