• Nine things we learned from round 15

UP UNTIL 3.20pm on Sunday, Hawthorn was the premiership favourite on reputation. By 6pm, the Hawks were the flag favourites based on their deeds.

In what was easily their most complete performance of the season, the Hawks dismantled Fremantle to win by 72 points. It had been touted as the Grand Final preview, and with eight weeks still left of the home and away season, it might still be.

But right now, Swans-Hawks next week, Swans-Eagles the next week or Eagles-Hawks in about a month might be the more likely guide to what we might see on the first Saturday in October.

• After the siren: Are the Eagles big birds or prey?

Punches landed

Hawthorn
Where to start? The Hawks played the mercurial Nat Fyfe as well as anyone this season, with skipper Luke Hodge matching the Freo superstar for smarts and physicality. Ben McEvoy conceded the hit-outs to Aaron Sandilands 45-24 but beat him handily around the ground in what was his best game for Hawthorn. It was brilliant coaching from Alastair Clarkson to include McEvoy – the Hawk coach knows exactly when to select him. And the backline was outstanding – Hayden Ballantyne and Michael Walters were virtually non-factors. Pretty much every Hawthorn player made a significant contribution and it was clear the Hawks were up for this one from the get-go. Despite 120 more possessions, they still laid 25 more tackles. Remarkable. 

Fremantle
Not too many. Matthew Pavlich has been down on form, but had 19 touches. Michael Barlow and David Mundy had a few touches and Tendai Mzungu made the most of his late inclusion and had 15 touches. Not sure whether Ross Lyon dissects this match forensically or trashes every copy of it and starts afresh.

• Five talking points: Hawthorn v Fremantle

Technical weaknesses

Hawthorn

Very few for the Hawks. Some goalkicking late was a bit tardy and Cyril Rioli seems to be on a year-long unsuccessful quest to win the mark of the year. He came awfully close in the first term and punched the ground in frustration when he couldn't hang on, but to criticise him further would be to harp. Sam Mitchell's clash with Nat Fyfe will be looked at and the Hawk champ might want to be a touch more judicious from here on in.

Fremantle
Ross Lyon's teams are renowned for being tough to score against, but the Hawks picked their way through the Fremantle backline with ease. And their scoring has fallen away drastically. They averaged 71 points a game the last four weeks, but their score of 6.7 (43) on Sunday was really poor. That sort of return will have them bundled out of the finals in straight sets once again. 

It's round 15, in Tassie. What do they take away from this?

Hawthorn
That's six straight wins for the Hawks and they are now well entrenched in the top four, a game and a heap of percentage clear of Richmond in fifth. But they still have their work cut out for a top-two finish given their 4-4 start to the year. Hawthorn's sponsorship deal with the Tasmanian government might not be the most lucrative in the AFL but it has delivered what is now the most pronounced home ground advantage in the competition. That's 14 straight wins for the Hawks at Aurora Stadium and they have the Brisbane Lions still to come there in round 22. 

Fremantle
Mitchell's dominance (39 possessions) on Sunday poses this question: If the two teams were to meet again in either the preliminary or Grand Final, does Ryan Crowley come into the selection frame? He would have completed his 12-month suspension for taking a banned substance by then and he is the one player in Lyon's arsenal who can play on Mitchell. It would be a massive gamble, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

The Hawks will win the flag if ...

They finish in the top two. Wins over the Swans and Eagles in the next month (both away) should get them there and who would bet against them if they don't need to leave the MCG during the finals to get a third flag in a row? As it is, they're good enough to win a qualifying final outside Victoria if that's their fate. The Dockers are off the boil, no question, but Sunday's performance was the best indication yet that the Hawks are well-placed for the three-peat. 

The Dockers will win the flag if...

They don't have to play the Hawks at the MCG, where they have an 0-3 record against the premiers. Freo needs to find a way to kick 100 points against the Hawks because that's the base requirement to beat them these days, but also against West Coast, the Sydney Swans and possibly even (dare we suggest it) Richmond, the Dockers need to kick more goals.

• Fantasy form watch: Round 15's Pig, Presti and Junior Swine
• How did your club's players fare in this week's state leagues?