Hawthorn have held on to beat North Melbourne by three points in a pulsating AFL match at the MCG.
North key forward Drew Petrie kicked the ball deep into attack with seconds left, but there was no mark and the Hawks won 14.15 (99) to 13.18 (96).
Hawthorn utility Cyril Rioli was best afield with four goals and 20 possessions, but he was carried off in the last term with a right hamstring injury.
North’s Lindsay Thomas kicked five goals, including three in the final term.
A controversial free for holding the ball against Hawthorn defender Brent Guerra set up Thomas for his last goal with two minutes and 46 seconds left.
The Kangaroos had their chances, but kicked 1.4 at the end of the match.
Midfielder Daniel Wells starred for North and defender Scott Thompson restricted Lance Franklin to 0.5.
Last year, Franklin kicked 13 goals in a match against the Kangaroos.
While the ‘Roos will rue an opportunity lost, it was a much better performance from a team determined to play well for four quarters against the top sides.
Hawthorn ruckman Max Bailey made an amazing start to the game, kicking his team’s first three goals and doubling his career tally.
There was nothing between the two teams until late in the term, when the Hawks kicked two goals in the space of a minute and took an 11-point lead into the first break.
Remarkably, Hawks captain Luke Hodge had no possessions until the second term.
While he was quiet for most of the game, Hodge lifted noticeably in the last term.
Hawthorn went 15 points up early in the second quarter, but North quickly hit back to keep the game tight.
Tempers frayed midway through the term, with Franklin and North’s Jamie MacMillan at the centre of a melee that will attract match review panel attention.
Hawthorn led by five points at the main break, but a clever tap-on by Wells at the start of the third term set up Aaron Black for a superb running goal.
Rioli then stepped up with a run of three outstanding goals to put his team 15 points up.
Again, the ‘Roos hit back with the last goal of the quarter to trail by eight points at the last change.
Thomas kicked two goals and Wells also goalled on the run to give North a nine-point lead.
Rioli kicked his fourth goal to stop North’s surge, but went down with his hamstring injury just as Sam Mitchell kicked a goal to put the Hawks back in front.
Isaac Smith’s goal a few minutes later gave the Hawks an 11-point lead and that proved decisive.
