HAWTHORN spearhead Lance Franklin says he was able to find plenty of room on the smaller confines of the SCG thanks to some hard work from teammates further up the ground.

Franklin overcame what he described as some "yips" early to finish Sunday's 46-point win over the Sydney Swans with six goals, nine marks and a 28 possessions in a best-on-ground performance.

The 24-year-old kicked 6.6, including three behinds in the second term which featured only one goal.

Speaking after the match, Franklin said things opened up after the interval.

"In the second half I was able to find the goals and kick straight. It was a bit frustrating early but I knew if I stuck to what I've been doing at training it was going to come off," Franklin said.

"Against Sydney you have got to win the contested ball and we were able to do that and come away with a pretty good win."

Hawthorn won the contested possession count 153 to 134, according to figures from Champion Data.

It was the second time Franklin has kicked six this year, having booted half a dozen against West Coast in round three.

He has 32 goals for the season, one behind Richmond's Jack Riewoldt in the race for the Coleman Medal.

Asked if this was the best he was playing since 2008 when he finished the season with 113 goals, Franklin said: "We are moving on from 2008 I reckon, that was three years ago now and the game has completely changed."

Another positive story out of the Hawthorn rooms following the match was the effort of ruckman Max Bailey, who was playing his first AFL game since round 22, 2009.

The 24-year-old beanpole from West Perth has been forced to endure a series of knee injuries over his career, starting in 2007 when he hurt his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during pre-season training.

He hurt it again in June 2008 with Hawthorn's VFL affiliate Box Hill, before injuring the left knee against Essendon in round 22, 2009.

While his knees came through the match unscathed, it was not all smooth sailing as Bailey was substituted off after receiving a blow to the back of the head in a clash with Sydney's Shane Mumford.

Despite the head knock, Bailey was all smiles in the Hawthorn rooms after the game.

"It's good to get through a game like that and have a good win as well," Bailey said.

Bailey was playing with Box Hill prior to Sunday's game, and received the call up after injuries to Hawk ruckmen David Hale and Brent Renouf.

Those first few games at Box Hill were about "survival", Bailey said, but having come through those it was now "just about the footy".

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson was thrilled with Bailey's performance.

"I thought he was terrific against Mumford, early in the game in particular," Clarkson said.

"He's had a tough journey, hopefully it is the start of something special for the bloke."