Hawthorn have reclaimed their spot in the AFL’s top four with a thrilling one-point win over Collingwood at the MCG.
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The Hawks, chasing a fourth straight premiership, needed to win or draw their final game of the regular season to secure a coveted double chance in the finals.
They ticked it off in dramatic fashion and will now face rivals Geelong in a qualifying final, having beaten the Magpies 17.10 (112) to 17.9 (111).
Collingwood, who were a man down in the second half following James Aish’s hamstring injury, booted four consecutive goals to hit the front with a a tick under three minutes remaining.
Jack Fitzpatrick, called into the Hawks’ side following ruckman Jon Ceglar’s season-ending knee injury, was the unlikely hero.
Fitzpatrick burst through the middle and unloaded a bomb from over 55 metres out to level the scores.
A behind from Paul Puopolo then put them in front and the Magpies ran out of time.
It was the sixth time this year Hawthorn have won by nine points or less.
The Hawks trailed by 16 points in the second quarter and were outplayed for much of the contest.
Small forwards Cyril Rioli and Luke Breust led a spirited comeback and a snapped goal from veteran Jordan Lewis gave Hawthorn a 12-point buffer at three-quarter time.
The Magpies continued to fight in front of a crowd of 52,968, levelling the scores early in the fourth term.
The Hawks steadied thanks to clutch goals from James Sicily, Billy Hartung and Shaun Burgoyne, only for Collingwood to rally again.
Rioli and Breust booted a combined six goals but their pressure as defensive forwards was just as influential, while Hartung and Burgoyne were among a handful of Hawks to lift after halftime.
Coach Alastair Clarkson will be relieved his team finished in the top four as history suggests their premiership hopes would have been dashed otherwise.
Josh Gibson could be scrutinised for a clumsy spoil on Greenwood in the second quarter but AFL legend Wayne Carey expected the Hawks defender would be cleared by the match review panel.
“That’s no worse than Rory Sloane (who was suspended last week) but Greenwood’s got no claret and that’s what saves Gibson. I think he’s fine,” Carey said on radio station Triple M.
Don Freo
Guest
No difference is there? If you're out, you're out.
CK
Guest
Maybe Freo will get lucky with the match-up? Oh wait... Guess its better to be the softest team in the 8, rather than the softest one out of it.
johno
Guest
Will never happen. When finals come around suspensions go out the window. Exactly the same act as Sloane but player didn't bleed. Nothing else different, but the MRP would never suspend a played for a finals match if they can avoid it Case in point Luke Hodge last year only getting 2 weeks for his hit on Wingard. Should have been 3 - 4 weeks (Dawson got 3 weeks for his high hit this year) but the MRP looked at the calendar, saw finals coming up and suspended him for the least amount of matches to not impact finals. The MRP is broken and a joke.
Peppsy
Roar Guru
key word being dazed. no concussion test, no blood, no suspension
Momentbymoment
Guest
I'm not sure that suspending a Hawks player is part of the script this year.
Nev
Guest
Get back under your bridge -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Sammy
Guest
Why is there no mention of the mis timed spoil attempt by the gawthorn defender close to goal that hit the collingwood player in the head and dazed him. This is exactly the same action that saw sloane suspended for 2 weeks. The match review panel are duty bound to suspend the hawthorn player as they have now set a (unwanted) precedent. If i was the crows i would be making that point to mark evans and his motley crew in no uncertain terms
Don Freo
Guest
7 umpire assisted wins now. Very impressive by Buckley's boys. There would have been 7 sides hoping things would fall their way today and they would get to play the Hawks next week. The softest side in the 8.