Alastair Clarkson's Hawthorn team irrefutably stamped itself as one of the greatest sides in VFL/AFL history on this day in 2015.

The Hawks clinched its third consecutive premiership with a commanding 46-point win over West Coast in the hottest Grand Final on record.

The victory made Clarkson's 2013-15 Hawks just the fifth club to win three flags in a row, joining Carlton (1906-08), Collingwood (1927-30), Melbourne (1939-41 and 1955-57) and the Brisbane Lions (2001-03).

Clarkson is also now the Hawks' most successful coach, with Saturday's win his fourth premiership triumph (2008, 2013-15) and taking him past the three flags won by John Kennedy snr (1971, 1976, 1978) and Allan Jeans (1983, 1986, 1989).

Just three weeks after West Coast humbled them in the qualifying final, the Hawks turned the tables, rediscovering their trademark mix of 'unsociable' pressure and clinical ball movement that had deserted them at Domain Stadium three weeks ago.

The Hawks set their win up with a commanding first half when they regularly got over the back of Adam Simpson's vaunted 'web' defence to find open targets inside their forward 50.

They also forced West Coast into uncharacteristic mistakes with their relentless defensive intensity, while they were as accurate in front of goal as the Eagles were wasteful.

Cyril Rioli was the star, providing much of the spark on Hawthorn' s forward line, particularly in the first half. He finished two goals, four goal assists and 12 marks and was an extremely popular winner of the Norm Smith Medal.

Seventeen Hawks played in all three of the 2013-15 flags – Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell, Jarryd Roughead, Cyril Rioli, Jordan Lewis, Grant Birchall, Shaun Burgoyne, Josh Gibson, Brian Lake, Ben Stratton, Isaac Smith, Luke Breust, Paul Puopolo, David Hale, Liam Shiels, Jack Gunston and Bradley Hill.

Hodge, Mitchell, Roughead, Rioli, Lewis and Birchall have played in all four flags in the Clarkson era, while Burgoyne is also now a four-time premiership player, having played in Port's 2004 Grand Final win.

Grand Final Moments Countdown:

20. Schoey tastes success 
19. When Brian met Norm
18. Kennedy hands over to Clarkson
17. Cyril’s 2008 tackling rampage
16. The 4X club
15. Roughead relief
14. Langford laps it up
13. 2013 goes down to the wire
12. Hodge’s half time speech
11. The people’s champ
10. Isaac Smith's 2013 goal
9. A Brian Lake special
8. Max Bailey makes the podium
7. Luke Hodge slots one for the ages
6. Roughead v Hannebery
5. Stuart Dew destroys Geelong
4. Hodge kisses Franklin
3. That tackle - Cyril
2. “That’s what I’m talking about”
1. Three-peat