HAWTHORN survived a scare from an erratic Fremantle at Subiaco Oval to win by 15 points on Saturday night, 16.16 (112) to 14.13(97), and continue their perfect start to the season.
The Hawks led by nearly six goals just after half time, but a dogged Freo made the gap just three points in the run into the final break. Four Hawk goals in the first nine minutes of the final term sealed the deal and the tough win goes nicely with their 104-point demolition of Melbourne last week.
But it wasn't all good news for the visitors, with Rick Ladson (shoulder), Clinton Young and Stuart Dew (left hamstring) coming out of the game with injuries.
The Hawks were missing former skipper Shane Crawford and Tent Croad, nearly 500 games of experience, but welcomed back Luke Hodge and Campbell Brown, and still have a list of terrific players waiting in the wings.
Buddy Franklin and Jarryd Roughhead were terrific up front, with four goals each, Clinton Young constantly found space through the first three terms, while Sam Mitchell, Luke Hodge, Travis Tuck and second-gamer Cyril Rioli were good around the ball.
For Fremantle, skipper Matthew Pavlich was outstanding, while Peter Bell, Josh Carr and debutante Rhys Palmer all worked hard. Des Headland finished with 31 disposals.
There's no doubt that Fremantle got off to the better start, with two goals in the first 10 minutes, but then the Hawks got going, when Jarrad Roughhead marked couple of metres out and converted.
Tim Boyle then added another with a great snap from the left forward pocket after a great tackle from Cameron Stokes jarred the ball free.
Jeff Farmer then goaled for Fremantle after a good transition moved the ball well down the outer wing, the Hawks caught on the rebound. But Franklin replied a couple of minutes later with a mark dead in front and only 20 metres out, and at the first break the visitors led by two points.
Hawthorn started the second where they left off, with Cyril Rioli turning Roger Hayden inside out to kick one from the square, then Roughhead took another grab and converted before Rioli laid a great tackle on the far bigger Luke McPharlin and goaled.
Franklin was then on the end of a great kick in from Brad Sewell and then fantastic hands from Mitchell saw the big number 23 boot it through from the square.
Fremantle then replied – breaking a string of five majors from the visitors – when Sam Mitchell gave away a 50m penalty and giant ruckman Aaron Sandilands kicked from the top of the goal-square.
Boyle got it back after running around the mark and converting from a tough angle, and Hawthorn went to half time with a lead of 27 points, the biggest of the game.
Another good start for the Hawks saw Franklin soccer it off the ground from the goal square after it came in from Rioli, before Fremantle notched a couple of their own.
Michael Osborne then snapped it over his shoulder after Roughhead caused the spill from the pack.
Four more goals got the margin back inside a goal after a series of Hawthorn errors, but a late goal to Roughhead, also kicked off the ground in the goalsquare, made it a 10-point gap at the last break.
Once again the Hawks scored inside the first minute, with Stokes goaling off the outside of the right after spills from a pack, before Roughead, Franklin and Robert Campbell got the margin back out to the safety of six goals.
Pavlich kept Freo in with a shout, kicking his third, Travis Tuck restored the lead, but Carr's second kept the Hawks honest as the clock ran down.
Stuart Dew then continued Hawthorn's injury woes when he looked to badly damage a hamstring while going for a long kick.
First-gamers Mayne and Rhys Palmer kicked goals late in the game as a consolation for the determined Dockers.
HAWTHORN 3.4 8.7 11.11 16.16 (112)
FREMANTLE 3.0 4.4 10.7 14. 13 (97)
Goals
Hawthorn: L Franklin 4, J Roughead 4, T Boyle 2, C Rioli 2, M Osborne 1, C Stokes 1, R Campbell 1, T Tuck 1
Fremantle: M Pavlich 3, L McPharlin 2, J Carr 2, C Mayne 2 , R Crowley 1, J Farmer 1, A Sandilands 1, P Bell 1, R Palmer 1
Best
Hawthorn: Young, Mitchell, Sewell, Tuck, Hodge, Roughead, Franklin, Osborne
Fremantle: Pavlich, Bell, J Carr, Palmer, Dodd, Headland
Injuries
Fremantle: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: McBurney, Margetts, Nicholls
Official crowd: 38,022 at Subiaco Oval
