Hawthorn confirmed their status as the chief contenders to Collingwood and Geelong's perceived premiership duopoly with a hard-fought 12-point victory over Carlton at Etihad Stadium.

After the 10.18 (78) to 8.18 (66) success, the Hawks are now all-but-assured of the double chance. But after an impressive first half where the Hawks kept Carlton to just one goal and led by 38 points, they endured a major scare as the Blues closed within two goals in the final stages, with a seven-goal-to-three second half.

Nevertheless, with three matches left, they remain on track for their most successful regular season since 1989, having lost just four of their 20 games and they are clearly the best of the rest in pursuit of the premiers of the past two years.

The first-half dominance was built of efficient ball use and hardness at the ball as the Blues' star midfielder Chris Judd was completely shut out of the game.

Those early exertions, plus some inaccurate goalkicking, almost the cost the Hawks the match, as the Blues found more run in their legs late and had the game gone on much longer, would have run over the top of them.

The Hawks' experienced onballers shone with Jordan Lewis, Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell and Brad Sewell all influential, while their bookends Lance Franklin (four goals) and Josh Gibson were excellent.

Carlton had too many of their quality players down, but Kade Simpaon, Heath Scotland and Bryce Gibbs were brave in defeat. They now face the likelihood of missing a top four spot with West Coast a chance to go ahead of them in the race for the double chance this week.

After an inaccurate start from both sides, Carlton snaffled the first goal after 12 minutes thanks to a smother on Tom Murphy's kick which set up an Andrew Walker snap.

But that was to be the Blues' last major of the half, as the Hawks robust work around the stoppages and excellent field kicking saw them take control. Franklin set Isaac Smith up for the first, before some a well-timed tackle Cyril Rioli enables a turnover which ended with a Luke Breust major.

When Brendan Whitecross' long pass to Franklin bounced through from 75m out almost by accident, the Hawks' tails were up and Franklin helped stretch the lead to three goals at the first change with a superb set shot from the boundary in time on.

Franklin then exploded early in the second term to kick the first two goals. He could have wreaked even greater havoc but spoiled two other great chances to put the Blues to the sword.

But Carlton were doing a good enough job of putting themselves under the pump, making countless errors and missing several easy chances, including an unforgivable one from Jeff Garlett.

The Hawks should have done greater damage on the scoreboard, kicking 3.6 from the term, but Whitecross' second saw them 38 points in front at the main break, having restricted the Blues to 1.8, their lowest half time score this year and their lowest against the Hawks since 1968.

Lewis' strength at the stoppage set the Hawks up for the first goal of the second half through Breust before Garlett bobbed up for a Blues drought breaker, kicking their first goal in over a half.

Mitch Robinson followed suit and when Michael Jamison found himself switched forward, he kicked his first-ever AFL goal in his 69th game, to close the gap to 26 points.

The Blues option to go one-on-one was paying big dividends, clearing space for them across the ground. Chris Yarran goaled with seconds to go in the term to cut the margin back to 20 and it was suddenly game on.

After a tense first nine minutes of the final quarter, Franklin exploded clear for what looked a settling goal, but Garlett's swift response meant the contest was far from settled. Smith's running goal didn't dampen the blues belief and successive majors from Kade Simpson cut it back to two goals.

But Carlton's hopes of a stunning turnaround evaporated when Gibbs missed his third shot of the final term with two minutes left.

CARLTON: 1.4, 4.8, 8.14, 10.18 (78)
HAWTHORN: 4.4, 7.10, 5.12, 8.18 (66)

GOALS:
CARLTON: Garlett 2, Simpson 2, Walker, Jamison, Robinson, Yarran
HAWTHORN: Franklin 4, Whitecross 2, Breust 2, Smith 2
BEST: CARLTON: Simpson, Scotland, Yarran, Gibbs, Carazzo
HAWTHORN: Lewis, Hodge, Gibson, Franklin, Mitchell, Smith, Birchall
INJURIES: CARLTON: Nil
HAWTHORN: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Donlon, Rosebury, Schmitt
CROWD: 52,052 at Etihad Stadium