Hawthorn hosts GWS in Friday night football at the MCG, as the Hawks try to consolidate their hold on third spot on the ladder.<\/p>\n
After finishing eighth and seventh on the ladder after the last two home-and-away seasons, Hawthorn is setting itself up for a shot at the double chance and a legitimate shot at a flag.<\/p>\n
But with the ladder so tightly packed, a slip-up against the 13th-placed GWS could be costly.<\/p>\n
Follow all the action in our live blog.<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 7:13pm<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 7:13pm<\/p>\n
AFL Friday ScoreboardFri 26 Jun 2026 at 10:11pm<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 10:11pm<\/p>\n
Both sides lacking composure<\/p>\n
Both these sides are rushing things in their desperation to get back into \/ finish this game.<\/p>\n
There are fumbles, and miskicks and jolting tackles.<\/p>\n
The Giants somehow get it inside 50 and Conor Stone takes a mark.<\/p>\n
But his kick! It’s … less than ideal. Out on the full, and not even close.<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 10:08pm<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 10:08pm<\/p>\n
Giants miss another chance as Oliver in injury strife<\/p>\n
The Giants are still trying.<\/p>\n
It’s a great move off half-back, getting to Toby Greene then Aaron Cadman who finds Jake Stringer inside 50.<\/p>\n
But his kick goes way wide. No score.<\/p>\n
Now Clayton Oliver is limping off. This game is taking a serious toll.<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 10:05pm<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 10:05pm<\/p>\n
Big miss for Jake Stringer<\/p>\n
The Giants haven’t had many chances in the last few minutes.<\/p>\n
They had one there, though, going inside 50 and the ball came out to Jake Stringer. He thought he had to do the urgent snap and pulled it wide right.<\/p>\n
If he had taken another second to steady, he might have kicked that. Bad miss.<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 10:02pm<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 10:02pm<\/p>\n
Chol breaks the Giants hold<\/p>\n
Cam McKenzie ended up having a snap after a Hawks break, but his high kick was rushed over the line.<\/p>\n
But the Hawks break again, and Mabior Chol marks inside 50.<\/p>\n
And he kicks the goal! That’s a relieving goal for Hawthorn.<\/p>\n
The lead is out to 27 points, and although there’s plenty of time, that should be enough. Let’s see what the Giants have left.<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:59pm<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:59pm<\/p>\n
Giants fighting but can’t get the goal<\/p>\n
This is a desperate section of the game, and the Giants are dead-set on getting the first goal of the final term.<\/p>\n
But no one has a clean run at it, and someone always gets tackled, or has a teammate run in their way.<\/p>\n
The Giants are still 21 points down.<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:55pm<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:55pm<\/p>\n
Giants on the charge at the MCG<\/p>\n
This could be some quarter!<\/p>\n
It’s been a ripping start to the final term, with tackles flying in, no time at all on the ball, and the big players trying to step up.<\/p>\n
The Giants are pressing hard, but Will Day is standing up for the Hawks.<\/p>\n
No score so far, but very entertaining stuff!<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:47pm<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:47pm<\/p>\n
3QT: Hawthorn 13.9 (87) leads GWS 10.6 (66)<\/p>\n
Aaron Cadman boots a late goal, and the MCG crowd is a little subdued as the siren sounds!<\/p>\n
The game looked gone after those GWS injuries and a few early Hawthorn goals.<\/p>\n
But then GWS found another gear despite their personnel problems, and they grabbed the momentum with four straight goals to drag the lead back into manageable range.<\/p>\n
The Hawks tried to stem the flow late in the quarter, and they should go on and win from here. But the Giants are still, amazingly, a shot at winning this! Thirty minutes of football, 21 points. That’s doable.<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:44pm<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:44pm<\/p>\n
It’s Ginnivan to Lewis … to a goal from Hawthorn!<\/p>\n
The Hawks had to lift their intensity, and they are still operating at less than 100 per cent, but that was a big moment!<\/p>\n
They got the ball to Jack Ginnivan on the edge of 50 wide out.<\/p>\n
He didn’t have the leg, and just switched it around his body to hit Mitch Lewis deep in the same pocket.<\/p>\n
