Thanks a lot for following along this evening. It was a hugely impressive performance from Hawthorn that has whet the appetite for their clash with Geelong next Friday night. We’ll be back from the second semi-final between Brisbane and Gold Coast, but in the meantime here is the report from Adelaide Oval.
Jack Gunston has seen it all with three premierships in his bag. But he’s one win from competing for a shot at another one after booting five goals in the semi-final win over Adelaide. The 33-year-old key forward is talking to Channel Seven.
I’ve got goosebumps again, haven’t had them for a while. Walking off with the crowd going nuts and the Hawthorn faithful that travelled over. It’s awesome. Good vibe, I love it.
We had the belief. We knew we had the talent. It’s a matter of putting it all together. Last year it’s good we were able to play some finals. We didn’t get the result we wanted at this ground about 12 months ago. It’s good experience and the boys have learnt a lot from it. It’s good to be back.
Hawthorn is within one win of a place in the grand final while Adelaide are left to lick their wounds after becoming the first minor premiers to be bundled out in straight sets for 42 years. The Hawks booted the opening three goals within four minutes of the first bounce while Jai Newcombe set the tone with the first four centre clearances of the game. The Crows fought back to level terms through the first term but were largely outplayed from there.
The evergreen Jack Gunston booted five goals, while Nick Watson lit a spark with a couple of early goals and Sam Butler added two to seal the win. Newcombe finished with 28 disposals and eight clearances as Josh Ward (31) and James Worpel (22) helped the Hawks win the onball battle. But it was their ball movement and efficiency in the forward half that will give the Hawks hope of testing the Cats in a preliminary final next Friday night.
The Crows were out to respond to their disappointing showing against the Magpies in the qualifying final but are now the first minor premiers to be beaten by an eighth-place side in the finals. They lacked punch through the midfield and when running out of defence in both finals. And while they might take positives from reaching the top eight for the first time since 2017, the Crows season has petered out in the worst possible way without even winning a quarter across two games in September.
Updated
Full-time: Adelaide 10.7.67 lose to Hawthorn 14.17.101
Hawthorn are through to a preliminary final against Geelong after a commanding 34-point victory over Adelaide. It is the Hawks’ second finals triumph on the road after their win against the Giants, and now they head to the MCG next Friday night to take on one of their fiercest foes.
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Q4: 1 min remaining: Adelaide 10.7.67 – Hawthorn 14.17.101
The Crows keep peppering the forward 50 and Jake Soligo finally finds a way through the Hawks defence.
Q4: 3 mins remaining: Adelaide 9.7.61 – Hawthorn 14.17.101
The players might be going through the motions now with the Hawks already through to a preliminary final. But there is no slowing down Jai Newcombe who is still attacking each contest as though it is the first.
Q4: 5 mins remaining: Adelaide 9.7.61 – Hawthorn 14.17.101
Josh Rachele finds something out of nothing to add his second. The Crows will hope to see much more of him next season as they aim to bounce back from becoming the first minor premiers for 42 years to be bundled out in straight sets.
Q4: 5 mins remaining: Adelaide 8.7.55 – Hawthorn 14.17.101
The ruthless Hawks are setting up their full-field defence to prevent the Crows even an inside 50 let alone consolation goals.
Q4: 7 mins remaining: Adelaide 8.7.55 – Hawthorn 14.17.101
Josh Weddle charges forward with ball in hand and no one able to get near him. But the Hawks’ game-changer mis-fires with a banana and shoots past the near side of the goal post.
Q4: 9 mins remaining: Adelaide 8.7.55 – Hawthorn 14.16.100
Jai Newcombe was the firestarter for the Hawks’ blistering start as the midfielder won the first four centre clearances of the game. Now the finals specialist kicks off the celebrations with his first goal of the night.
Q4: 11 mins remaining: Adelaide 8.7.55 – Hawthorn 13.16.94
The Hawks are all over the Crows now as they line up to boot the sealer. Sam Butler might just have done the honours with a snap from the deep forward pocket.
