In-form Melbourne, on a four-game winning streak, were up against it when superstar skipper Kate Hore (quad) and defender Gabby Colvin (concussion) withdrew before the game.
Now Melbourne's AFLW finals hopes are hanging by a thread after the Hawks fought out a 3.5 (23) to 2.5 (17) win, their seventh victory on the bounce, at Cazaly's Stadium in Cairns.
The Demons (20 points) are up against it as they sit behind seventh-placed Fremantle and eighth-placed Essendon, who are yet to play this round, on percentage.
Hawthorn (36 points) are two points ahead of North Melbourne, who play third-placed Adelaide on Friday night. The Hawks next play Richmond next Sunday.
Hore has a minor quad strain and Melbourne are hopeful she won't miss next Saturday's crucial clash with Collingwood.
Demons AFLW boss Jessie Mulholland said Hore had "awareness in her quad" after Tuesday's training and got through their final session, but pulled up sore on Thursday morning.
Blaithin Mackin tried her hardest for the Demons, picking up 22 disposals against the Hawks. (Richard Wainwright/AAP PHOTOS)
"We have taken a precautionary approach with Kate, and are hopeful she will only be sidelined for tonight's game," Mulholland said in a club statement.
Colvin was due to return from concussion but suffered a head knock at training and is back in concussion protocols.
In Hore's absence, Blaithin Mackin (22 disposals), Sinead Goldrick, Eliza McNamara (23 touches), Olivia Purcell and Tyla Hanks stood tall.
But Hawthorn skipper Emily Bates (20 disposals) starred, along with young gun Jasmine Fleming (22 touches), former Demon Eliza West (25 disposals) and stalwart Tilly Lucas-Rodd (23 disposals).
In Indigenous round, Tiwi defender Mattea Breed took a genuine mark-of-the-year contender over Georgia Gall in the third quarter.
MATTEA BREED. WHAT A GRAB 🤯— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) #AFLWHawksDees pic.twitter.com/W69FPyAl75October 24, 2024
But the Hawks will sweat on the match review officer's assessment of Mackenzie Eardley's dangerous dumping tackle on Goldrick in the third term.
The Demons dominated early proceedings and took full advantage when Gall kicked the opening goal from a strong contested mark.
Bridie Hipwell responded from a free kick shortly afterwards, before Fleming put the Hawks in front, delivering a six-point lead at quarter-time.
Aine McDonagh extended Hawthorn's lead to 13 at the main break as the Demons struggled to handle the Hawks' surging, slick ball movement.
The Hawks couldn't put Melbourne away despite dominating the third term, and gun forward Alyssa Bannan kept the Demons within touching distance at the final change.
But the Demons couldn't pull off the required comeback.
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