Hawthorn will start their tough stretch to the AFL finals atop the ladder after a powerhouse 62-point win over Western Bulldogs.
In an increasingly tight finals race at both ends of the eight, the minor premiership and bottom finals placings could be decided by percentage.
It’s on percentage alone the Hawks are back on top of the ladder, ahead of Sydney, Geelong and Fremantle – all winners in an AFL round that went mainly to form.
It’s been nine years since a minor premier failed to feature in the grand final, and as winners of the past two, Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson has a singular focus for a difficult final month.
“All we can control is what we can do well, and that’s play to our game style,” he said.
“Whatever happens with the other sides, they’ll need to look after that rather than us.”
With the toughest run-in of any finals aspirant, the Hawks will value every win and percentage point.
After a straight-forward assignment against Melbourne next week, the Hawks must travel for a rematch of the 2014 grand final against Fremantle at Patersons Stadium.
Alastair Clarkson’s men then face bogey side Geelong and Collingwood, who are likely to have their season on the line, with back-to-back six-day breaks upping the degree of difficulty for the premiers.
Clarkson knows he must improve his side’s ball use over the next month if top spot is to be theirs.
“We weren’t really impressed with the way we moved the ball… but you can’t be too disappointed with a 10-goal win against a really dangerous opponent.”
At the other end of the eight, it was Collingwood that reclaimed eighth spot with a fighting win over Port Adelaide.
The Magpies responded to a tough challenge from the impressive Power, with captain Scott Pendlebury declaring himself proud of his side’s effort.
Collingwood won the clearances, tackles and contested possession count – which the Magpie skipper said was a key goal.
“That was one of our focuses going in… Port Adelaide are really strong in those areas so to knock that side off is a credit to the boys,” Pendlebury said.
After Port Adelaide (12 wins) in fifth, the bottom half of the eight remains wide open, with North Melbourne, Essendon, Collingwood and Gold Coast all with 10-8 records and split by percentage alone.
At the bottom of the table, Brisbane moved themselves out of wooden spoon calculations with a win over an abominable Melbourne.
The Demons are wedged between St Kilda (18th) and GWS Giants (16th) in a three-way battle to avoid last place.
A round-21 match between themselves and the Giants could determine the fate of last place – and the coveted number-one draft pick.
THE RUN HOME FOR THE AFL TEAMS STILL IN CONTENTION FOR A FINALS BERTH AFTER ROUND 19:
1. HAWTHORN (56 points) – Melbourne (MCG), Fremantle (PS), Geelong (MCG), Collingwood (MCG)
2. SYDNEY (56) – Port Adelaide (AO), St Kilda (SCG), Western Bulldogs (ES), Richmond (ANZ)
3. GEELONG (56) – Fremantle (SS), Carlton (ES), Hawthorn (MCG), Brisbane (SS)
4. FREMANTLE (52) – Geelong (SS), Hawthorn (PS), Brisbane (G), Port Adelaide (PS)
5. PORT ADELAIDE (48) – Sydney (AO), Gold Coast (MS), Carlton (AO), Fremantle (PS)
6. NORTH MELBOURNE (40) – GWS (SO), Western Bulldogs (ES), Adelaide (BA), Melbourne (ES)
7. ESSENDON (40) – Richmond (MCG), West Coast (ES), Gold Coast (ES), Carlton (MCG)
8. COLLINGWOOD (40) – West Coast (PS), Brisbane (MCG), GWS (SPO), Hawthorn (MCG)
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9. GOLD COAST (40) – Carlton (ES), Port Adelaide (MS), Essendon (ES), West Coast (MS)
10. ADELAIDE (36) – Brisbane (G), Richmond (AO), North Melbourne (BA), St Kilda (AO)
11. WEST COAST (32) – Collingwood (PS), Essendon (ES), Melbourne (PS), Gold Coast (MS)
12. RICHMOND (32) – Essendon (MCG), Adelaide (AO), St Kilda (MCG), Sydney (ANZ)
Round 19 results
FREMANTLE 5.1 6.5 8.7 12.11 (83)
CARLTON 4.2 4.6 8.11 11.12 (78)
Goals: Fremantle: H Ballantyne 3 M Barlow 2 N Fyfe 2 D Mundy L Neale L Spurr R Crowley S Hill. Carlton: J Waite 3 M Murphy 2 C Judd D Ellard K Simpson L Casboult N Graham S Rowe.