Q4: 13 mins remaining: Adelaide 8.7.55 – Hawthorn 12.16.88
Josh Weddle has an opportunity to finish off the Crows. The winger earns a free kick for being grabbed too high with a timely bend of the knee, but his shot crashes into the goalpost.
Q4: 15 mins remaining: Adelaide 8.7.55 – Hawthorn 12.15.87
Josh Rachele with an all-too familiar kick off the ground dribbles the ball through the goals to give Adelaide a sniff. It will all have to go their way from here, but it has to start somewhere. The Hawks win the centre clearance and their is panic in the Crows defence. Nick Watson could all but seal the win but he spray a simple snap.
Q4: 17 mins remaining: Adelaide 7.7.49 – Hawthorn 12.14.86
Josh Weddle launches from outside 50m to but hooks his kick. Even with the ball back in their hands from a kick-in, the Crows are unable to get past halfway.
Q4: 19 mins remaining: Adelaide 7.7.49 – Hawthorn 12.13.85
Not the start the Crows – or the neutrals wanted – as Jack Gunston boots his fifth. What have the Crows got left?
The minor premiers are yet to win a quarter in this finals series but need to turn this around by 30 points to keep their season going.
30 points. 30(odd) minutes. Here we go …
3QT: Adelaide 7.7.49 – Hawthorn 11.13.79
Hawthorn have broken the semi-final open but both sides are now scoring more freely. There is 30 minutes of football to come and the Crows needed to make a fast start to it if they are to come from the clouds.
Q3: 1 min remaining: Adelaide 7.7.49 – Hawthorn 11.13.79
The Crows cough up the ball in their forward pocket and Dylan Moore unselfishly handpasses out to an onrushing Sam Butler to extend the Hawks lead. Jack Gunston takes a sixth mark inside 50 but this time it is far and wide and he misses from a tight angle. With perhaps their best play of the night, the Crows set off to respond straight away and go coast-to-coast. Riley Thilthorpe finishes off the work with a left-foot snap.
Q3: 3 mins remaining: Adelaide 6.7.43 – Hawthorn 10.12.72
A little brainfade on the goalline from the Hawks defence allows the ball to bounce backwards and stay in play. Luke Pedlar takes full advantage to keep the Crows hanging on.
Q3: 5 mins remaining: Adelaide 5.7.37 – Hawthorn 10.11.71
The Hawks ball movement is on another level tonight. A Crows turnover in the corridor allows the visitors to turn around and find Jack Gunston. The veteran isn’t missing many this year and he boots his fourth for the night and 69th for the year.
Q3: 7 mins remaining: Adelaide 5.7.37 – Hawthorn 9.11.65
The Crows are rolling the dice more now. And rightly so. A string of handballs across half-back and through the centre square opens up space. But the kick is straight to Josh Battle. The Hawks are playing two moves ahead.
Q3: 9 mins remaining: Adelaide 5.7.37 – Hawthorn 9.10.64
The Crows will be happy to have the ball in Darcy Fogarty’s hands, even at a touch over 50m from goal. The key forward sets sail with a long bomb and the Crows have a much-needed goal. Jordan Dawson wins the centre clearance but can’t find a target to put the pressure back on the Hawks as the defence clears.
Q3: 11 mins remaining: Adelaide 4.7.31 – Hawthorn 9.10.64
Right place, right time. Mabior Chol throws the ball on his boot from a boundary throw-in deep in the Hawks forward pocket. There is just enough on it to reach Connor Macdonald 10m away as the crafty forward has the time and space to send a banana through from the top of the goalsquare. The Hawks gave up seven in a row from about this point of the game against the Giants, but they have all the momentum this week.
Q3: 13 mins remaining: Adelaide 4.6.30 – Hawthorn 8.10.58
Fast and clean ball movement from the Hawks delivers the ball to a leading Connor Macdonald 40m out. It was one of the better plays of the night but the young goalsneak fails to finish it off. Lloyd Meek scrambles a shot wide and then Nick Watson sets sail from 40m out on the run. Three chances, three let offs for the Crows. But the Hawks are pushing hard.
