Jack Gunston looks dejected after Hawthorn's loss to Collingwood in round 12, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

HAWTHORN'S finals credentials will be put to the test in the toughest run home in the competition.

The Hawks are in position to feature in September again in 2025, sitting fifth on the ladder at 13-6, but they face the most difficult fixture to finish the season. 

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The average ladder position of Hawthorn's final four opponents is five, and that includes a clash against Melbourne in round 23.

Hawthorn will play each of the current top three in the final month of the home and away season, beginning with this week's trip to Adelaide to face the Crows.

That's followed by a blockbuster against ladder leader Collingwood at the MCG, the clash against the Demons and a final-round trip to the Gabba to take on Brisbane.

Remarkably, even 15 wins may not be enough to make finals this year, with the Hawks now facing a brutal run that could see them miss, or be primed for a major tilt in September.

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Brisbane (average ladder position of opponents at 5.8) and Collingwood (six) also face tough runs home.

Those two teams meet this week, and play the Hawks, while Brisbane also faces Sydney and Fremantle, and Collingwood takes on Adelaide and Melbourne.

It is set up for an enthralling finish to the season as teams jostle not only for the last spot in the top eight, but a double chance and home finals.

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St Kilda (8.4) has faced the most difficult fixture through round 20, but has the easiest run home with clashes against North Melbourne, Richmond, Essendon and Greater Western Sydney.

Fremantle, meanwhile, has made the most of what has been the easiest fixture so far to sit seventh on the ladder.

Each club's degree of difficulty is the average ladder position of its opponents. The lower the score, the harder the fixture is expected to be. Due to the uneven number of games played, the ladder for this analysis has been ordered by win percentage instead of premiership points

1. Collingwood, 2. Adelaide, 3. Brisbane, 4. Geelong, 5. Hawthorn, 6. Greater Western Sydney, 7. Fremantle, 8. Gold Coast, 9. Western Bulldogs, 10. Sydney, 11. Port Adelaide, 12. Carlton, 13. Essendon, 14. Melbourne, 15. St Kilda, 16. Richmond, 17. North Melbourne, 18. West Coast

R21: v Hawthorn, Adelaide Oval
R22: v West Coast, Optus Stadium
R23: v Collingwood, Adelaide Oval
R24: v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium

Current ladder position: 2nd (14-5)
Degree of difficulty OR-R20: 9.9 (equal 14th hardest)
Degree of difficulty R21-24: 10.3 (12th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 2
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Izak Rankine in action during Kuwarna's clash against Waalitj Marawar in round 11, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

R21: v Collingwood, MCG
R22: v Sydney, Gabba
R23: v Fremantle, Optus Stadium
R24: v Hawthorn, Gabba

Current ladder position: 3rd (13-1-5)
Degree of difficulty OR-R20: 9.6 (11th hardest)
Degree of difficulty R21-24: 5.8 (second hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 3
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Lachie Neale in action during Brisbane's clash against Hawthorn in round 11, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

R21: v Fremantle, Optus Stadium
R22: v Gold Coast, Marvel Stadium
R23: v Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium
R24: v Essendon, MCG

Current ladder position: 12th (7-12)
Degree of difficulty OR-R20: 9.7 (12th hardest)
Degree of difficulty R21-24: 9.8 (equal ninth hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 2
Upcoming interstate trips: 1

Patrick Cripps and Miles Bergman fight for the ball during Carlton's clash against Port Adelaide in round 16, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

R21: v Brisbane, MCG
R22: v Hawthorn, MCG
R23: v Adelaide, Adelaide Oval
R24: v Melbourne, MCG

Current ladder position: 1st (15-4)
Degree of difficulty OR-R20: 9.9 (equal 14th hardest)
Degree of difficulty R21-24: 6 (third hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 3
Upcoming interstate trips: 1

Nick Daicos in action during the R6 match between Collingwood and Brisbane at the Gabba on April 17, 2025. Picture: Getty Images/AFL Photos

R21: v Sydney, SCG
R22: v Geelong, GMHBA Stadium
R23: v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium
R24: v Carlton, MCG
R24: v Gold Coast, People First Stadium

Current ladder position: 13th (6-12)
Degree of difficulty OR-R20: 9.3 (fifth hardest)
Degree of difficulty R21-24: 9.8 (equal ninth hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 2
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Zach Merrett handballs during Essendon's clash against Gold Coast in round 17, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

R21: v Carlton, Optus Stadium
R22: v Port Adelaide, Adelaide Oval
R23: v Brisbane, Optus Stadium
R24: v Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium

Current ladder position: 7th (13-6)
Degree of difficulty OR-R20: 10.2 (18th hardest)
Degree of difficulty R21-24: 8.8 (equal sixth hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 1
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Caleb Serong in action during Fremantle's clash against Hawthorn in round 18, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

R21: v Port Adelaide, GMHBA Stadium
R22: v Essendon, GMHBA Stadium
R23: v Sydney, SCG
R24: v Richmond, MCG

Current ladder position: 4th (13-6)
Degree of difficulty OR-R20: 9.5 (equal eighth hardest)
Degree of difficulty R21-24: 12.5 (17th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 0
Upcoming interstate trips: 1

