The Hawks went west full of confidence after four wins from their past five matches. While fighting hard all day, and leading by 27 points midway through the second term, the Hawks eventually ran out of legs on the vast expanses of Subiaco as Fremantle snuck away late to record a 14.12 (96) to 11.14 (80) win.
Campbell Brown continued his strong form, doing a terrific job on Matthew Pavlich when the star Docker headed for attack after starting in the centre square. Through the midfield, Luke Hodge (27 disposals), Sam Mitchell (31) and Chance Bateman (20) worked tirelessly all day, while up forward Trent Croad (two goals, 12 disposals) and Tim Boyle (three goals, 14 possessions) kept presenting until the end.
Croad slotted the first score of the game when he marked diving forward in the pocket then converted. Fremantle's first two shots went out-on-the-full and Croad again made his former team pay when he earned a free kick against Luke McPharlin in the same pocket as his first.
Boyle got the Hawks' third when he grabbed a great handball from Mitchell and scored from the goal square, and the Hawks led by 19 points.
A goal in the last 30 seconds of the term to James Walker brought it back to just a 14-point margin at the first break, despite Hawthorn dominating the play.
It took just two minutes for the Hawks to increase the margin when Jordan Lewis took a mark in space just 25 metres out and converted, then Rick Ladson got the next five minutes later, slotting it home from 35 after taking a couple of bounces from the outer flank.
Fremantle then came to life, kicking the next five and turning a 27-point deficit into a five-point lead. A late goal to Ben McGlynn gave the Hawks the lead but a rushed behind to the hosts saw the scores locked at the half.
The hosts came out blazing after Franklin missed early, and three goals from inside 15 metres had the Hawks on the back foot. But then Boyle goaled after a terrific contested mark and Franklin easily outpointed Steven Dodd and converted for his first.
Former Pie Chris Tarrant then goaled, but youngster Thomas Murphy put one through deep into time on and at the last change the Hawks were down by less than a goal.
Boyle levelled the scores after a terrific lead and goal, and McGlynn gave the Hawks the lead when he slotted one home from 35 metres after some terrific work on the deck from Clinton Young.
Campbell then grabbed a mark that he didn't appear to get first hands on and slotted it home to give Freo a lead of just one point. It returned to all-square a couple of minutes later when Michael Osborne slotted a point from a free kick.
A rushed behind got the Hawks the lead, but a strong Matthew Pavlich mark saw a pass to James Walker converted and another lead change. Two more goals to the Dockers in quick succession saw the game finally taken out of reach for the gallant Hawks.
Hawthorn plays St Kilda at the MCG next Saturday night.
FREMANTLE 1.1 6.6 10.10 14.12 (96)
HAWTHORN 3.3 6.6 9.11 11.14 (80)
GoalsFremantle: A Campbell 4, D Headland 2, C Tarrant 2, J Walker 2, P Hasleby, R Crowley, M Pavlich, J Carr. Hawthorn: T Boyle 3, T Croad 2, B McGlynn 2, J Lewis, R Ladson, L Franklin, T Murphy.
BestFremantle: Tarrant, Crowley, McPharlin, Campbell, Black.Hawthorn: Brown, Mitchell, Hodge, Bateman, Boyle.
Reports: A Grover (Fremantle) reported in the second quarter for wrestling B Dixon (Hawthorn), B Dixon (Hawthorn) reported in the second quarter for wrestling A Grover (Fremantle), B Dixon (Hawthorn) reported in the second quarter for striking A Grover (Fremantle).
Injuries: Nil.
Umpires: H Kennedy C Hendrie S McInerney.
Crowd: 36,481 at Subiaco Oval, Perth.
