Hawthorn had passed a strong test of their resilience against the Western Bulldogs on Sunday, said coach Alastair Clarkson.

Clarkson said his side found a way to win despite being comprehensively beaten for contested ball by a "a really, really strong" Bulldogs side during the third quarter.

The Hawks trailed the Bulldogs by 19 points at three-quarter-time, but scored seven goals to three in the last quarter to secure a three-point win.

Six-gamer James Sicily kicked three goals in the final term, including the match-winner at the 33-minute mark as injured Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy was being helped from the ground.

"These guys are a very resilient group and they just found a way. They lifted their intensity in the last quarter," Clarkson said.

"We got smashed at centre bounces over the course of the day — but particularly in the third quarter — and we got smashed in contested ball and clearances in the third quarter.

"When you've got pride in your group, they wanted to resurrect that in the last quarter and they gave us an opportunity to win.

"I think we went down 31 for contested ball in the third quarter, and I'm not sure this side has ever (done that).

"I'm not sure any side has ever gone down by that much in one quarter to be fair.

"We were perhaps a little bit lucky that didn't convert into more scoreboard control for the Dogs. Somehow we found a way to hang in there.

"It felt like the game was a lot more than a three-goal difference at three-quarter-time, such was their dominance, but we're really proud of the fight of our guys."

Clarkson was pleased that Sicily stayed in the game despite his limited involvement early, and praised the job done by defender Ben Stratton on Bulldogs' forward Jake Stringer.

Stringer scored just one late goal from a free kick and was held to 13 possessions by Stratton.

"He's a real warrior for us in the back end. He's pretty unheralded, but he's well regarded within the walls of our footy club," Clarkson said.

"He's a very, very talented player, but just as good a bloke. He's done some really good roles for us in the past and he played a particularly good game on Stringer today.

"He's been in fine form and he's such a pulse player for the Western Bulldogs. They were really relying on him to be able to kick a decent score for them to win.

"But having said that, such is the strength of their side that they nearly won without a huge contribution from him anyway.

"It says a bit about where the Bulldogs are at and where they're going because they're going to be a good side."

Hawthorn's season will continue against St Kilda in Launceston next week, a match for which Clarkson does not expect to regain either captain Luke Hodge or wingman Brad Hill.

He said reaching two wins and one loss while missing some key senior players was better than most of the alternative scenarios.

"It's a hell of a lot better than being zip-three or 1-2, that's all I can say. It's a tough competition. It's not catastrophic if you find yourself in that position," Clarkson said.

"But it goes without saying, if you can get some early wins it really helps with your momentum.

"We've had to play some younger guys in our side over the last three weeks and that's been really good for them and really good for our club, too.

"We're starting to find some young players coming through and playing some good senior footy for us."

Clarkson hoped for the best for Murphy, with Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge saying after the match that he feared the worst for his skipper's injured left knee.

"I've had a bit to do with Murph when he was a young bloke who just came into the game and also with international rules over the last 12 months," Clarkson said.

"I think everyone in the footy world has seen what he's done as a player but also what he's done with his leadership of the Western Bulldogs over the last little while.

"He's a real decorated servant of the game and if it is a serious injury we just hope he can come back from it quickly.

"No one likes seeing injuries in the game, particularly to high quality people and high quality players like that."