Bailey Smith in action during Geelong's clash against Essendon in round 14, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

R21: v Richmond, People First Stadium
R22: v Carlton, Marvel Stadium
R23: v Greater Western Sydney, People First Stadium
R24: v Port Adelaide, Adelaide Oval
R24: v Essendon, People First Stadium

Current ladder position: 8th (12-6)
Degree of difficulty OR-R20: 8.8 (second hardest)
Degree of difficulty R21-24: 11.6 (15th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 1
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Matt Rowell in action during the R17 match between Gold Coast and Essendon at Marvel Stadium on July 5, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

R21: v Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium
R22: v North Melbourne, Corroboree Group Oval Manuka
R23: v Gold Coast, People First Stadium
R24: v St Kilda, Engie Stadium

Current ladder position: 6th (13-6)
Degree of difficulty OR-R20: 9.5 (equal eighth hardest)
Degree of difficulty R21-24: 12.3 (16th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 1
Upcoming interstate trips: 3

Tom Green kicks the ball during Greater Western Sydney's clash against the Western Bulldogs in round seven, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

R21: v Adelaide, Adelaide Oval
R22: v Collingwood, MCG
R23: v Melbourne, MCG
R24: v Brisbane, Gabba

Current ladder position: 5th (13-6)
Degree of difficulty OR-R20: 9.9 (equal 14th hardest)
Degree of difficulty R21-24: 5 (hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 3
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

James Sicily is tackled by Beau McCreery during the match between Collingwood and Hawthorn at the MCG in round 12, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

R21: v West Coast, Marvel Stadium
R22: v Western Bulldogs, MCG
R23: v Hawthorn, MCG
R24: v Collingwood, MCG 

Current ladder position: 14th (6-13)
Degree of difficulty OR-R20: 9.9 (equal 14th hardest)
Degree of difficulty R21-24: 8.3 (fifth hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 2
Upcoming interstate trips: 0

Christian Petracca handballs during Melbourne's clash against Hawthorn in round nine, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

R21: v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium
R22: v Greater Western Sydney, Corroboree Group Oval Manuka
R23: v Richmond, Ninja Stadium
R24: v Adelaide, Marvel Stadium

Current ladder position: 17th (4-1-14)
Degree of difficulty OR-R20: 9.4 (equal sixth hardest)
Degree of difficulty R21-24: 9.8 (equal ninth hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 2
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

George Wardlaw kicks the ball during North Melbourne's clash against Richmond in round 10, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

R21: v Geelong, GMHBA Stadium
R22: v Fremantle, Adelaide Oval
R23: v Carlton, Marvel Stadium
R24: v Gold Coast, Adelaide Oval

Current ladder position: 11th (8-11)
Degree of difficulty OR-R20: 8.9 (third hardest)
Degree of difficulty R21-24: 7.8 (fourth hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 3
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Zak Butters during the R16 match between Port Adelaide and Carlton at Adelaide Oval on June 26, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

R21: v Gold Coast, People First Stadium
R22: v St Kilda, MCG
R23: v North Melbourne, Ninja Stadium
R24: v Geelong, MCG

Current ladder position: 16th (5-14)
Degree of difficulty OR-R20: 9.8 (13th hardest)
Degree of difficulty R21-24: 11 (13th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 2
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Tim Taranto handballs during Richmond's clash against North Melbourne in round 10, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

R21: v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium
R22: v Richmond, MCG
R23: v Essendon, Marvel Stadium
R24: v Greater Western Sydney, Engie Stadium

Current ladder position: 15th (6-13)
Degree of difficulty OR-R20: 8.4 (hardest)
Degree of difficulty R21-24: 13 (18th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 1
Upcoming interstate trips: 1

Toby Bedford tackles Jack Sinclair during the match between GWS and St Kilda in Gather Round, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

R21: v Essendon, SCG
R22: v Brisbane, Gabba
R23: v Geelong, SCG
R24: v West Coast, Optus Stadium

Current ladder position: 10th (9-10)
Degree of difficulty OR-R20: 9.5 (equal eighth hardest)
Degree of difficulty R21-24: 9.5 (eighth hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 2
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Brodie Grundy kicks the ball during Sydney's clash against Essendon in round nine, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

R21: v Melbourne, Marvel Stadium
R22: v Adelaide, Optus Stadium
R23: v Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium
R24: v Sydney, Optus Stadium

Current ladder position: 18th (1-18)
Degree of difficulty OR-R20: 9.2 (fourth hardest)
Degree of difficulty R21-24: 8.8 (equal sixth hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 2
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Harley Reid during West Coast's clash against Melbourne in round eight, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

R21: v Greater Western Sydney, Marvel Stadium
R22: v Melbourne, MCG
R23: v West Coast, Marvel Stadium
R24: v Fremantle, Marvel Stadium

Current ladder position: 9th (11-8)
Degree of difficulty OR-R20: 9.4 (equal sixth hardest)
Degree of difficulty R21-24: 11.3 (14th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 2
Upcoming interstate trips: 0

Marcus Bontempelli in action during the R7 match between Western Bulldogs and GWS at Manuka Oval on April 26, 2025. Picture: Getty Images/AFL Photos