HAWTHORN has won its 11th premiership, defeating Fremantle by 15 points in Saturday's tough and scrappy Grand Final at the MCG.

On a cool, wet and windy afternoon, the Hawks started with the sort of manic intensity for which the Dockers are renowned, and they led by 23 points at half-time after restricting their opponents to just one goal.

Freo surged back into the contest in the third quarter, closing to within three points, but Hawthorn held firm, winning 11.11 (77) to 8.14 (62).

Fremantle will rue a horror day in front of the big sticks, wasting several easy chances throughout the game.

Hawthorn defender Brian Lake was best on ground after producing a masterful performance.

Forward Jack Gunston and backmen Luke Hodge and Grant Birchall were among the other heroes for the victors, who avenged their defeat at the hands of the Sydney Swans in last year's decider.

Gunston kicked three of Hawthorn's five goals in the first half and finished with four.

Lake did a superb job in restricting Freo skipper Matthew Pavlich to two third-quarter goals and one in the last.

In addition, Lake took a number of intercept marks, while Hodge and Birchall were rock solid across half-back.

Jordan Lewis had a huge second half in which he won a stack of the ball and curbed the influence of Fremantle midfielder Nat Fyfe.

Midfielders David Mundy and Fyfe, defender Michael Johnson and tagger Ryan Crowley flew the flag for Fremantle, which was competing in its first Grand Final since joining the AFL in 1995.

As expected, Crowley picked up Sam Mitchell, and he managed to restrict the star Hawk to just six possessions in the first half and 12 for the game.

The victory secured Hawthorn its first premiership since 2008, and the team that beat the Dockers included nine members of the '08 side – Jarryd Roughead, Jordan Lewis, Mitchell, Brad Sewell, Birchall, Hodge, Brent Guerra, Lance Franklin and Cyril Rioli.

Midfielder Shaun Burgoyne, who played in Port Adelaide's 2004 flag, has also become a two-time premiership player.

The win for sweet relief for Hawks boss Alastair Clarkson, whose coaching record at the club now reads: nine seasons, six finals series and two flags.

It was similarly sweet for Lake, a veteran of 218 games, who played in three losing preliminary finals during his long stint with the Western Bulldogs.

However, the result was another bitter pill for Fremantle coach Ross Lyon, who notched his third Grand Final defeat, having previously led St Kilda to a loss in the 2009 decider and a draw then a loss in 2010.

It was also another big blow for Freo defender Zac Dawson, who was at the Saints with Lyon during that period and was playing in his fourth Grand Final.

Similarly, Pavlich was hoping to win his first flag in his 291st game, but he will have to wait another year.

 

Hawthorn: Gunston 4, Roughead 2, Franklin, Rioli, Smith, Breust, Hill

Fremantle: Pavlich 3, Walters 2, Mzungu, Mayne, Pearce

 

Hawthorn: Lake, Gunston, Lewis, Rioli, Hodge, Birchall

Fremantle: Mundy, Fyfe, Crowley, Johnson, Barlow

 

Hawthorn: Nil

Fremantle: Nil

 

Hawthorn: Jonathan Simpkin replaced Max Bailey at three-quarter-time

Fremantle: Lachie Neale replaced Zac Clarke in the fourth quarter

 

Reports: Nil

 

Umpires: Rosebury, Nicholls, Meredith

 

Official crowd: 100,007 at the MCG