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The Hawthorn Hawks have won a top four spot and will go through to a qualifying final against the Geelong Cats after defeated the Collingwood Magpies by a single point.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Hawthorn Hawks 17.10.112
Collingwood Magpies 17.9.111
After a tough loss in the West last week, the Hawthorn Hawks face a must win game against the Collingwood Magpies, as they get set to defend their crown for a fourth successive year. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 4:35pm (AEST).
After comfortably qualifying for the top four every year since 2011, the three-time reigning premiers find themselves in unfamiliar territory, requiring a victory to guarantee themselves a double chance in the finals.
With losses to Melbourne and West Coast in the last three weeks, Hawthorn will be out to show the rest of the competition that they are still the top dogs of the AFL.
The midweek announcement that superstars Luke Hodge, Shaun Burgoyne and Josh Gibson will play on next year is sure to strengthen the resolve of the football club on the eve of finals.
Across the field, it’s been a sad week at Collingwood after 2010 Premiership heroes Dane Swan, Brent Macaffer and Alan Toovey all announced their retirements.
With speculation mounting that fellow premiership star Travis Cloke will also play his last game in the famous prison bar guernsey, the Magpies will be hoping to farewell their champions on a high note.
Unfortunately for Collingwood, the MCG has not been a happy hunting ground for them this year, winning only 6 out of a possible 13 games on the hallowed turf.
Further compounding their problems, Hawthorn have thoroughly dominated the Magpies in recent encounters, having won their past eight matches by an average margin of over six goals.
However in a season in which Collingwood have beaten several top four contenders – Geelong, GWS and West Coast – the Pies can take heart in the fact that their best football can challenge any team.
In team news, young gun Darcy Moore ended his season on a sour note after suffering another hamstring injury in last week’s 71-point win against Gold Coast.
While it was bad news for the youngster, it opens the door for out-of-favour big man Travis Cloke, in what could be his farewell game to the Collingwood faithful – and also an audition for list managers across the nation.
For the Hawks, ruckman Jonathon Ceglar looks set to miss a fair chunk of season 2017, as he begins the long rehabilitation process from an ACL rupture.
In lieu of Ceglar’s injury, the bulk of the rucking duties for the remainder of the season is likely to fall to Ben McEvoy. The Hawks will have a good indication of whether he is up to the task, as he matches up with the mercurial Brodie Grundy this week.
A strong game from the former Saint on Sunday will go a long way in proving that ‘Big Boy’ McEvoy has what it takes to match up with other elite ruckmen in the finals such as Shane Mumford of GWS and Sam Jacobs from the Crows.
Prediction
After inconsistent performances throughout the year, it is hard to pick which Collingwood outfit will play on Sunday. Will it be the manic tackling side that stifled the Eagles three weeks ago? Or are the lackluster Pies who lost to Richmond and Carlton going to make an appearance?
Regardless, it will be tough to topple a Hawks team which had its pride dented last week. Hawthorn have proven that the biggest stage is where they play their best football and with a double chance beckoning, it would be tough to see anything but a Hawthorn victory on Sunday.
Hawthorn by 27 points.
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