HAWTHORN has sealed a top-four spot with a thrilling nine-point win over Sydney at the SCG, with the two fierce rivals involved in another classic encounter.
As expected superstar forward Lance Franklin was a late withdrawal from the match with a groin injury, but the home side was dealt a double blow when Luke Parker was also ruled out with the same issue.
The Swans led for most of the night but the visitors came back from 12 points down early in the final term and booted five goals to two for the quarter, including the last three, to prevail 12.11 (83) to 10.14 (74).
The result means Hawthorn will play either Richmond or Collingwood in a blockbuster qualifying final at the MCG, while Sydney will host an elimination final against either crosstown rivals Greater Western Sydney or Geelong.
Ruckman Ben McEvoy was an enormous presence for the Hawks, while Liam Shiels (26 possessions and seven clearances) was an influential midfielder and won his entertaining duel with Swans captain Josh Kennedy, and Paul Puopolo kicked three crucial goals.
Youngsters James Worpel and Harry Morrison had some important moments, as did the evergreen Shaun Burgoyne.
Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson praised his experienced players for getting themselves back in the game and said his side were much better in the clinches after half-time.
"We were down and out in the first and Sydney outplayed us in a lot of areas of the game and that's why you need the (Ben) Strattons and the (Jack) Gunstons and the (Jarryd) Rougheads to keep composed," he said.
"That's what I said to the players at half-time. The game would turn but we needed to get our contested work going in the second half to be any chance against Sydney because that's their greatest strength and always has been.
"They left us in their wake in the first half and we were able to turn it around in the second half."
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George Hewett did a fantastic job in limiting the effectiveness of Brownlow Medal favourite Tom Mitchell (24 disposals) and gathered 24 touches himself, 18 of those contested, to go with a game-high 12 clearances and six tackles.
Dane Rampe, Harry Cunningham and Jake Lloyd were other good contributors for the Swans.
Sydney coach John Longmire was pleased with his side's effort despite the result.
"I think we played some pretty good footy to be honest, I thought we had a real go," he said.
"We gave ourselves a chance to win it, regardless of personnel being in or out.
"We made a couple of errors in the last quarter and got a couple of things wrong at important times, we didn't kick as accurately as we should have, so with those things all rolled into one, we sit here as losers."
Just as he did earlier in the season Hewett went to Mitchell at the opening bounce but he wasn't the only Swan to get a job against the Hawks.
Cunningham had a role on fellow speedster Isaac Smith, while the unheralded Dan Robinson played as a defensive forward on Ben Stratton.
It took over 10 minutes of play for Sydney to kick the first goal of the match through Isaac Heeney, and while Tom Papley added a second, the Hawks answered with a couple of their own to lead by a solitary point at quarter-time.
The Swans blew a couple of early chances in the second term but they finally took advantage of their momentum and reeled off four in a row, the last a gem on the run from outside 50 to skipper Josh Kennedy that put the home side 26 points up.
The Swans turned for home six points clear and Tom McCartin doubled the advantage early in the final term, but Puopolo hit straight back with a brilliant grubber from deep in the right forward pocket, and skipper Jarryd Roughead levelled the scores with a clutch set shot less than two minutes later.
Callum Sinclair steadied the Swans and put them up by seven points but misses to Oliver Florent and Kieren Jack proved costly for the home side, when Harry Morrison and Ricky Henderson slotted two in a row to take back the lead.
The Hawks then sealed the win after they caused a turnover across their own half forward line, and the experienced Roughead drilled a long pass to Breust who marked in the goalsquare, and made no mistake from point-blank range.
MEDICAL ROOM
Sydney: Dan Hannebery copped a corked thigh in the second half but played out the match.
Hawthorn: The Hawks got through the last game of the season without any worries.
NEXT UP
The Hawks have locked in a double chance and will be at the MCG in week one against either Richmond or Collingwood. Sydney will host an elimination final against either GWS or Geelong.
SYDNEY 2.3 6.7 8.8 10.14 (74)
HAWTHORN 2.4 3.6 7.8 12.11 (83)
GOALS
Sydney: Heeney 2, Papley 2, McCartin, Jack, Kennedy, Florent, Cunningham, Sinclair
Hawthorn: Puopolo 3, Gunston 2, Henderson 2, Schoenmakers, Worpel, Breust, Roughead, Morrison
BEST
Sydney: Heeney, Lloyd, Grundy, Hewett, Kennedy, Rampe
Hawthorn: Impey, Worpel, McEvoy, Morrison, Shiels, Burgoyne
INJURIES
Sydney: Hannebery (corked thigh)
Hawthorn: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Chamberlain, Meredith, Harris
Official crowd: 39,660 at the SCG