Best: Fremantle: N Fyfe M Barlow A Sandilands H Ballantyne P Duffield. Carlton: K Simpson D Thomas C Judd E Curnow C Yarran.
Injuries: Fremantle: M Pavlich (concussion) T Mzungu (hamstring). Carlton: C Judd (ankle).
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Matt Stevic, Jeff Dalgleish, Leigh Fisher.
Official Crowd: 35,401 at Patersons Stadium.
SYDNEY 5.3 7.8 9.8 11.13 (79)
ESSENDON 1.1 3.4 6.6 8.9 (57)
Goals: Sydney: A Goodes 2 B McGlynn 2 K Tippett 2 G Rohan J Kennedy J McVeigh M Pyke S Reid. Essendon: P Ryder 2 B Howlett D Heppell D Myers J Carlisle M Hurley P Ambrose.
Best: Sydney: L Parker H Grundy J Kennedy N Malceski A Goodes T Richards. Essendon: M Hurley C Hooker D Heppell Z Merrett D Zaharakis P Chapman.
Injuries: Sydney: L Jetta (cork) S Reid (hip) L Franklin (knee) replaced in selected side by T Membrey. Essendon: Nil.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Troy Pannell, Robert Findlay, Ray Chamberlain.
Official Crowd: 36,804 at SCG.
WEST COAST 5.5 10.8 14.11 20.16 (136)
ADELAIDE 6.0 9.2 15.7 16.9 (105)
Goals: West Coast: J Kennedy 5 A Gaff 3 J Darling 3 J Cripps 2 X Ellis 2 E MacKenzie M Hutchings M LeCras S Hurn S Lycett. Adelaide: T Walker 4 E Betts 3 J Jenkins 3 B Crouch 2 B Martin M Wright P Dangerfield R Sloane.
Best: West Coast: A Gaff J Kennedy M Priddis L Shuey S Hurn C Masten J Darling. Adelaide: B Crouch T Walker R Sloane S Thompson S Jacobs E Betts.
Injuries: West Coast: Nil. Adelaide: D Talia (concussion) J Podsiadly (broken nose).
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Shane McInerney, Andrew Mitchell, Craig Fleer.
Official Crowd: 49,470 at Adelaide Oval.
RICHMOND 3.2 8.5 10.10 13.11 (89)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 2.3 2.7 6.10 8.14 (62)
Goals: Richmond: B Deledio 2 D Martin 2 R Petterd 2 B Ellis B Griffiths B Houli J Riewoldt M Thomas S Edwards T Cotchin. Greater Western Sydney: J Patton 2 T Boyd 2 A Treloar C Ward R Palmer W Hoskin-Elliott.
Best: Richmond: B Deledio T Cotchin N Foley A Rance B Ellis. Greater Western Sydney: C Ward P Davis A Treloar T Greene W Hoskin-Elliott.
Injuries: Richmond: Nil. Greater Western Sydney: J Hunt (hip flexor).
Reports: Richmond: R Conca (Richmond) for striking D Smith (GWS) in the second quarter. Greater Western Sydney: Nil.
Umpires: Jacob Mollison, Sam Hay, Nicholas Foot.
Official Crowd: 23,093 at MCG.
GOLD COAST 2.5 5.7 11.12 17.15 (117)
ST KILDA 1.3 4.6 7.9 9.10 (64)
Goals: Gold Coast: T Lynch 4 A Sexton 2 H Bennell 2 D Stanley D Swallow J Lonergan J Martin J O’Meara M Rischitelli M Shaw S Day T McKenzie. St Kilda: J Bruce 3 R Stanley 2 D Armitage J Billings N Riewoldt T Curren.
Best: Gold Coast: D Prestia T Lynch H Bennell J O’Meara S May M Shaw. St Kilda: L Hayes D Armitage J Bruce J Newnes J Billings.
Injuries: Nil.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Ben Ryan, Jason Armstrong, Andrew Stephens.
