After a slow start to the season reigning premier Hawthorn continued its rise back up the ladder on Sunday night when it defeated Melbourne by 22 points at the MCG.
The Hawks, with Jordan Lewis dominant in the middle, were too slick for a Demons side which did not lack endeavour but made too many untimely skill errors, winning 17.12 (114) to 13.14 (92).
What hope Melbourne had of producing an upset evaporated by time on in the first quarter when the Hawks led six goals to one.
To their credit, the Demons, despite the lead twice blowing out to 55 points, did not allow the Hawks to widen the margin in the final quarter.
And although there were some moments of joy for Demons fans, such as Colin Sylvia's three goals in six minutes in the third quarter, they were scattered within longer periods of Hawthorn dominance.
Ominously for Geelong and St Kilda, who both survived massive scares his week, the Hawks will finish this round out of the top four by a mere two percentage points despite missing many of their premiership heroes.
Proving true the horrible cliche that injury creates opportunity, the Hawks are starting to reap rewards for their faith in their youngsters.
After enduring three knee reconstructions, 2005 draftee Beau Muston made up for lost time with an encouraging debut.
Muston proved a worthy opponent for Demons playmaker Brad Green, finishing with 31 touches and a goal, while Jarryd Morton was also effective playing on a wing.
The most glaring difference between the two sides was the Hawks' smoother ball movement, which was evident during the first half.
This had as much to do with the Hawks' higher skill level as their great propensity to run hard and open up space for their team-mates, exhibited best by a fine running goal in the first term to Chance Bateman.
But that's not to say the Hawks, whose possession game produced jeers from their fans in the last quarter, were flawless for they are still far from their best. It's just that Melbourne paid a dearer price for their mistakes.
Russell Robertson was set to make Sam Mitchell pay a heavy toll for a scungy midfield turnover in the first term but Brad Miller, who had a quiet night, failed to find him with a five-metre handball.
With opportunities to score at a premium for the Dees, they could ill afford to waste shots from the goal square, which is exactly what Robertson did in the second quarter.
After taking a hanger, Robertson attempted to kick while lying on his back only for an alert Garry Moss to smother.
At the other end, the twin peaks of Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead combined for seven goals and enabled the Hawks to attack with more purpose.
Cyril Rioli was again electrifying at times, kicking two superb goals on the run and coming perilously close to a third after executing the perfect blind turn.
But it was Lewis who was the architect of the Hawks' win. With fellow Warrnambool boy Brent Moloney shadowing him, Lewis had the uncanny knack of being where the ball was and set up much of the Hawks' play.
For the Demons, the penny appears to have finally dropped for Sylvia, who amassed 37 touches and kicked four goals playing across half-forward.
Green was commendable in his first game back from a broken jaw, while Nathan Jones packed more grunt than polish.
On this occasion, it was the Hawks' extra polish which won them the day.
HAWTHORN: 6.2, 11.7, 16.9, 17.12 (114)
MELBOURNE: 2.5, 4.6, 8.10, 13.14 (92)
GOALS: Hawthorn: Franklin 4, Roughead 3, Bateman 2, Guerra 2, Rioli 2, McGlynn, Muston, Osborne, Williams
Melbourne: Sylvia 4, Martin 2, Robertson 2, Bate, Bruce, Johnson, McDonald, McLean
BEST: Hawthorn: Lewis, Muston, Sewell, Morton, Rioli, Franklin
Melbourne: Sylvia, Green, Jones, Bruce, Morton, McLean
INJURIES: Hawthorn: Stokes (hamstring tightness), Moss (leg)
Melbourne: Robertson (cramp), Whelan (nose)
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Rosebury, Hay, Avon
CROWD: 39,395 at the MCG