IT WAS doubtful whether Hawthorn would beat North Melbourne in the crunch. It might struggle to cover Trent Croad's absence, and it wouldn't necessarily defend or pressure well enough against flint-bodied, hard-nosed teams.

Buddy Franklin was an extraordinary talent, but he was flaky and consistency would prove beyond him. The team lacked pace and line-breakers in the midfield. The burden of expectation could prove to be lead in the brown and gold saddle.

Over four rounds, the Hawks have pricked each balloon of doubt. They buried the North bogey despite running two players short, haven't lost without Croad and have developed a stronger defensive, harassing method of play.

Yesterday, they did what few teams have achieved since 2005 and dismantled Adelaide, a well-drilled, defensively adept unit that is seldom beaten by more than six goals.

For the Hawks, 2008 has been about leaving the past behind. And few games showcase the progress of a club like yesterday's 44-point defeat of the Crows.

The progress on show yesterday was as much social as football. The Hawthorn team contained five indigenous players led by Chance Bateman, who became the first to play 100 games for the club.

Fittingly, the indigenous contingent within the 22 shone yesterday. Franklin booted six goals, rendering Ben Rutten a cumbersome brontosaurus; Cyril "Junior" Rioli was an electric force at ground level; Mark Williams, whose career had been threatened by injury, booted three goals from a pocket/flank. Of the five indigenous players, only young Cameron Stokes was relatively quiet.

Best of all — indigenous or not — was Bateman, who shared his milestone with defender Campbell Brown.

Bateman had 30 touches, booted two goals, and was especially damaging in the third quarter, when the Hawks booted six goals to three and put the game to sleep. "It was probably one of my most enjoyable games for sure," Bateman said.

The Hawks were fleeter of foot — an asset that counted for more, considering that the Crows might have suffered from the post-showdown syndrome that seemed to afflict Port Adelaide on Saturday night.

Bateman, Brent Guerra and Shane Crawford ran harder than their relentless Crow counterparts. Luke Hodge played with his usual blend of finesse and ferocity. The upshot was that despite losing the stoppages 38 to 21, Hawthorn owned the game between the arcs.

In part, this was a victory for system and for Alistair Clarkson's own brand of defensive teamwork. The Hawks have devised a method for denying the opposition space in the central corridor and yesterday the Crows were often stuck near the fence, unable to create possession chains that really hurt.

That Adelaide doesn't have a Jarryd Roughead, much less a Buddy Franklin, makes it harder for it to construct goals. Brett Burton can jump, but he is still only 185 centimetres, and the Hawthorn pressure compelled him and other Crows to hug the boundary in their leads.

Franklin is already perhaps the game's most potent individual force, and he is far from fully developed. It is a measure of Buddy's progress that his six goals yesterday constituted a day in the office.

In past games between these clubs, the great Andrew McLeod has been a decisive influence, the Hawks unable to curtail his creativity from defence. Yesterday, McLeod was quelled by a hard-tagging Tim Clarke, whose modest numbers belied the significance of his contribution.

Bateman said the players believed Adelaide "will be probably a top four side … that's the amount of respect we've got for them."

If that's how the Hawks see the Crows, no amount of modesty and cautious talk should disguise where Hawthorn stands: near the top.

HAWTHORN 3.4 8.5 14.8 17.12 (114)
ADELAIDE  2.2 5.5 8.7 10.10 (70)

GOALS Hawthorn: Franklin 6, Williams 3, Bateman 2, Roughead, Crawford, Young, Hodge, Clarke, Rioli. Adelaide: Burton 2, Stevens 2, Thompson, Edwards, Symes, McGregor, Vince, Goodwin.

BEST Hawthorn: Franklin, Guerra, Bateman, Hodge, Rioli, Young. Adelaide: Edwards, Doughty, Burton, Bock, Goodwin, Symes.

INJURIES Hawthorn: Mitchell (calf) replaced in selected side by Clarke, and Boyle (hip) by Williams, Tuck (knee).

UMPIRES Vozzo, M Nicholls, Schmitt.

CROWD 15,124 at Aurora Stadium.

THE UPSHOT Hawthorn now plays as a disciplined unit, not merely a collection of young talent.

TALKING POINT The performance of Chance Bateman in his 100th game. But the headline was, Hawthorn is the obvious rival to Geelong.

HOT AND COLD Brent Guerra, left unmanned, had 38 touches. Andrew McLeod had minimal influence.