The Sydney Swans have suffered a 38-point defeat to Hawthorn at the SCG tonight in their Round 13 clash.

The Hawks, sitting in 17th place on the ladder with just two wins for the season, entered the game on the back of a five-match losing streak.

In contrast, the Swans were flying high in the top eight, and a win would have put them inside the top four at the end of the night.

But it was the visitors who made all the running, grabbing a 24-point lead at half-time before running away in the second half to record a 14.5 (89) to 7.9 (51) win.

Former Swan Tom Mitchell enjoyed a dominant night on Friday, setting the tone for the visitors victory, finishing with 34 possessions (16 contested), seven tackles and a goal. He ensured the Hawks won the contested possession count 165-139 while Sam Frost restricted Lance Franklin to a solitary goal.

Isaac Heeney and Tom Papley combined for just one goal as Hawthorn kicked away in the final quarter to secure a comfortable margin.

Hawks mid-season draftee Jai Newcombe finished with 14 tackles, the most by any debutant in VFL/AFL history, while late inclusion Jonathon Ceglar, Changkuoth Jiath, Jaeger O'Meara and Ben McEvoy were also among Hawthorn's best.

A crowd of 25,904 repeatedly voiced their frustration with a free-kick count that finished 26-10 in Hawthorn's favour, while even Sydney coach John Longmire struggled to hide his disbelief with one contentious decision in the final quarter.

The Swans' loss was soured by Will Hayward's concussion in the second term, while Jake Lloyd and Harry Cunningham played on after painful second-quarter setbacks.

The Hawks seized control of the contest by booting five goals to two in the second term, creating doubt and turnovers through immense pressure to become the only side outside GWS to topple Sydney at the SCG this season.

The shell-shocked Swans, who would have clambered above fifth-placed Port Adelaide and fourth-placed Brisbane on the ladder if they won, trailed by 24 points at half-time.

Will Wicks pay for bump on Day? 

The Swans forward likes to play on the edge and is in the side partly for his intensity and tough tackling. Wicks looked to relish being on the receiving end of a late bump from Sam Frost that resulted in a 50m penalty and a set shot from the goalsquare. But minutes later it was the 21-year-old's turn to overstep the mark when he arrived late to a contest between Oli Florent and Will Day. As the Hawthorn defender brushed off his opponent and went to pick up the ball, Wicks bumped him high to give away a free kick and end up in the umpire's notebook. He faces a nervous wait for the MRO decision.

SYDNEY           3.2       5.3       6.4       7.9 (51)  
HAWTHORN    4.2       9.3       10.4      14.5 (89)  

GOALS
Sydney: Amartey 2, Hayward, Franklin, Heeney, Florent, Wicks
Hawthorn: Koschitzke 2, Moore 2, Phillips 2, Breust 2, Ceglar, Morrison, Wingard, Mitchell, McEvoy, Shiels

BEST
Sydney: Mills, Kennedy, Amartey, Rampe, Parker
Hawthorn: Mitchell, Ceglar, O’Meara, Jiath, Frost, Scrimshaw, Newcombe

INJURIES
Sydney: Hayward (concussion)
Hawthorn: Morrison (hamstring), Reeves (ankle) replaced in selected side by Ceglar

SUBSTITUTES
Sydney: L.Taylor (replaced W.Hayward)
Hawthorn: J.Morris (replaced H.Morrison)

Crowd: 25,904 at the SCG