Carlton have resisted Hawthorn's huge fightback in a thrilling one-point win that extended their unbeaten start to the AFL season under new coach Michael Voss.

A blistering seven-goal opening term saw the Blues establish a 40-point margin before the Hawks dragged themselves off the canvas, hitting the front when Jack Gunston kicked his first goal at the nine-minute mark of the final quarter.

But Jack Silvagni's late goal from a tight angle and Jacob Weitering's courageous mark running back with the flight of the ball with one minute left saved Carlton's blushes.

The 11.8 (74) to 11.7 (73) triumph kept their perfect record under Voss alive while Sam Mitchell tasted defeat for the first time as Hawks coach.

George Hewett, Patrick Cripps, Sam Walsh and Matthew Kennedy helped the Blues gain midfield ascendancy but didn't have it all their own way as Tom Mitchell, James Worpel and Josh Ward battled away for the Hawks.

Charlie Curnow and Silvagni kicked three goals each for the Blues, while Gunston, Breust and Dylan Moore booted two apiece for Hawthorn.

Centre bounce dominance and disposal efficiency were key to the Blues' hot start.

Harry McKay kicked two early goals and Silvagni produced the highlight in a series of strong marks from Carlton forwards with a soaring grab over two opponents in the goal square.

It was their highest-scoring opening term since 2014, leading to a 34-point buffer at the first change.

Worpel, Mitchell and Ward helped turn the tide in the midfield and a pair of Luke Breust goals got the ball rolling for the Hawks.

Crucial turnovers led to Hawthorn goals and Zac Fisher's decision not to have a shot at one end was quickly followed by Chad Wingard slotting one at the other, dragging the Hawks to within three kicks at the final change.

Hawthorn booted the first three majors of the last quarter and pinched the lead for the first time since the opening minutes when Gunston outmarked Weitering and strolled into an open goal.

Scores were tied at the 19-minute mark when the video review showed Denver Grainger-Barras got a hand to a Corey Durdin shot that floated between the big sticks.

But Silvagni put the Blues back in front when he bent through a shot from a tight angle as the last quarter ticked into time-on.

Gunston's second goal gave the Hawks a sniff until Weitering claimed the match-saving mark at centre-half back.

Jack Scrimshaw's 50th game didn't go to plan as a shoulder injury forced Hawthorn to substitute him out of the match in the first quarter.

Dockers destroy Eagles to win derby

Fremantle notched their second straight Western Derby victory with a 55-point demolition of West Coast at Perth Stadium.

The Dockers were rarely threatened in running out 15.12 (102) to 7.5 (47) winners on Sunday, keeping West Coast to their lowest ever derby total.

But the biggest talking points out of the match were the two deliberate rushed behind calls.

Dockers defender Luke Ryan was left baffled when he was pinned for stepping over the line while under pressure in the third quarter.

Ryan had time to dispose of the ball, but decided to rush the behind while Eagles players closed in.

He also copped a 50-metre penalty for arguing with the umpire, allowing Jackson Nelson to kick the easiest of goals.

In the final term, Eagles defender Harry Edwards was pinned for rushing a behind while tapping the ball through on hands and knees.

West Coast defender Alex Witherden was on the line and had the chance to pick up the ball, but he let it roll over.

Rory Lobb sprayed the resulting free kick, but the two decisions are sure to fire up plenty of debate.

Dockers forward Lachie Schultz won the Glendinning-Allan Medal medal as best afield for his 23-possession, two-goal display that also featured four score assists.

Jeremy McGovern was a rock in defence for an injury and COVID-ravaged West Coast with 11 marks, including four contested, to go with 21 disposals.

Nic Naitanui (34 hitouts, 15 disposals, seven clearances, one goal) was dominant in the ruck.

Star Dockers midfielder Andrew Brayshaw was restricted to just seven disposals in the first half under the tight watch of Nelson.

But he flourished after the tag was released, finishing with 26 possessions.

Dockers midfielder Darcy Tucker was stretchered off early in the third quarter and subbed out with concussion after hitting his head while being tackled.

Fremantle took an eight-point lead into quarter time, and they broke the game open in the second term with four unanswered goals.

Michael Walters set up each of Schultz's two goals - one with a pin-point kick, and the other with a clever handball over the top while on the ground.

The 34-point margin was alarming given West Coast managed just one goal in the first half.

But they had another two goals to their name within 30 seconds of actual playing time in the third quarter courtesy of some Naitanui heroics.

Naitanui's big ruck tap and follow-up led to a goal to Jack Petruccelle within 14 seconds of the second half.

And then at the next centre bounce, Naitanui unleashed another dominant tap and eventually got the ball back to kick a goal on the run from 49m.

The margin was just 20 points at that moment, but a dropped mark by Jack Darling in the square, after his line of sight was blocked, proved to be costly.

Fremantle booted the next three goals to open up a match-winning 41 point lead, with the Dockers never challenged after that.

Saints surge to smoke Tigers

Held goalless for three quarters, Max King has exploded with four goals to help St Kilda fight back from 25 points down to beat Richmond by 33.

After Hugo Ralphsmith put the Tigers ahead by more than four goals midway through the third term, Richmond looked set for a strong win on Sunday.

But St Kilda's midfield, marshalled by Brad Crouch, got the contest back on level footing before King tore it apart for a 18.9 (117) to 13.6 (84) AFL victory.

For a second successive game King broke a contest apart, as he booted four goals and hauled in six marks to help complete the rout, after Richmond had lost co-captain Dylan Grimes to a hamstring injury in the third quarter.

Crouch (29 disposals, 11 clearances, nine tackles) was St Kilda's standout player in the first half and was arguably their best throughout along with Jade Gresham, while Seb Ross and Jack Steele lifted in the third term.

Former Saint Matt Parker, who was delisted by St Kilda at the end of 2020 and given a second AFL opportunity by the Tigers, haunted his former club with three goals in the first half.

Shai Bolton and Noah Balta kicked three and two goals respectively while Nathan Broad plucked 12 marks in defence and intercepted at will.

The Tigers had left the Saints shell-shocked when they snared two goals within the opening 30 seconds via Liam Baker and Bolton.

But the Saints quickly rallied and turned the first half into a shootout.

Jack Higgins was substituted out with concussion after a first-quarter tackle from Ralphsmith, with Ben Long entering the game.

But Parker proved the difference in a dynamic first half, with his two instinctive snaps and another goal from a courageous mark inspiring a 13-point half-time lead.

When Ralphsmith intercepted and kicked a beautiful long-range goal to extend Richmond's lead to 25 in the third, St Kilda looked set to fold.

Instead, they booted the next 10 goals.

Ladder