The West Coast Eagles have come from behind at half-time to beat Hawthorn by 56 points at Subiaco Oval on Friday night.
A goalless third term to Hawthorn saw West Coast turn a four-point deficit into a 24-point margin at the last break.
Jade Rawlings’ miss on the final siren consigned his team to just the 18th scoreless half in the club’s 78-year history.
The 14.14 (98) to 5.12 (42) win lifts West Coast to second place, while it almost certainly puts an end to Hawthorn’s finals aspirations for this season.
But both teams will have anxious waits this week, with Hawk Ben Dixon reported for rough play on David Wirrpunda, his skipper, Shane Crawford finishing the game on the bench, and Andrew Embley leaving the ground in the last with a shoulder injury.
Embley was taken to hospital after the game with a suspected broken collarbone.
The Hawks had the clamps on West Coast’s midfield in the first half, but skipper Ben Cousins and Embley broke free in the third to give West Coast the drive they needed out of the middle.
Jade Rawlings and Nathan Thompson led the way for the visitors, but the home team’s class showed in the end.
Both teams came into the game without their main ruckmen and Hawks captain Crawford in doubt until the last minute with a back complaint.
Both teams were intent on showing some physical presence early on and it didn’t end there – pressure, either real or implied, affected play all night.
Both teams went in hard, and the skill errors increased with the pressure as both teams coughed the ball up time after time.
West Coast got off to a good start with veteran Drew Banfield slotting one home after just two minutes, and Phil Matera then got one nine minutes later after a free.
Michael Collica’s good work setup the next, getting the ball to Adam Hunter who handballed it to David Haynes for West Coast’s third.
It took until time-on before the Hawks finally got a major, but once they got a taste for it they rolled on, getting another two for the term, including Nathan Thompson’s after the siren.
The Hawks continued on after the break, with Nathan Lonie gratefully accepting a pinpoint pass from Daniel Chick before wheeling onto his left and nailing it from 50 metres.
Ben Cousins then showed a little magic, getting a Hawks kick-in at the 50, baulking a couple of players and drilling it from 40.
Andrew Embley goaled at the ninth minute and Angelo Lekkas replied at the 12th, but that was it for the term.
Dean Cox then slotted a terrific goal after Ashley Sampi threaded a pass backwards to the 45, and Sampi and Daniel Chick knocked another couple of nails into the Hawks’ coffin.
West Coast then kicked five in the last to finish the Hawks off.
WEST COAST 3.1 5.4 9.10 14.14 (98)
HAWTHORN 3.2 5.8 5.10 5.12 (42)
Goals: West Coast: B Staker 2 G Jakovich 2 B Cousins, A Embley, C Judd, D Cox, A McDougall, D Haynes, D Banfield, P Matera, A Sampi, D Chick
Hawthorn: A Lekkas, J Rawlings, N Lonie, N Thompson, M Williams
Best: West Coast: B Cousins, A Embley, D Wirrpunda, R Jones, D Kerr, D Cox
Hawthorn: A Lekkas, J Rawlings, S Mitchell, R Tallis.
Injuries: West Coast: Embley (collarbone)
Hawthorn: Crawford (back)
Reports: Dixon (Hawthorn) reported by umpire McLaren for unduly rough play on David Wirrpunda (West Coast) in the third quarter.
Umpires: B Sheehan S McLaren C Rowe.
Crowd: 40,127 at Subiaco Oval.
