The Swans shot out of the blocks, kicking the first six goals of the game, and had the Hawks on the back-foot early.
The Hawks managed to get a lot of the ball, but couldn’t mount any sort of scoreboard pressure, and failed to kick a major in the first stanza.
The quarter ended with the score standing at 31-4 in favour of the Swans, but the Hawks endeavour and intent was evident.
There was plenty of niggle early, with both sides clashing and attempting to stamp their physical authority on the game.
The Hawks rallied at the start of the second term, managing to convert their possession and inside-50 dominance, and kicked the next four goals of the match.
It seemed as though the Hawks were set to mount a real comeback, when the Swans claimed the next goal thanks to a big Sam Reid grab, deep inside Sydney’s forward 50.
The Swans, smothering Hawthorn’s momentum, held onto a two goal lead at the long break.
The Swans came out in the second half, and had a quick shot on goal, however Sam Reid failed to capitalise on the opportunity.
The second half started much tighter than the first, with both sides determined not to give their opponent an inch.
However, the Hawks managed to wrestle the early ascendency, kicking their first two goals of the third quarter, and drawing level with the Swans who were as far as 27 points in front in the first term.
Hawthorn applied all the pressure in the premiership quarter, with the Hawks’ leaders standing up to see their side holding a four point margin at the final break.
Again it was all the Hawks at the start of the fourth, maintaining their momentum, with Cyril Rioli working his way into the game both around the ground, and on the scoreboard.
They pushed out to a 12-point lead, before Jarrad McVeigh’s major pulled the Swans back within a straight kick.
It was an incredibly dramatic final few minutes, with both sides doing their absolute best to get over the line, but in the end it was the Swans who prevailed by four points, 11.7.73 to Hawthorn's 9.15.69.
The Hawks' haven't managed to string together two wins in a row in Season 2015, while the Swans improve their record to 6-2.
Sam Reid, Adam Goodes and Ben McGlynn were the best for the Swans, with McVeigh standing up in the final term for the Bloods.
Sam Mitchell was enormous for the Hawks, and received brilliant support from Langford, Birchall and Cyril Rioli.