Official Crowd: 12,027 at Metricon Stadium.
GEELONG 2.6 8.8 11.12 16.15 (111)
NORTH MELBOURNE 2.7 3.10 8.14 10.19 (79)
Goals: Geelong: M Duncan 3 T Hawkins 3 J Caddy 2 S Motlop 2 A Christensen H Taylor J Bartel J Selwood S Kersten T Lonergan. North Melbourne: L Thomas 3 A Black 2 B Harvey D Petrie L Greenwood M Daw N Dal Santo.
Best: Geelong: A Christensen J Selwood M Duncan J Caddy S Motlop T Lonergan M Stokes J Bartel. North Melbourne: T Goldstein L Greenwood J Ziebell R Bastinac S Gibson N Dal Santo.
Injuries: Geelong: H McIntosh (ankle) replaced in selected side by D Simpson. North Melbourne: Nil.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Brett Rosebury, Luke Farmer, Jordan Bannister.
Official Crowd: 32,564 at Etihad Stadium.
BRISBANE LIONS 3.3 4.3 5.6 11.8 (74)
MELBOURNE 3.3 4.8 5.13 6.15 (51)
Goals: Brisbane Lions: D McStay 3 M Close 2 C Beams D Merrett J Adcock L Taylor P Hanley R Harwood. Melbourne: D Kent 2 D Tyson J Frawley N Jones R Bail.
Best: Brisbane Lions: T Rockliff R Bewick S Martin D McStay S Mayes J Adcock P Hanley. Melbourne: N Jones D Tyson J Viney D Terlich J Frawley D Kent.
Injuries: Brisbane Lions: Nil. Melbourne: C Pedersen (nose) L Tapscott (knee).
Reports: Brisbane Lions: D Merrett (Brisbane Lions) reported for rough conduct on C Pedersen (Melbourne) in the third quarter. Melbourne: Nil.
Umpires: Chris Donlon, David Harris, Robert O’Gorman.
Official Crowd: 18,079 at Etihad Stadium.
HAWTHORN 5.2 7.6 11.7 16.11 (107)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 2.1 2.5 5.7 6.9 (45)
Goals: Hawthorn: J Roughead 6 J Gunston 3 J Lewis 2 B McEvoy D Hale J Simpkin L Breust T Duryea. Western Bulldogs: T Campbell 2 J Stringer L Dahlhaus S Crameri S Higgins.
Best: Hawthorn: L Shiels J Roughead M Suckling G Birchall W Langford. Western Bulldogs: R Murphy R Griffen T Liberatore J Macrae W Minson.
Injuries: Hawthorn: J Gunston (ankle/shin) S Mitchell (flu) replaced in selected side by W Langford, I Smith (calf) replaced in selected side by T Duryea. Western Bulldogs: Nil.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Justin Schmitt, Brendan Hosking, Tristan Burgess.
Official Crowd: 14,187 at Aurora Stadium.
COLLINGWOOD 2.3 6.6 9.7 11.10 (76)
PORT ADELAIDE 1.0 5.7 8.8 10.10 (70)
Goals: Collingwood: T Cloke 3 S Sidebottom 2 T Broomhead 2 D Beams J Blair J Elliott S Dwyer. Port Adelaide: H Hartlett 4 A Monfries A Moore C Wingard J Schulz R Gray T Boak.
Best: Collingwood: D Beams S Sidebottom S Pendlebury J Blair T Cloke T Adams L Keefe T Langdon. Port Adelaide: H Hartlett Brad Ebert K Cornes J Westhoff O Wines.
Umpires: Scott Jeffery, Mathew Nicholls, Dean Margetts.
Official Crowd: 32,804 at MCG.
LEADING GOALKICKERS
53: J Schulz (Pt Adel) 1
51: T Hawkins (Geelong) 3
50: J Roughead (Hawthorn) 6, L Franklin (Sydney) 0
46: L Breust (Hawthorn) 1, J Riewoldt (Richmond) 1
44: J Gunston (Hawthorn) 3
43: N Riewoldt (St Kilda) 1, J Kennedy (West Coast) 5
41: H Ballantyne (Fremantle) 3
