HAWTHORN has one hand on a top-two finish after powering away from Geelong to win by 36-points in a high-octane clash at the MCG on Saturday night.
The Hawks led from start to finish and put their foot down in the third quarter, with star forward Cyril Rioli kicking six goals in the 19.7 (121) to 12.13 (85) win.
The result lifts the reigning premiers into second place on the ladder, where they will remain at the end of the round if ladder leader Fremantle beats West Coast in Sunday's Western Derby.
With matches against Port Adelaide, the Brisbane Lions and Carlton to finish the season, they are ideally placed to earn a home qualifying final, which could set up a fourth straight Grand Final appearance.
With their mojo back after four straight wins, the Cats certainly enjoyed periods of ascendency over the premiers, including a five-goal-to-one run either side of half-time that cut the margin to nine points.
But they were carrying five players with 25 games or less experience, and that became obvious late in the third quarter when Hawthorn made its decisive move.
The fast-paced match suited Rioli, who kicked an equal career-high six goals, including one of the highlights of the match when he blind turned out of a stoppage and snapped truly on his right foot.
He put the exclamation mark on the result with the last two goals of the game, including another masterful snap out of a stoppage.
Hawks captain Luke Hodge was outstanding for the victors, kicking three of his four goals in the first quarter and finishing with 24 possessions and five inside 50s.
Joel Selwood was inspiring for the Cats with 12 clearances and 25 possessions, while Cam Guthrie booted three goals and had 30 disposals, lifting when the Cats made their run either side of half-time to cut the margin to nine points.
Playing his 250th match, Steve Johnson took just four minutes to add to his bulging highlight reel, marking in the pocket and snapping Geelong's first goal around his body.
The Cats went with Hawthorn early, but it was a question of how long they could last in a shootout, with both teams given room to take the game on.
The Hawks looked to have broken the game open in a sublime 10-minute burst that saw Hodge kick a superb curling goal from the boundary line.
Their lead blew out to 31 points halfway through the second term, but Johnson lifted again with 11 possessions and 1.1 in the second quarter.
When Guthrie kicked a magnificent right-foot snap from the boundary line in traffic, the margin was cut to 14 points and the Cats entered the main break with momentum and a chance.
But experience and class told in the second half as the Hawks tuned up for what is ahead.
GEELONG 3.2 6.7 10.8 12.13 (85)
HAWTHORN 7.2 9.4 15.7 19.7 (121)
GOALS
Geelong: Guthrie 3, Hawkins 2, Johnson 2, Selwood, Lang, Cockatoo, Lang, Walker
Hawthorn: Rioli 6, Hodge 4, Breust 3, Roughead 2, Shiels, Gunston, Smith, Puopolo
BEST
Geelong: Guthrie, Selwood, Enright, Johnson, Hawkins, Lang
Hawthorn: Rioli, Hodge, Mitchell, Shiels, Breust, Birchall
INJURIES
Geelong: Tom Lonergan (illness) replaced in selected side by Jared Rivers, James Kelly (ankle)
Hawthorn: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: James Kelly (ankle) replaced by Nakia Cockatoo in the third quarter
Hawthorn: David Hale replaced by Daniel Howe in the fourth quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Rosebury, Hosking, Meredith
Official crowd: 55,802 at the MCG
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