Despite finishing eighth, Hawthorn could prime itself for a run at the premiership with three ‘home’ finals if it gets past GWS next Saturday and other results fall its way.

The Hawks will travel to Sydney to face the Giants in an elimination final, and if they win, they could get Collingwood in an MCG semi-final if the Pies lose to one-seed Adelaide in their qualifying final.

Then, if all is still going to plan, Sam Mitchell’s side could wind up playing Geelong at the home of footy in a preliminary final if the second-placed Cats get past Brisbane in their qualifier. Then, of course, an MCG grand final potentially awaits.

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REVEALED: Full AFL finals fixture confirmed as Suns book tricky away test in September debut

Former Hawthorn sharpshooter Ben Dixon laid out the blueprint for his former club on Wednesday night after Gold Coast’s 95-point win over Essendon cemented the Hawks in eighth position.

“The Hawks, they go to ENGIE (Stadium to play GWS), then they go G, G, G (MCG) — four Gs,” Dixon jokingly began on Fox Footy’s First Crack.

“They get three home finals after their first week, if they can get through.

“You finish in eighth spot, and guess what happens? … I cannot believe how much it’s worked in their favour.

“They didn’t want to go to Fremantle — they go to Sydney, they play the Giants, who I think (the Hawks) are a massive chance to beat, then they go home final, home final, home final from eighth spot.”

However, in six all-time attempts, the Hawks have never beaten the Giants at the Sydney Showgrounds.

No club has won the premiership from eighth. The Western Bulldogs in 2016 came from seventh, while Brisbane last year surged from fifth.

And in just as possible a scenario as the one Dixon laid out, the Hawks could cop the Crows in Adelaide in a semi-final before travelling to Brisbane to play in a prelim if they won.

Dimma relieved after Suns make Finals | 10:05

It could’ve been a very different story for the Hawks this September in terms of how the bracket came to be.

As most predicted, the Suns belted the Bombers in the regular season finale, but if the script had been different and they’d won by less, the Hawks might’ve been preparing for a trip to Perth — and found themselves on the other side of the draw.

“But on the flipside, if they (the Hawks) did finish in seventh spot, like Gold Coast — if we’re talking flight paths … how much turbulence on that one? That is a hard way to land, if you look at that,” Dixon said.

In which case, one of the possible routes to the grand final that Gold Coast is now faced with sees the Suns potentially play a semi-final in Brisbane after their Perth trip, before a preliminary final in Adelaide if they were good enough to get there.

It’d be fair to say most Hawthorn supporters are glad the Suns won big on Wednesday night.