Hawthorn midfielder Brad Sewell says the 2008 AFL premiers are finally starting to play the way they want after weeks of indifferent form.

The Hawks belted Carlton by 50 points on Sunday in their best performance of the season, improving their win-loss ratio to 3-6.

Sewell said Hawthorn had returned to playing the brand of "unsociable football" which was a feature of their premiership two years ago, where they relentlessly pressured and tackled the opposition.

Sewell added it had taken a long time for the team to modify its game style, but that was also starting to work.

Sunday's 50-point win over Carlton was a major boost and key midfielder Brad Sewell said there was a strong feeling they are back on the right track.

"Things are slowly starting to turn our way - we were probably a bit lucky to get over the line last week (against Richmond), but as we're building, as we keep on improving aspects, we're going to get better," he said.

"We're understanding how we want to play a bit more.

"One of the most important things we saw come out on the weekend was the attitude, guys really hitting in hard and initiating contact.

"You guys (media) like to use that `unsociable football' term so much, it's something that maybe we've been lacking the last few weeks - we certainly brought it back (on Sunday)."

Sewell added the improved form of star forward Lance Franklin and the comeback from injury of Port Adelaide recruit Shaun Burgoyne were major boosts.

"With a player like that (Franklin), when he's up and about, we're going to be hard to beat," Sewell said.

"It's good to see he got his hands on the ball and particularly early, I think he had an impact, that brings so many other players into the game as well.

"We call him (Burgoyne) `Silk', just the way he moves and the way he can read the play and hold the ball."

Hawthorn's game style, with their disciplined zone defence, was crucial to their 2008 premiership, but rival teams have steadily figured them out.

Sewell said it had taken a while for the Hawks to evolve how they played.

"That game style was so good for us in years gone by, but as we know the trends of the game and the ball pattern and movement, that's forever changing," he said.

"For one reason or another, we were probably a little bit slow to adapt and you could arguably put that down to personnel, to a certain extent.

"We're seeing at the moment with St Kilda, just with one player (out - captain Nick Riewoldt), not playing as well as they have in the past.

"It's been well documented we've had quite a few guys out, we've had to change with the game."

Hawthorn is now boasting its healthiest playing list since Clarkson became coach.

Only three players injured - ruckmen Max Bailey and Simon Taylor plus key defender Josh Gibson - while Chance Bateman is suspended.

While the significance of the injured players was probably less late in their 2008 premiership season, the drop-off of numbers in the medical room is another good sign for the Hawks.

"In pure numbers it's the best position we have had at Hawthorn in Alastair Clarkson's time," Hawthorn football manager Mark Evans said. Clarkson is in his sixth season as Hawks coach.

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