HAWTHORN will play finals for the third straight season after locking away eighth spot with a 55-point win against West Coast, with the Hawks taking red-hot form into the post-season after kicking their highest-ever score in a Halloween feast on Saturday night. 

The Hawks kicked five unanswered goals in the second quarter to set up the 14.10 (94) to 6.3 (39) win at Sullivan Logistics Stadium and then powered away late as they prepare now for an elimination final against either Carlton, Sydney or Gold Coast.

EAGLES V HAWKS Full match details and stats

The ultra impressive win locked away the top eight for 2026, ending the finals hopes of Fremantle and Adelaide before their matches against Sydney and Melbourne respectively on Sunday.  

It was also a warning shot for the Hawks' final opponents, with coach Daniel Webster's team dominating clearances (33-19) and inside 50s (52-19) and bringing ferocious pressure to prevent West Coast from getting any flow in its game. 

The Eagles were put on the back foot early by a game-ending knee injury to superstar midfielder Ella Roberts, with the 21-year-old going down in pain after planting her right foot in the opening minutes, requiring the help of trainers to exit the game. 

The club will now sweat on scans for the talented playmaker, whose absence was telling in the engine room as Hawthorn stars Eliza West (25 disposals and 14 clearances) and Lucy Wales (27 and 27 hitouts) took control of the game.  

In attack, Aine McDonagh booted three goals and took an equal lead in the AFLW goalkicking with Geelong's Jacqueline Parry with 26 goals, with Sydney's Chloe Molloy (24) trailing ahead of Sunday's game against Fremantle. 

Poppy Stockwell (three goals) was electric in attack for the Hawks, while Jasmine Fleming (16 and five inside 50s) and Tamara Smith (15 and four) were creative in the front half in an otherwise even and deep team performance. 

"I actually think we've been playing pretty good footy, we just haven't put it all together," Webster said after the Hawks' biggest win of the season, falling just a goal short of hitting triple figures.

"It was great for the players to put it together today and get some reward on the scoreboard, because we've had some really good games in terms of owning territory but haven't got it done."

For the Eagles, Lucia Painter (23 and seven clearances) stepped up in the midfield, while Kellie Gibson (16 and two goals) and Kayla Dalgleish (14 and nine contested possessions) battled hard all day. 

Belinda Smith retired and left the game through a guard of honour, leaving her mark on the game with a courageous grab in the first quarter. 

"We're going to look back and have some things we're disappointed about, but we just want to do that with perspective and encourage them to have the hunger to improve," Pearce said. 

"There's other things we’ve seen grow, but we've just got to put more work in … and make sure we're doing quality work.

"Every season provides lessons and we’re the youngest team in the competition. We love that the competition has expectations of us and we embrace that."

Hawthorn took control of the game from the opening ball-up, dominating stoppages and field position and going inside 50 the first eight times of the game before McDonagh's opening goal. 

WA product Stockwell followed up with another from 40m before the Eagles responded with their best period for the game, kicking back-to-back goals through Keeley Skeeper and Gibson to cut the margin to two points at the first break. 

The Hawks made their move in the second quarter, dominating clearances (9-4), flexing their muscle in the contest, and kicking five unanswered goals as the Eagles unravelled. 

McDonagh and Stockwell were heavily involved again, while Jacqueline Dupuy and Daisy Flockart booted goals from inside 50 stoppages as the visitors extended their lead to 36 points at the main break. 

The third term was more even as the Eagles lifted their pressure and physicality, going goal for goal with the Hawks as Skepper and Gibson created opportunities and converted for the Eagles. 

The fourth term became about how many goals McDonagh could land, missing a pair of opportunities after taking an equal lead in the AFLW goalkicking.   

Milestone Hawks' stoppage record 
Hawthorn vice-captain and club champion Eliza West secured a new record on Saturday night, winning the most clearances by a Hawthorn AFLW player after finishing with 14. The 29-year-old looked like threatening Charlie Rowbottom's AFLW record of 16 after entering three-quarter time with 13 clearances, but she left the ground proppy for a period in the final term and added just one more. The 29-year-old was outstanding in her 75th game, dominating stoppages with ruck Lucy Wales and continuing to shine as one of the competition's most durable and consistent midfielders. The Melbourne premiership player enters finals in form and was praised by coach Daniel Webster for the way she has stepped up in the absence of Emily Bates. 

Next up 
Hawthorn is locked into eighth spot and a third straight finals berth, with the team now waiting on results on Sunday to find out who it will play in an away elimination final. Carlton, which knocked the Hawks out in a semifinal last year, is a potential opponent, along with interstate trips to face Sydney or Gold Coast. The Eagles' season is over, missing finals after a 4-8 campaign that started with four straight losses.  

WEST COAST      2.0    2.0    5.3      6.3 (39)    
HAWTHORN       2.2    7.6    10.7    14.10 (94)
 
GOALS 
West Coast: Gibson 2, Skepper 2, Franklin, Shannon
Hawthorn: Stockwell 3, McDonagh 3, Antony 2, Dupuy 2, Allen, Fleming, Flockart, Martin
 
BEST 
West Coast: Painter, Gibson, Dalgleish, Skepper, Thomas 
Hawthorn: West, McDonagh, Stockwell, Wales, Fleming, Ashmore   
 
INJURIES
West Coast: Roberts (knee) 
Hawthorn: Nil 
 
Crowd: 1284 at Sullivan Logistics Stadium