Dramatic win for Magpies

Rohan Connolly That the moment which decided the game came just 39 seconds before the final siren gives you some idea of how close it was.

Hawthorn's lament

Rohan Connolly In 2008, Hawthorn was a premiership team that somehow still found itself trying to convince a sceptical football world of its status.

Hawks get the job done

Rohan Connolly Hawthorn survives a brief nervous spell to run out winners over Sydney.

Injury and form take toll as stars chase All-Australian honours

Rohan Connolly If a week is a long time in football, half-a-season is an eternity. So it has proved again.

Go to whoa, Smith runs and runs

Rohan Connolly Isaac Smith misses chance to put exclamation point on Hawthorn's win over Carlton.

Blues ponder 'cooked' Judd

Rohan Connolly Carlton concedes it might need to review shutdown tactics applied to Chris Judd.

Hawks slice Bombers

Rohan Connolly A fortnight ago, after Hawthorn lost a thriller to Geelong, coach Alastair Clarkson compared the various twists and turns to an Agatha Christie novel.

To win, the Magpies must study Hawks

Rohan Connolly Collingwood captain makes it his business to know all about Magpies' opposition.

Hawks, Eagles shaking up finals

Rohan Connolly It's 20 years since Hawthorn and West Coast played off for a premiership.

A six-pack of stars comes out of the Blue

Rohan Connolly Sit down to pick a mid-season All-Australian team, and two things become quickly apparent. One is that most of the AFL's elite players right now are near their best.

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Lesser-lights make Hawks the real deal

Rohan Connolly For the second year in a row, Hawthorn has been a popular tip as the biggest potential threat to a reigning premier.

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The men in the middle

Rohan Connolly In the second instalment of his countdown to the AFL season, Sunday Age football analyst Rohan Connolly looks at the teams that finished mid-table last year.

High and mighty

Rohan Connolly The game’s tallest player is at the height of his powers, and the Hawks will have their work cut out stopping him.

Good Hawks, bad Hawks

Rohan Connolly It could knock off Collingwood today and become a feared September wildcard, but who knows which Hawthorn side will turn up?

Hawks are hurting, but they're not done yet

Rohan Connolly There's a time in football for the big stick and time when a bit more TLC is required.

Undermanned Hawks brush sloppy Demons aside

Rohan Connolly The word around the traps was that Melbourne gave itself a pretty decent chance of knocking off Hawthorn.

Port keeps head to down Hawks

The Match By Rohan Connolly ALL afternoon, you kept waiting for Hawthorn to make it happen. Kept waiting for Port Adelaide to stuff things up.

Cats ahead at game's pointy end

Rohan Connolly Hawthorn has recaptured the hardness, power and determination that took it to last year's premiership but there isn't the time or space now to make it count.

Dons kill off ailing Hawks

Rohan Connolly Fortune didn't exactly favour Hawthorn this week. Not at the match review meeting on Monday morning. Particularly not at the tribunal on Tuesday evening. Not at the subsequent appeal.