Hawthorn has won 38 of their 80 quarters of footy this season. 

They’ve won the tenth most quarters of any side this year, which seems about right for their 12^th spot on the ladder. 

But, a look into the Hawks’ quarter breakdowns this year tells a much more interesting story. 

Hawthorn’s first halves have been relatively standard, they rank seventh for first quarters won and 11^th for second term success.

But second halves for Hawthorn have been somewhat of a roller coaster this season, they rate dead last for third quarter wins but sit fifth for finishing the game off strongly.

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Third quarters have been an issue for the Hawks all year, winning only six for the year (Round 5 vs West Coast, Round 8 vs Brisbane, Round 11 vs Port Adelaide, Round 14 vs Adelaide, Round 16 vs GWS and Round 18 vs Fremantle). 

With their first win of the season coming with the first third quarter win, the Hawks’ success or otherwise in a third quarter has been somewhat of a barometer for the final result. 

In the six matches where the Hawks have won the third term this season, they have lost only one of those games. 

Luckily, the worst third terms of the Hawks’ year are now a distant memory, with both coming in the first month and a half of the year (against Gold Coast in Round 3 10.2 to 3.4 and St Kilda Round 6 8.5 to 1.1).

After Round 6 loss to St Kilda, coach Alastair Clarkson was scathing of his side’s poor performances in what is known as the ‘premiership quarter’. 

Yet the third quarter woes only further highlight the Hawks’ impressive final quarter record.

Only the current top four sides, Adelaide (16), GWS (14), Richmond (13) and Geelong (13), have won more final quarters than the brown and gold (12).