The Hawks, who lost to eventual grand finalists Brisbane in their qualifying final last season, headed to Brighton Homes Arena on Sunday with a point to prove.
Daniel Webster's charges defended their hearts out to claim a 4.9 (33) to 3.11 (29) victory in front of 4208 fans, leaving Brisbane to rue their wastefulness.
"Especially after last year's finals, we wanted to make a statement, and I think we came out and did that, which is really good," defender Tilly Lucas-Rodd told the Seven Network.
Midfield tough nut Eliza West (25 disposals, 18 contested possessions), running defender Lucas-Rodd (27 disposals) and skipper Emily Bates  (20 touches) led the charge.
Aine McDonagh (two goals) and Ainslie Kemp (nine intercepts) were excellent at each end.
Hawthorn were defensively brilliant, keeping Brisbane goalless in the second and third quarters.
For Brisbane, Jade Ellenger (10 intercepts, 19 disposals) was a fierce competitor down back with support from Jennifer Dunne (six marks), while Ally Anderson (21 disposals) and Belle Dawes (16 disposals) were busy.
The Hawks suffered a massive pre-game blow when Irish gun Aileen Gilroy withdrew through injury, but they still flew out of the blocks, with the first five inside-50s of the game.
But Hawthorn could only claim four points from those entries and Brisbane pounced through Taylor Smith.
Greta Bodey ensured the Hawks finally got some bang for their buck when she kicked a classy goal late in the term, but Dakota Davidson nudged Brisbane out to a four-point lead at quarter-time.
The second term was all Hawthorn, with McDonagh putting Hawthorn back in front, before Casey Sherriff extended the lead to nine points after the half-time siren.
The Hawks had a scare when Jasmine Fleming went down grabbing her right knee, but she had her leg taped and was able to return to play.
Hawthorn led by 13 points at the start of the final term when Fleming burst out of a stoppage and hit McDonagh on the chest for her second goal.
But a wonderful goal from Ellie Hampson gave Brisbane a second wind.
The Lions kept peppering Hawthorn's goal without snatching the lead, and instead opened a third consecutive season with a home loss.
Craig Starcevich's Brisbane next travel to face Fremantle on Saturday, before Hawthorn host Carlton in Frankston that night.
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