FROM 0-5 to still alive.

Hawthorn’s recovery from a winless first five rounds has been one of the stories of the season.

The Hawks rose to inside the top eight for the first time since 2022 on Sunday after leaping over Carlton on percentage.

Now Sam Mitchell's side holds its destiny in its own hands. Beat Richmond on Sunday then North Melbourne in Launceston and they play finals.

Only two other teams in VFL/AFL history have recovered from 0-5 to play in September. Sydney did it in 2017, after Collingwood recovered from a slow start in 1959.

Here are eight reasons why the Hawks are in the eight:

Trade Period winners 
Hawthorn missed its priority targets last October, but have proven to be the real winners of the 2023 trade period. Ben McKay, Liam Henry and Esava Ratugolea opted to play elsewhere, but Mark McKenzie's ability to execute deals for Jack Ginnivan, Massimo D'Ambrosio, Mabior Chol and Jack Gunston have helped improve the Hawks this year. D'Ambrosio was the final deal done on deadline day, costing just pick No. 61 and a future fourth-round selection for a player who has established himself as one of the premier wingmen in the AFL this year. He is one of the most improved players in the competition and in the mix for a maiden All-Australian blazer. Ginnivan has been one of the recruits of the year since being cast aside by Collingwood weeks after becoming a premiership player, after they made a move for Lachie Schultz. Chol has kicked 32 goals to emulate the form he reached in 2022 at Gold Coast, while Gunston has proven as valuable to others as he has been on the scoreboard. Hawthorn's ability to improve these players has made it a more appealing destination for wantaway guns for hire like Tom Barrass, Josh Battle and Harry Perryman.

TRADE HUB All the latest player movement news

Rise of Meek 
Lloyd Meek moved from Fremantle to be the No. 1 ruckman at Hawthorn in 2023, but he couldn't dethrone Ned Reeves, who produced a career-best season last year. However, since getting the spot for the Easter Monday blockbuster against Geelong, Meek has been one of the most improved ruckmen in the AFL. Only Adelaide's Reilly O'Brien (12.5) averages more hit-outs to advantage than Meek (10.5) and only O'Brien (43.1) and Jarrod Witts (37.6) average more hit-outs per game. Hawthorn's midfield has walked taller with the former Docker patrolling the ruck this year. With Will Day, Jai Newcombe, James Worpel and Conor Nash in there, Hawthorn has a tough, uncompromising midfield that is only getting better.

Back in business
Will Day hasn't been able to emulate the breakout season he produced in 2023 when he won his first Peter Crimmins Medal due to a stress fracture in his foot during the pre-season, but since returning to the side in round seven, the South Australian has been the most influential player at the club, showing why he could become one of the best players in the AFL within the next 24 months. The 23-year-old has dominated games, improved Hawthorn's transition game and demonstrated that he can be the next captain after James Sicily when the time is right. Day was made for the September stage and will improve again in 2025 when he gets another full pre-season under his belt.

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From delisted to All-Australian?
Dylan Moore's story is well known by now. He famously saved his AFL career in the space of two hours in front of just 2000 people in September 2020. Since then, he has become a reliable force for Hawthorn, but this season is next level. The former rookie is now in the frame for his first All-Australian blazer. Adelaide star Izak Rankine is the only general forward rated higher by Champion Data. Only five players in the AFL have averaged more than 20 disposals and a goal per game: Marcus Bontempelli, Jason Horne-Francis, Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner and Moore. Fair company. Moore is rated elite for disposals, effective disposals, score involvements, inside 50s and goal assists. 

TikTok forwards lighting it up
Hawthorn’s rise from seven wins to 12 (at the end of round 22) this year has been even more impressive due to the absence of key focal point Mitch Lewis. The key forward played the first three games of the season and didn't play again until round 17 due to lingering knee cartilage issues. Lewis didn't make it through his comeback game, rupturing his ACL against Geelong at GMHBA Stadium. Mabior Chol has exceeded expectations in Lewis' absence. They were supposed to play together. Instead, Chol has carried the load inside 50. Not only is he up to 32 goals for the season after managing only eight appearances last year in Queensland, Chol is also rated No. 4 for tackles inside 50. Only Paul Curtis (34), Ben Long (33) and Sam Switkowski (33) have laid more than Chol's 32. Hawthorn traded a future second-round pick for Chol and got pick No. 62 back. So far, so good. Imagine when Lewis is up and running. Father-son recruit Calsher Dear has well and truly exceeded expectations in his debut season, playing 13 games since making his debut in round eight and kicking multiple goals on six occasions.

Rock solid defence
When you have Jack Ginnivan and Nick Watson buzzing around the forward half, kicking mercurial goals and producing made-for-TikTok celebrations, it is not hard to see why the backline hasn't drawn the same level of praise. But they should. Since the round five disaster on the Gold Coast, Hawthorn is ranked No. 1 for points against. No team has conceded fewer points in the AFL. Only twice since then have they conceded 100 points. Sam Frost has exceeded expectations in the absence of James Blanck, producing the best season of his career to date. Jack Scrimshaw has also stepped up to play on key forwards and significantly improved his intercept game. James Sicily has overcome the two shoulder dislocations that have prevented him from reaching his All-Australian best, but the skipper has still made a massive impact down back. Josh Weddle is a star of the future. He kicked three goals from defence last week and continues to show why Hawthorn made the draft night move for him in 2022. Blake Hardwick and Karl Amon are as reliable as they come, delivering every week in a variety of different roles, while Jarman Impey could be on the podium right now in the Peter Crimmins Medal.

Big game wins
Despite not playing a final since 2018 and a lack of finals experience – only ten of Sunday's 23 have played in September – big games don't frighten this group. Hawthorn absorbed the setting of Dustin Martin’s 300th game and motored away to a 48-point win in front of 92,311 in June. Then they annihilated Collingwood by 66 points in round 19 with 74,171 in the house at the MCG. Sunday was a mini elimination final for the Hawks and they delivered, replacing Carlton in the eight on percentage by smashing the Blues by 74 points. The crowd of 84,773 halved at three-quarter time when the home supporters led a mass exodus out of the ground. The stakes rise next month, but the experiences of those three blockbusters against traditional powerhouses should help Sam Mitchell's men. 

Health is wealth
High performance departments are in focus this week due to the injury crisis at Carlton. The Blues have just announced veteran fitness boss Andrew Russell will depart at the end of the season after 26 years in the AFL, including the famous stint at Hawthorn. The Hawks have enjoyed one of the cleanest bills of health in the league this year, under the guidance of Peter Burge, who arrived at the Hawks at the end of 2022 after three flags at Richmond, as well as with veteran physio Andrew Lambart steering the medical team. Changkuoth Jiath has been plagued by soft tissue injuries in the past but has overcome the setbacks this year to play 11 straight games before last weekend, earning a three-year contract extension in the process. Only Brisbane (11) has had more players feature in every game than Hawthorn (10).