Q3: 15 mins remaining: Adelaide 4.6.30 – Hawthorn 8.7.55
The Crows almost clear from the middle but Ben Keays falls on the ball and is pinged for dragging it in. A tad harsh. But fair. Clean ball movement finds Jack Gunston charging out of the goalsquare. The 33-year-old has three.
Updated
Q3: 17 mins remaining: Adelaide 4.6.30 – Hawthorn 7.7.49
The Crows’ backs are up against the wall but rather than going into their shells they need to take risks. Take the game on. Don’t die wondering. Wayne Milera is been arguably their best this evening and the half-back picks out Riley Thilthorpe inside the forward 50. A first sign of a change of tactic. The key forward slots the set shot for the Crows first goal since 21 minutes into the opening term.
Q3: 19 mins remaining: Adelaide 3.6.24 – Hawthorn 7.7.49
Adelaide win their third centre clearance of the game but ruck Reilly O’Brien shanks the kick. The Hawks go coast-to-coast where Jack Gunston marks on the lead and boots his second goal.
Josh Rachele comes into the contest in his first game since round 17 and with the Crows desperate for a spark. Mitch Hinge has been subbed out due to an ankle injury.
The third term is about to get under way with Adelaide needing to release the shackles as they try to chase down Hawthorn and avoid a straight-sets finals exit on home turf.
Rory Laird (16 disposals) and Wayne Milera (14) have found plenty of the ball for the Crows as they aim to find cleaner end-to-end transitions to test the Hawks’ defence. Blake Hardwick and James Sicily (both 12) have been doing much the same for the Hawks, only to better effect, with their chains from defence to attack.
HT: Adelaide 3.6.24 – Hawthorn 6.7.43
Adelaide were right back in the contest as the game turned into more of an arm wrestle. Yet Hawthorn have the last three goals, including the only two of the second term, to hold a handy lead at the main break. The Crows are doing plenty right without finding the goals, while the Hawks have been more efficient once inside their forward 50.
HT: @HawthornFC 6.7 (43) lead @Adelaide_FC 3.6 (24).#AFLFinals pic.twitter.com/AiriJ9GbJj
— AFL (@AFL) September 12, 2025
Q2: 1 min remaining: Adelaide 3.6.24 – Hawthorn 6.6.42
Dylan Moore makes the Crows pay a high price for their wasted opportunities. Pressure on Mark Keane across half-back gives up the ball and Jai Newcombe with quick hands finds Moore streaming past. That hurts, for the Crows.
The Hawks pounce on the turnover inside forward 50 😮💨#AFLFinals pic.twitter.com/poWyT8fVAf
— AFL (@AFL) September 12, 2025
Updated
Q2: 3 mins remaining: Adelaide 3.6.24 – Hawthorn 5.6.36
Taylor Walker marks on the lead in almost the same spot where he just missed. This time he lines up a left-foot snap despite being more than 50m from goal, but there is too much of a hook and the ball goes through the same area for a behind.
Q2: 5 mins remaining: Adelaide 3.5.23 – Hawthorn 5.6.36
Jack Ginnivan searches for a way through a couple of Crows defenders within sight of goal but is brought down in a bone-crunching tackle. Adelaide transition the ball swiftly – something they haven’t done enough tonight – and it ends up with Taylor Walker alone in space on the 50m arc. Walker lines up, drops the ball in his textbook style, but doesn’t get the hook he is after in an anti-climax just as the Crows fans were already into their celebration.
Q2: 7 mins remaining: Adelaide 3.4.22 – Hawthorn 5.5.35
Jordan Dawson is starting to get more involved and is up to nine disposals. But the Crows captain can’t find a target inside 50 from 70m out. The Crows paid the price for the lack of connection between midfield and attack against the Pies, and it hasn’t been much better tonight.
Q2: 9 mins remaining: Adelaide 3.4.22 – Hawthorn 5.5.35
James Sicily is awarded a free kick in a one-on-one marking contest against Taylor Walker. There wasn’t much in it and the Crows forward looks perplexed. Either way, the Hawks defence is holding up well.
