Hawthorn 16.11 (107) def. West Coast 8.13 (61)
Hawthorn have etched their names into the history books, blowing away the West Coast Eagles to complete the sixth three-peat in AFL history.
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Hawthorn – 5.0 | 9.3 | 14.5 | 16.11 (107)
West Coast – 1.5 | 3.8 | 5.9 | 8.13 (61)
GOALS
Hawks: Gunston 4, Smith 3 Rioli 2, Birchall, Hill, McEvoy, Hodge, Schoenmakers, Suckling, Roughead
Eagles: McGovern 2, Shuey, Hill, Yeo, Darling, Hutchings, LeCras
Attendance: 98,632
After 205 games of the home-and-away season and finals it’s all lead to this, the 2015 AFL Grand Final between the Hawthorn Hawks and the West Coast Eagles. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 2:30pm (AEST).
Twenty-four years ago these sides met in the Grand Final at Waverley Park in the 1991 decider, and the Hawks came away with the win.
So much has changed since between now and then, but now they’re in another Grand Final together.
The Hawks went through one of their roughest periods as a club in the late 90s and came very close to merging with Melbourne.
The Eagles on the other hand went on to win two of the next three grand finals, both against Geelong, before winning one again in 2006.
Then came darker times for the Eagles while the Hawks soared. The Eagles saw Brownlow Medalists Ben Cousins and Chris Judd leave the club – for very different reasons – while the Hawks rose up to snatch the 2008 flag.
The Eagles have steadily rebuilt over the last decade, while the Hawks have been going strong. They enter this Grand Final as their fourth in as many years, while the Eagles are going in for the first time since ’06.
Who will win it? The Hawks are entering as the favourites. They’ve got a team that can match the Eagles for talent in just about every area of the ground, and on top of that, they’ve got the experience to get the job done.
The Eagles however can enter with some confidence knowing that they smashed the Hawks in a qualifying final just three weeks ago, and they have arguably the most talented ruckman in the competition in Nic Naitanui, who can provide them with a huge advantage in the middle of the ground.
For the Hawks this would be their thirteenth premiership, and their third in a row, and it would stamp this side as arguably the greatest the competition has seen.
For the Eagles this would be their fourth premiership, and it would make them undoubtedly the most successful non-Victorian side in the competition.
Prediction
With two of the most attacking sides on display – and perfect weather forecast – we could be in store for one of the most high-octane grand finals in recent memory.
At their best, either side is capable of wiping the floor with the other. Still, I’m going with the side that’s regularly produced their best on the biggest stage of all.
Hawks by 9 points.
Tom Baulch
Roar Guru
That was why he won the Norm.
Tom Baulch
Roar Guru
Naitinui has improved his consistancy i think over games.
Tom Baulch
Roar Guru
they have 22 overpayed players and the rest get payed nothing to keep it in tact
Tom Baulch
Roar Guru
second in a row
Tom Baulch
Roar Guru
got boring
Tom Baulch
Roar Guru
third goal for the day
Tom Baulch
Roar Guru
True Ronan, but still boring the last two years, and the rematch in 2010 was boring as hell.
Tom Baulch
Roar Guru
Thank god for Cyril making it interesting.
Tom Baulch
Roar Guru
Felt the pressure and couldn't deal with it all day.
Tom Baulch
Roar Guru
Agreed.
Tom Baulch
Roar Guru
Collingwood have already done four, but can Hawks win five?
Tom Baulch
Roar Guru
Love it Steve.
Tom Baulch
Roar Guru
He was good in the second, but hes not a player who has thirty possies, he has teenage disposals with maximum results.
Tom Baulch
Roar Guru
Not respectable at all.
Tom Baulch
Roar Guru
He deserved it, was the most influential player on the ground when it counted in the first half.
lethal
Guest
Have a rest over summer Don, you deserve it
Don Freo
Guest
Not sure there's a problem with exaggerating.
Freo As
Guest
Yes. Please don't confuse us. Don you are a compulsive exaggerator and have taken to speaking of yourself in the third person now I see.
Don Freo
Guest
I think you'll find that Don Freo and Freo As are poles apart in their thoughts. If you criticize Don, you'd need to embrace Freo As. We disagree on almost everything.
lethal
Guest
Don Freo and Freo As, it's tiresome. Rest over the summer and hit the keyboard later in '16. Hawks are just too good.