The Hawks held on to a stirring one-point win to record their eighth of the season and claim eighth on the table, behind 10-and-eight Kilmore in seventh, with a trio of 11-win teams Romsey, Macedon and Diggers Rest all making the grade for finals action.

The 14.10 (94) to 14.9 (93) win sent Hawks coach Brett Cook out on a winning note, the 37-year-old calling time on his playing and coaching career because of family commitments.

Kilmore spearhead Aaron James led the game's scoring with seven, but Hepburn's bag of six and four goals for Luke Baker kept Woodend-Hesket close to a rival that had dealt it a triple-figure defeat in the previous meeting.

Damian Salpietro and Jesse Sheppard joined Hepburn among Woodend-Hesket's best.

"We were in front pretty much all day until Kilmore hit the front halfway through the final quarter," Cook said.

"The boys were happy not so much because we knocked Kilmore out but because we lost by 132 last time."

Cook said standing down was bittersweet.

"I'm pretty sure I'll miss out on some good things in the coming years.

''Unfortunately, I just can't commit the time needed to coach and at 37 the body is falling apart."