Q2: 11 mins remaining: Adelaide 3.4.22 – Hawthorn 5.5.35
The Hawks lock the ball forward but are unable to find a mark near goal. They have already taken five marks inside 50 to the Crows’ one.
Updated
Q2: 13 mins remaining: Adelaide 3.4.22 – Hawthorn 5.5.35
Ben Keays dribbles a snap toward goal from deep in the forward pocket. But there isn’t even force behind the kick and the Hawks clean up before the ball crosses the line.
Q2: 15 mins remaining: Adelaide 3.3.21 – Hawthorn 5.5.35
Taylor Walker and James Sicily one-on-one in the Crows forward 50. That’s a heavyweight battle worth paying for. The sparks fly even after Massimo D’Ambrosio clears for the Hawks and they transition to their own forward line where Josh Weddle glides through the air to pull down a mark well within range. Weddle goals as the Hawks continue to be more efficient in attack.
Updated
Q2: 17 mins remaining: Adelaide 3.3.21 – Hawthorn 4.5.29
Mabior Chol takes another strong grab between a pair of Crows defenders. He takes time to get to his feet after copping a stray elbow in the marking contest. But, yet again, the Hawks key forward is unable to make the most of his opportunity as he hooks the shot.
Q2: 19 mins remaining: Adelaide 3.2.20 – Hawthorn 4.4.28
A steady start to the second term as both sides are content to lock up play.
Appreciate the Wizard’s second goal more for it coming from a drop punt rather than a snap.
NO WAY, NICK WATSON 🤯
— AFL (@AFL) September 12, 2025
The Wizard works his magic from the pocket!#AFLFinals pic.twitter.com/w5o6xVlbVn
As if there was any doubt that Jai Newcombe deserves the admittedly cringey moniker “Mr September” – here are some of his first quarter stats: 11 disposals with seven contested, six clearances with five out of the middle.
QT: Adelaide 3.2.20 – Hawthorn 4.4.28
Hawthorn made a blistering start with three goals in the opening four minutes. But the first term ends with a string of skill errors from the Hawks blowing an opportunity to extend their lead. Jai Newcombe has been unbelievable with five centre clearances, but the Adelaide had a long period of territory dominance, at least once they had finally settled.
Q1: 1 min remaining: Adelaide 3.2.20 – Hawthorn 4.4.28
Nick Watson. What a goal! The Hawks livewire gathers the ball near the boundary line and from a position where most players when send it to the top of the goalsquare, Watson splits the big posts with an exquisite drop punt. Another Jai Newcombe centre clearance ends up with Mabior Chol swarming over a pack for a strong mark, but the Hawks key forward fluffs the shot.
Q1: 3 mins remaining: Adelaide 3.2.20 – Hawthorn 3.3.21
Adelaide have set up to test Hawthorn as the visitors try to work their way up the field with little luck. Jack Gunston marks strongly on the lead but misses with the shot.
Q1: 5 mins remaining: Adelaide 3.2.20 – Hawthorn 3.2.20
A relative period of calm after a frantic opening as Hawthorn look to slow the game down. A switch across half-back can’t find a way through the midfield as the sides battle out a series of stoppages on the wing.
Q1: 7 mins remaining: Adelaide 3.2.20 – Hawthorn 3.2.20
James Peatling stands alongside Jai Newcombe as the Crows look to clamp down on the bustling onballer. A deep forward 50 entry for the Crows poses little danger until Peatling gathers in heavy traffic and a dip of the right knee is enough to earn a high free kick against an incensed James Sicily. The straightest of kicks nails the tricky set shot and scores are level with the Crows claiming all the momentum.
Q1: 9 mins remaining: Adelaide 2.2.14 – Hawthorn 3.2.20
Jai Newcombe wins the centre clearances after Thilthorpe’s goal, to make it four from four for the Hawks onballer. to start the match. The Crows work the ball forward for a stoppage in their forward pocket with Ben Keays finding space on the outside of the pack to snap a goal. Game on!
