HAWTHORN has secured a double finals chance and will return to Optus Stadium in a fortnight to take on Fremantle in a qualifying final, with its 62-point win against West Coast on Sunday not enough to climb into the coveted third place on the ladder. 

The Hawks were dominant and raced to a 47-point lead in the second quarter, but wet weather thwarted their efforts to make up the necessary percentage on third-placed Brisbane, eventually winning 16.11 (107) to 6.9 (45).  

EAGLES v HAWKS Full match coverage and stats

The result was all but settled early in the third quarter, ensuring the Hawks finished in the top four for the first time since 2018 and celebrated spearhead Jack Gunston's 300th game in style, with the three-time premiership veteran bagging five goals.  

There was late drama, however, with Nick Watson managed in the fourth quarter after a Mark of the Year contender and a late incident that saw him shoved into the boundary fence by Bo Allan. 

West Coast superstar Harley Reid will also have a nervous wait after a sling tackle on Jai Newcombe that saw the Hawks' co-captain hit his head on the turf, with the midfielder able to play on after assessment. 

It was a night of celebration for Gunston, however, who was chaired from Optus Stadium by former teammate Luke Breust and James Sicily through a guard of honour as he hits September in top form. 

The Hawks would have been thrilled with the form of several stars as Watson (three goals), Will Day (23 and two goals) and Dylan Moore (22 and nine inside 50s) showed their class throughout.  

In the key posts, former Eagle Tom Barrass was in control of the backline, while Mitch Lewis took 10 marks and booted a pair of goals. 

The resistance from West Coast was led largely through Milan Murdock, who finished an impressive debut season with three of his team's six goals, racking up 23 disposals. Reid (21 and a goal) finished strongly, but a big off-season looms for the Eagles. 

The Hawks' percentage chase got off to a good start, with Gunston on the board after 56 seconds and Lewis making it a 12-point margin after two minutes, marking on the lead after Tim Kelly landed a late bump on Watson, sparking remonstrations. 

Watson was being worked over by Brandon Starcevich but earned a free kick at a forward 50 stoppage to get his first goal, with the Hawks dominating centre clearances to play the game in their front half. 

A brilliant long-range snap from Murdock provided some respite, but the Hawks continued to move the ball well and hit Gunston on the lead twice more to give the spearhead three goals at quarter time as rain fell heavily. 

Murdock cut the margin to 21 points with his second goal as the Eagles lifted their intensity and played with spirit, but from there the Hawks went on a four-goal run to open a 47-point lead late in the second term. 

Back-to-back goals from Max Beattie were a highlight as the small forward mounted a finals case, while Gunston, Massimo D'Ambrosio and Sicily all had shots on goal touched on the line. 

Jake Waterman's rollercoaster year continued on the eve of half time, missing one gettable set shot before making amends after the siren to cut the margin to 39 points. 

The Hawks lifted their efforts in the third and booted three straight goals, extending their lead to 58 points after Watson flew for his thrilling mark and converted from long range. 

Again it was Murdock who stood up for the Eagles with his third goal, thwarting the Hawks' efforts to get the percentage they needed. Jack Williams added another to start the fourth, leaving the visitors with too much work to do to climb into third and setting up a return to Perth in less than two weeks' time.  

Wizard soars for magical grab 
The degree of difficulty was massive when Nick Watson launched over Liam Baker and marked a slippery ball on his chest inside 50, flicking a leg out and landing dramatically on his back for a late Mark of the Year Contender in the final game of the home-and-away season. While others were fumbling and dropping marks, Watson made it look easy and went back to slot the goal from 45m. The superstar small forward was electric after a goalless fortnight, fighting through the attention of Brandon Starcevich to boot three goals before his late-game management.   

Beattie finals chance 
Mid-season draftee Max Beattie made his debut in a dramatic draw last week and mounted a case for finals selection in the second quarter on Sunday night. The 22-year-old from the SANFL was incredibly clean in slippery conditions and booted back-to-back goals to show his class, with his first a left-foot snap off a couple of steps and his second coming from a mark inside 50 after Moore showed poise at half forward. The Hawks have Jack Ginnivan to come back into their 23, but Beattie could be a finals fairytale story if he holds on at selection. 

Harley tackle could delay 2027 start 
West Coast star Harley Reid will face Match Review scrutiny for a fourth quarter tackle that saw Jai Newcombe's head hit the turf at Optus Stadium, potentially sidelining the gun midfielder for the start of 2027. Reid slung Newcombe to the ground in a potentially dangerous tackle, with Newcombe able to take his free kick and convert a set shot before heading to the bench for assessment. In Reid's favour, the Hawks' co-captain was able to return, but it will be a nervous wait for the Eagles.  

WEST COAST                    1.2   3.7   4.7   6.9 (45) 
HAWTHORN                      6.1   10.4   13.7   16.11 (107) 

GOALS 
West Coast: Murdock 3, Reid, Waterman, J Williams 
Hawthorn: Gunston 5, Watson 3, Beattie 2, Lewis 2, Day 2, Moore, Newcombe 

BEST
West Coast: Murdock, Young, Reid, Kelly
Hawthorn: Watson, Gunston, Macdonald, Moore, Day, Lewis, Beattie,

INJURIES
West Coast: Starcevich (cut head) 
Hawthorn: Nil 

Crowd: 43,066 at Optus Stadium