Lewis kicked it from a difficult angle! Great play and a vital goal.<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:42pm<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:42pm<\/p>\n
Finn Callaghan kicks a goal for GWS<\/p>\n
The Hawks may not be taking their chances, but the Giants are!<\/p>\n
They sort it out, put pressure on the Hawks and Finn Callaghan runs on to it on the right and half-dribbles it home despite a despairing dive! The lead is 21.<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:40pm<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:40pm<\/p>\n
Will Day runs too far!<\/p>\n
The Hawks have another late chance, but Will Day runs into goal and kicks it, but is called for running too far.<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:39pm<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:39pm<\/p>\n
Massimo D’Ambrosio hits the post!<\/p>\n
That should have been a dagger from Hawthorn!<\/p>\n
GWS pressed, then turned the ball over.<\/p>\n
The Hawks sent it through hands and Massimo D’Ambrosio snapped from outside the square and hit the post!<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:35pm<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:35pm<\/p>\n
Hawthorn’s Jack Dalton ends the Giants’ run of goals<\/p>\n
That was better from the Hawks!<\/p>\n
They needed a circuit-breaker after all those goals from GWS.<\/p>\n
The Hawks rushed it inside 50, it fell to third-gamer Jack Dalton, and he snapped his second of the game.<\/p>\n
The home fans are a lot happier with that. Lead is back to 26.<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:33pm<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:33pm<\/p>\n
Cadman brings Giants even closer<\/p>\n
Umm… it’s actually four in a row now!<\/p>\n
Aaron Cadman has taken a contested mark inside 50. And he’s kicked the set shot, and the lead is back to 20 points, coming close to time on in the third.<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:31pm<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:31pm<\/p>\n
Brown has another for GWS – what is happening?<\/p>\n
Don’t look now, but the Giants have some momentum at the MCG!<\/p>\n
It’s Callum Brown who is everywhere. The Northern Irishman is in the ruck and then drifting forward and he’s just converted a set shot for his third of the night.<\/p>\n
The Giants are back within 26 points! Over to you, Hawks.<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:27pm<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:27pm<\/p>\n
Smart move from Stringer sets up another Giants goal<\/p>\n
GWS is definitely lifting here!<\/p>\n
They get the ball in forward half and chip it to Jake Stringer.<\/p>\n
Can he get another goal? No, he plays possum and then sneaks in a chip to Callum Brown 30m in front as the Hawks stand around and watch.<\/p>\n
Brown kicks it! That’s two in a row. There is plenty of time, you’d still consider it’s an uphill task for GWS but this is something from the visitors.<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:25pm<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:25pm<\/p>\n
Toby Greene gets an answering goal<\/p>\n
The Giants are trying to fight back at the MCG, and Toby Greene has a goal back.<\/p>\n
The lead is still 37 points, but it’s a start.<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:24pm<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:24pm<\/p>\n
Karl Amon the latest injury issue for Hawthorn<\/p>\n
It’s not like it’s a blood-and-thunder match with a heap of collisions.<\/p>\n
But this one is racking up the injuries.<\/p>\n
Now it’s Hawthorn’s Karl Amon who is off the ground and down the rooms for a mystery ailment.<\/p>\n
He’s back up, and his knee is strapped.<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:20pm<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:20pm<\/p>\n
A reminder of the two injury problems for the GiantsFri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:19pm<\/p>\n
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 9:19pm<\/p>\n
Mabior Chol gets in on the act for Hawthorn<\/p>\n
It may be slippery out there on the MCG, but it’s not stopping the Hawks’ big men.<\/p>\n
The home side gets their second centre break, their second inside 50 – and their second goal!<\/p>\n
Mabior Chol takes the mark this time. His notoriously inconsistent kicking doesn’t materialise, and he nails the kick – and celebrates hard.<\/p>\n
This is out to 42 points, and this could get ugly in a hurry here.<\/p>\n
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![\"Andrew](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1781326941_505_lcimg-301479af-2cf3-4d5d-ad09-94c4ed0c1bf4.jpeg\")
Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 10:11pm<\/p>\n