Updated
Q1: 11 mins remaining: Adelaide 1.1.7 – Hawthorn 3.2.20
Riley Thilthorpe takes a strong grab and gets Adelaide moving with a straight shot at goal. It takes the Crows six inside 50s in a row to hit the scoreboard properly but the game has settled now.
Q1: 13 mins remaining: Adelaide 0.1.1 – Hawthorn 3.1.19
Adelaide have settled as they lock the ball into their forward half. But the Hawthorn defence looks comfortable dealing with the high and long kicks.
Q1: 15 mins remaining: Adelaide 0.0.0 – Hawthorn 3.1.19
Adelaide finally link disposals to give them a chance to catch their breath. The Crows look even more rattled than they did against the Pies last week.
Q1: 17 mins remaining: Adelaide 0.0.0 – Hawthorn 3.1.19
No let up for the Crows. They are still to find a way out of their defensive 50 as a turnover ends with a Karl Amon long bomb. The Hawks have the first seven inside-50s, and they showed last week against the Giants how potent they can be from there.
Updated
Q1: 19 mins remaining: Adelaide 0.0.0 – Hawthorn 2.0.12
Incredible start from Hawthorn. Two centre clearances to Jai Newcombe. Two goals to the Hawks. Jack Gunston boots the first after 21 seconds. Nick Watson adds the second. Adelaide immediately on the ropes.
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First bounce
Adelaide’s Reilly O’Brien and Hawthorn’s Lloyd Meek reach high as the ball is bounced to begin the semi-final at Adelaide Oval.
Adelaide have been on a rollercoaster ride, with more dips than highs, in the decade since the tragic passing of their coach Phil Walsh.
Geoff Lemon looks over what has happened since then, and how winning a premiership would mean something to plenty of people from that time at the club, even if it would not heal the hurt felt after Phil Walsh’s death.
We’ll never know what he might have done with the place, and it would take a major study to document how his loss affected it. So while avoiding any specious claim that his tragedy caused what followed, there has seemed to be a shadow over the club in the years since.
Blake Hardwick can hardly claim to still fly under the radar especially after he contained the Giants’ skipper and dangerman Toby Greene last week, while adding plenty of drive coming out of defence. The versatile Hawk lines up for his 100th consecutive game this evening.
well-oiled machine ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/fGE6Ot3gf9
— Hawthorn FC (@HawthornFC) September 12, 2025
Darcy Fogarty arrived at Adelaide a few weeks after their 2017 finals campaign ended in grand final defeat to Richmond. The expectation was that the powerful forward would be a key part of a team that would remain in contention for years to come.
The Crows and Fogarty had to wait eight years to return to finals, and as a team and individual the first game back didn’t go as planned. I spoke to the 25-year-old about what he’s taken from the long road to the top of the ladder, and what the side learned from their defeat to the Magpies.
There were some dark times over a long period.
The goal for a long time was just to play finals. Even though it’s only one game, we’ve done that now. So now it has become more about ‘how far can we go,’ and ‘how much damage can we do?’
A quick reminder, as if you need one, of how the Crows and Hawks ended up at Adelaide Oval for this semi-final.
Adelaide finished the home and away season as minor premiers. Despite no doubt believing they were ready for the club’s first finals campaign in eight years, they were quick to learn that the best-laid plans of mice and men (Crows and Pies?) often go awry. Darcy Moore and Collingwood cut off Adelaide’s forward’s supply, while the Crows made too many simple mistakes when the game was on the line in the final term.
As is so often the case heading into an AFL semi-final, the elimination final winner arrives with their tail up. Hawthorn were impressive in largely beating GWS Giants at their own game with their pacey bounce off half-back, a sharp-shooting forward group, and an immense performance from the latest iteration of “Mr September” – Jai Newcombe. They even showed plenty of steel to fight off a late Giants challenge.
Jonathan Horn was at Adelaide Oval last week as the Crows were outplayed by the Magpies in their qualifying final defeat. He tries to make sense of the way the crowd handled the return of the Pies players, and in particular Isaac Quaynor in the wake of Izak Rankine’s suspension for using a homophobic slur in their round 23 clash.
