Hawthorn wins 3rd Australian Football League title in a row

Saturday’s one-sided decider should compel the AFL to ensure that non-Victorian teams are fixtured to play more games at the MCG, according to Port Adelaide chairman David Koch.

“Obviously being there you can take notice of all the work that they do when they’re not in camera shot”.

East coast commentators and coaches have rolled out that old chestnut since the Eagles played their first final in 1988.

West Coast was not ready; Hawthorn surely was. Luke Shuey kicked the first goal in the opening minutes and looked lively.

Through a throttled defence, West Coast managed to post a goal and a behind, to Hawks, 6-goals and one-behind.

But Hodge, Mitchell and Burgoyne are over 30 – the acknowledged tipping point of an AFL player’s career – and Lewis will join them next year.

Keep them together, fit and healthy and they are the sun at the centre of the Hawthorn universe.

By half-time, Hawks, extended their lead from 13-points in the first quarter to 31-points; Hawks leading 57-points to 26.

Andrew Gaff (34 touches) was West Coast’s standout player. The Eagles’ efforts in front of goal were wasteful.

Their revival began with the unlikeliest of snaps from Josh Hill before half-time.

The game was well and truly done and dusted by this point but this moment perfectly summed up the Eagles day. The Hawks have so far won four and the Eagles three. And they did throw down the gauntlet early in the term.

Jack Darling could not find the football and dropped a crucial chest mark when the game was still alive in the third quarter that will haunt him for a while.

Isaac Smith let go from outside 50 metres, Hodge shepherded the bouncing ball through, and the gap extended to a yawning seven-goals-plus.

The future may be kinder to them (it “should” be) but for now the Eagles go down in history alongside the 2000 Demons, the 2003 Magpies and the 2007 Power – teams that served as nothing but the mats upon which greatness dusted its feet. Sensing the glimmer of a revival, the Hawks’ seasoned campaigners shifted back into gear. The Hawks were sublime in their dismantling of West Coast’s midfield and defense.

“But we’d like to play there more because it gives our guys the experience on a much wider field”. The list of names is endless – it was a magnificent team performance.

The day started so perfectly for all those focused on the footy.

Norm Smith medalist Cyril Rioli received a rousing reception for the home-town supporters. Obviously, I’m desperate for our club to win it but, if they (Eagles) were to win it, you won’t hear any complaints out of me. Coming from ninth place in 2014 many may feel that 2015 was a success, not the ultimate but good enough. We talk about financial equalisation all the time in other different areas.

The Hawks “three-peat” also poses questions.

After winning the 2008 flag and now the last three as well, Hawthorn may not be done yet.

Ellis was an injury-riddled free agent who had missed out on Hawthorn’s 2013 premiership when newly-appointed Eagles coach Adam Simpson lured him across to Perth.