A brilliant coaching effort and the return to form of senior players have ensured the Hawks continue to be in the finals hunt - but a potentially bruising fixture could yet derail their hopes.

A stirring one-goal win over Sydney at the SCG on Friday night, continuing their strong record in the Harbour City, means Alastair Clarkson's men surprisingly sit mid-table despite a year of injury, drama and heavy defeats.

Skipper Jarryd Roughead, who supplied a match-winning, 55-metre goal with minutes remaining, Shaun Burgoyne, who was inspirational up forward with 26 disposals and two goals in Indigenous round, and former skipper Luke Hodge (24 disposals) led the way, while youngster Ryan Burton, celebrating his sixth win in 13 senior matches, showed a calmness beyond his years in defence.

"It's probably the best win I have been in, to be honest. I know (former Swan) Tommy Mitchell was through the roof (with excitement) as well, said it was the best win he had been involved with," said Burton, seen as a key plank of the future.

The South Australian was the 19th overall pick of the 2015 national draft. He played four senior matches last season, having overcome a serious leg injury late in 2014, which required surgery last year to remove a plate from the leg.

Clarkson paid tribute to Roughead and Burgoyne in what would have been one of the more memorable home-and-away season wins of his career.

"Both (Burgoyne) and Roughead, kicking 55-metre goals in the last quarter, it's pretty special," he said.

"Particularly in Indigenous round, you've got Bud (Franklin) who's played particularly well for Sydney, and Shaun. They've just been great ambassadors for the game."

Having collapsed against the Magpies last weekend, the Hawks returned to their game style of old, having more than 400 disposals and holding possession for as long as possible. They also had 69 more uncontested possessions than the Swans, with Isaac Smith providing plenty of run and carry, particularly in the first and final terms.

The question for the Hawks is whether their veteran stars can remain at such a high level in what former premiership Cat Cam Mooney said on Saturday would be a "massive five weeks" for the club.

They again have a six-day break before an interstate clash, this time against the impressive Power at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night, before hosting the Gold Coast Suns at the MCG heading into the mid-season bye. The Suns thumped the Hawks at Metricon Stadium in round three.

After the bye, the Hawks face the Crows (Adelaide Oval), Collingwood (MCG), Greater Western Sydney (Launceston) and Geelong (MCG).

"We had our backs to the wall (against Sydney) when we were challenged and we stood up when it was really important to stand up," Clarkson said.

"We are under no illusions it could have gone the other way as well, we would have been licking our wounds.

"I thought over the course of the game, in terms of possession, the way we wanted to play, I thought we were the better side on the night ... we enjoy the spoils but get ready for what is going to be a really tough contest interstate again on a six-day break so we need to recover well and get ourselves ready for that game."