The Crows crowd didn’t stop booing for three hours at the Adelaide Oval. In that instance, it was not only puerile and incomprehensible, but self-defeating: it helped perpetuate the siege mentality in which Collingwood thrives.
Such is the environment Jack Ginnivan will swagger into this week.
If you read one piece during the countdown to the game, I suggest you read this.
Adelaide’s dream return to AFL finals is now at risk of turning into a nightmare. At the same time, Hawthorn can ride a wave of momentum into their semi-final with reason to believe they can survive a second do-or-die clash.
Here is where the game will be won – and lost – and an early prediction I’m inclined to stick with.
Here is how Adelaide and Hawthorn have been named.
ADELAIDE
B: Josh Worrell, Mark Keane, Rory Laird
HB: Wayne Milera, Nick Murray, Mitchell Hinge
C: Isaac Cumming, Jordan Dawson, Daniel Curtin
HF: Ben Keays, Riley Thilthorpe, Alex Neal-Bullen
F: Zac Taylor, Taylor Walker, Darcy Fogarty
FOLL: Reilly O’Brien, James Peatling, Jake Soligo
I/C: Luke Pedlar, Sam Berry, Max Michalanney, Brodie Smith
Sub: Josh Rachele
HAWTHORN
B: Josh Battle, Tom Barrass, Blake Hardwick
HB: Jarman Impey, James Sicily, Massimo D’Ambrosio
C: Karl Amon, Josh Ward, Dylan Moore
HF: Connor Macdonald, Mabior Chol, Nick Watson
F: Jack Gunston, Mitch Lewis, Jack Ginnivan
FOLL: Lloyd Meek, Jai Newcombe, Conor Nash
I/C: Jack Scrimshaw, James Worpel, Sam Butler, Josh Weddle
Sub: Changkuoth Jiath
Updated
Final teams
Teams are in with no further changes.
Adelaide name Josh Rachele as sub, while Changkuoth Jiath is Hawthorn’s 23rd player.
The Crows only go halfway with Rachele’s recall for the livewire’s first game since he injured a knee in round 17. But his belated introduction should add a spark to a forward line that underwhelmed in the qualifying final against the Pies and continues to miss Izak Rankine again tonight.
The Hawks stick to their three-pronged tall forward set up with Mitch Lewis back to replace the injured Calsher Dear. Lewis was omitted from the Hawks lineup for their win over the Giants, but responded with four goals and an all-round promising performance in a VFL final.
No late changes for tonight's semi-final.
— AFL (@AFL) September 12, 2025
Substitutes:@Adelaide_FC - Josh Rachele@HawthornFC - Changkuoth Jiath#AFLFinals
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the AFL semi-final between Adelaide and Hawthorn at Adelaide Oval. The winner of this clash will meet Geelong in a preliminary final at the MCG next Friday night. No small task. But you gotta be in it, to win it.
Adelaide need to bounce back from a disappointing return to finals after an eight-year absence but as minor premiers have the luxury of taking their second shot back on their home deck. The pressure has quickly mounted on the Crows as they seek to avoid a straight-sets finals exit as well as a couple of unwanted slices of history. They will not want to become the first team in the AFL-era to finish on top of the ladder then be bundled out in two finals, or to be the first minor premiers to lose to an eighth-place side in a final.
Hawthorn would be undermined by too much focus on their eighth-place finish, especially as they were playing off for a top-four spot in the last round of the home and away season. They then showed how narrow the margins are between the top sides this year, when they were too good for GWS Giants last week. The Hawks have the benefit of being to this same stage before as they played a semi-final at Adelaide Oval last year. That was against the Power, rather than the Crows, and ended in chaos as a James Sicily shot at goal at the death crashed into the post and sparked wild scenes after the siren that temporarily overshadowed the gut-wrenching defeat. But it should give the Hawks a hint of motivation that it is a scenario they will not want to repeat.
First bounce will be at 7.10pm local time in Adelaide / 7.40pm AEST. I’ll drop in the team news shortly. Meanwhile, let us know your thoughts and predictions – shoot me an email or find me @martinpegan on Bluesky or X. Let’s get into it!
