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Hawthorn 7.1 10.6 11.10 14.11 (95)
West Coast 1.3 4.4 5.7 10.10 (70)
 
Goals: Hawthorn - Franklin 4, Gunston 3, Breust, Burgoyne, Hale, Hodge, Puopolo, Rioli, Smith
West Coast - Darling 3, McGinnity 2, Schofield 2, Gaff, Hill, Waters
 
Best: Hawthorn - Birchall, Mitchell, Franklin, Sewell, Hodge, Suckling, Gunston
West Coast - Scott Selwood, Darling, Waters, Shuey, Masten, Cox, Schofield
 
Crowd: 50,023 at the MCG

The Hawks sewed up top spot on the ladder and the McClelland Trophy as 2012’s minor premiers for season 2012 with a hard-fought win over West Coast at the MCG on Friday night.

The much anticipated clash that had finals repercussions for both sides drew a big crowd, and the contest certainly didn’t disappoint.

Hawthorn’s slow starts were a faint memory in the opening term, putting a sluggish month of being jumped in the opening quarter behind them. From the first bounce, the Hawks’ attack on the ball and the man was ferocious, and kicking skills exemplary.

The Eagles were unable to shut down the Hawks’ run, with the leg speed of Isaac Smith and Matt Suckling telling, and the ball use of all players allowed them to out-spread the Eagles. 60 uncontested possessions to 49 was the result, along with seven marks inside forward 50.

Hawthorn’s dominance in the middle, including nine clearances to six enabled the forwards to find space inside the arc. Lance Franklin was the beneficiary, as Darren Glass couldn’t keep the Hawks’ spearhead on a tight leash.

Franklin was as accurate and selfless and he was damaging, booting three opening quarter goals and dishing one off to his skipper. He finished the match as the most influential forward on the ground, with four goals, three goal assists and 14 disposals.

After quarter time, the Eagles asserted their authority on the match, controlling the football, but failed to put the score on the board. After quarter time, the clearances evened up, (32,30), but Hawthorn’s defensive group and pressure on the Eagles’ midfield was telling.

The Eagles couldn’t take advantage of their three-pronged forward set up, with Jack Darling the only West Coast tall to impact the scoreboard. He booted three goals, while Josh Kennedy and resting ruckmen Nic Naitanui and Dean Cox didn’t have a great impact on the match.

Importantly too, to note is that the Eagles managed just seven marks inside their forwards 50, compared to Hawthorn’s 12. Compare that with the 16 marks they took inside the arc in Round 22 against Collingwood.

The Hawks were outscored, nine goals to seven after quarter time on the back of West Coast’s ability to tighten up on the defensive end. At the end of the match, Hawthorn’s disposal efficiency dropped to 72.1 per cent, down from 81.3 after the first quarter.

It was a credit to the Eagles and their ability to out tackle Hawthorn, 74-60.

The way the Hawks were able to seal a 25-point victory in the end though, was the ability to restrict the Eagles’ play makers ability to win the ball. Daniel Kerr (21 disposals) and Andrew Gaff (15) had little impact, while Luke Shuey’s efficiency was donw at 67 per cent.

Compare those numbers with the Hawthorn’s Grant Birchall (29 disposals), Sam Mitchell (28), Brad Sewell (26) and Matt Suckling (24), key play makers for the Hawks who all had an impact on the contest.

What Alastair Clarkson said: We've had two high-quality preparation games for finals. We've played two great sides, two sides that we'd hadn't been able to get over the line (against) early in the season.

"Both West Coast and Sydney had defeated us in the earlier games, and it was a finals-type intensity with lots of pressure, great tackling by both sides tonight. It was a fierce contest.”