Hawthorn’s ‘Sensational Seven’ save the season in do-or-die battle with GWS

Within 48 hours of Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell pitching a fresh start to him during a mid-season meeting in Perth, the then West Coast defender had made up his mind to pursue a trade to the Hawks.

On Saturday evening, Mitchell was counting his lucky stars that the pitch worked after Barrass was one of the best on ground in a cutthroat elimination final win over GWS.

The Hawks identified a need to bolster their backline last year and recruited the former Eagle – along with former St Kilda defender Josh Battle – for exactly these moments.

The Giants logged 40 inside 50s in the first half alone at ENGIE Stadium, on their way to 72 for the game – well above the AFL average of 51.6.

But Barrass and the Hawks’ backline simply wouldn’t be denied.

Some passionate fans took to social media afterwards to dub it ‘The Great Wall of Hawthorn’.

“Tom Barrass, I mean it was a big move to get him into the club,” Mitchell said post-game.

“Especially that first half but really the whole game, he kind of showed why in terms of how well he was running the game but also just winning some of those one-on-one match-ups.

“The thing about him is if you can force pressure up the field then he’s going to be in his element and I thought the midfield pressure was really strong.

“I thought the whole defence stood up enormously well. If you went through all seven of the guys that played in the back half today, you could. They all had great moments.”

The Giants dominated the opening 13 minutes of the game, registering 12 of the first 13 inside-50s.

The problem was, they had just 0.2 (2) on the scoreboard to show for it as they were unable to penetrate the Hawks’ back-six.

There was a 19-minute window between the 19-minute mark of the third quarter and the two-minute mark of the final term where the Orange Tsunami got going and the Giants kicked seven unanswered goals as the Hawks tired and their pressure dropped off.

Outside of that patch, GWS was held to six goals for the rest of the game.

Barrass showed great resolve and composure – aside from dropping a sitter during the last quarter – and kept Jesse Hogan quiet for most of the match, while Battle held Aaron Cadman goalless.

But it wasn’t just the two recruits who stepped up.

He’s twice finished runner-up in Hawthorn’s best and fairest count, but outside the four walls Blake Hardwick remains perennially underrated.

Hardwick spent time on goalless Giants captain Toby Greene, before having some huge moments in the last quarter.

There was a run-down tackle on Toby Bedford on the wing and a one-on-one mark against the same opponent seconds later.

There were also some big groundball wins in defensive 50, including a basketball-like steal of the footy from Harvey Thomas.

Sicily patrolled the defensive half like a general and worked hard to become the loose man and help teammates in the air, while Jack Scrimshaw was an intercepting beast.

He registered four intercept marks for the game, including two potential goal-saving grabs deep in defence in the last quarter.

When the Hawks did win the footy back, they got it into the hands of rebounders Jarman Impey and Karl Amon more often than not.

Impey registered a career-high 960 metres gained as he continued an impressive 2025, with Amon not far behind at 721 metres gained.

As a team, Hawthorn registered 76 intercept possessions – its sixth-most of the season – along with 18 intercept marks.

It was the difference in the game as GWS struggled to stop a diverse and efficient Hawks’ forward line at the other end.

“I thought the backline group in particular held up awesome,” Sicily said.

“They had 40 entries at halftime which is on track for record pace. That’s why we got TB and JB and the boys.”

The task only gets harder for the Hawks defenders next week as they prepare to come up against Adelaide – the third-highest scoring team in the competition this season.

The Crows kicked 15.11 (101) in a 14-point win last time the two sides met at Adelaide Oval in round 21.

Barrass had the job on Riley Thilthorpe (four goals) that night, while Sicily was minding Taylor Walker (three goals) and Battle found himself on Darcy Fogarty (one goal).

If that dangerous trio can be kept in check this time around, Hawthorn will give itself every chance to salute and surge into its first preliminary final since 2015.

If it does, it may well have the Sensational Seven down back to thank.

SECRET WEAPON BEHIND HAWKS’ WIN ON THE ROAD

– Lachlan McKirdy

As the Hawks travelled to Sydney for their elimination final against the Giants, they knew 2025 hadn’t been the perfect preparation for their dangerous road trip.

Not only had they never won at Sydney Showground, but their interstate record this year had been shaky, at best.

In round 10, they led the Suns in Darwin by three points going into the fourth quarter, only to fall away.

Against the Dockers in round 18, they had a 13-point lead at the final break, before ending up on the wrong side of the result once more.

And for good measure, it was the same story in Adelaide in round 21 when their eight-point lead against the Crows at three-quarter time vanished for yet another defeat.

When the Giants came storming home on the wave of their orange tsunami on Saturday night, history threatened to repeat itself. Their 44-point lead during the third quarter evaporated in the blink of an eye, and Sam Mitchell was fearing the worst.

This Hawthorn side is made of stronger stuff, however. And their work throughout the year on remaining resilient shone through in the final term as they turned the tide for a 19-point victory.

“We’ve done a lot of work on mentality in those moments,” Blake Hardwick said.

“A good team like the Giants are always going to get a little run on. It’s all about mentality and staying in the moment. Not dwelling on the past, just connecting with each other.

“(The preparation) was doing a bit of work with Ed Barlow, our psych. A bit of mindfulness, little stuff like that. It’s all about controlling moments and keeping your head.

“We didn’t do that well in the third, but at three-quarter time we regrouped. It was amazing in that fourth (quarter).”

Mitchell made sure the team confronted the disappointment from their close road losses this year ahead of the GWS clash. That ability to look defeat in the eye and come out on the other side is what proved the difference as they took their big moments in the final term.

“To have a big lead and to give it up and then to get back, and show the resilience we did, that was a great win,” Mitchell said. “We thought we played really well, and we still could only just get it done, and that’s what finals is about.

“Across this season, in particular, interstate, we’ve been in just about every game, but we haven’t been able to get it done at the end. The players have been really honest about what happens, how they’re feeling, how to turn it around and what they would do differently next time.

“We haven’t shied away from it. We’ve embraced that we need to improve, and we need to win on the road, and we did it today, but we’re going to have to do it again next week.”

Hardwick was one of the players who, in particular, rose to the occasion. Not only did the 28-year-old do a phenomenal job in helping keep GWS skipper Toby Greene goalless for the first time in nine matches, but his six intercept possessions in the final term were pivotal in the result.

For one of the Hawks’ most dedicated servants, a win in September is a sweet reward.

“I’ve been in the system nine or ten years now, and have only won one final,” Hardwick said. “It’s amazing to get here and win a final, but we’ve got three more to go, so I can’t be complacent.

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“I’ve played on (Toby) a few times now. I enjoy it. It’s a good contest. I reckon he’s the best small forward in the common. It wasn’t just me. Jarz was on him for a bit. Josh Battle was on him for a bit. It was nice to keep him a bit quiet.

“Finals are big moments. We got lucky a couple of times, but sometimes we didn’t make the most of it. But late in the game, I thought we had great moments, and that’s what wins finals.

“It’s a pretty open year. Six teams are going to be left. I feel like anyone can win it. Three more games for us, hopefully.”