With several young Hawthorn players getting their first real taste of senior football on Friday, it was impossible to know how good the team could get this season, according to coach Alastair Clarkson.

Despite a strong start by Richmond, the reigning premiers ran away with their fifth win of the season at the MCG.

Captain Luke Hodge, vice-captain Jarryd Roughead and defender James Frawley were out injuredwhile Sam Mitchell was a late withdrawal with a sore calf.

"I don't like the fact that Mitch [Sam Mitchell] isn't playing, but it actually forces other players to step up when he's not there," Clarkson said. "We've had a too heavy reliance on him in the first part of the year."

Other senior players, including crowd favourite Cyril Rioli, had lifted in the absence of their teammates, the coach said.

Rioli helped set up several scoring opportunities.

"I think our first two goals came from either tackles or pressure or knock-ons of his in the front half," Clarkson.

Youngster Billy Hartung had a stand-out game with 28 disposals and he was joined on the field by a handful of players who had appeared in less than 10 senior games.

The Hawks were still trying to find their best mix, Clarkson said, and it had been a long time since they had fielded such an inexperienced side.

"Whilst we've got those young guys in the side, we don't know what our ceiling is, in terms of what our best footy is," he said.

"It's been a tough old grind for us, we've got ourselves to five and two without playing sensational footy and we're looking forward to seeing what contribution some of these young lads can make in the weeks to come."

After a fairly even match where Richmond would surge with a few consecutive goals only to have the Hawks answer, Hawthorn kicked goal after goal in the last quarter to finish with nine in that period.

Clarkson said his team started to win the ball more often out of clearances and centre bounces.

"We thought to ourselves, if we can get enough supply we'll be able to kick a big enough score to win, but didn't anticipate it was going to open up like that in the last part of the game," he said.