Only luck separated Hawthorn and Geelong at the final siren, their coaches agreed.
The Cats won a classic battle by two-points at the MCG on Friday night, earning themselves a week off, while the Hawks will need to beat a fired-up Western Bulldogs team to remain in the finals.
More Sport Videos
Qualifying Final: Geelong v Hawthorn
Rohan Connolly and Matthew Lloyd pass judgement on the mouth-watering AFL Qualifying Final between Geelong and Hawthorn at the MCG.
In more bad news for Hawthorn, their captain Luke Hodge may catch the attention of the match review panel this week, for an off-the-ball hit on Geelong skipper Joel Selwood.
Geelong coach Chris Scott said the match was football at its best.
"It was just the team that could take their moment when it really counted that was going to prevail," he said.
"Not much you can do about it from the coaches' box in the last 30 seconds, but we celebrated pretty well I think."
The contest was a study in contrasting game styles - the Cats won far more contests, but the Hawks' were great at hanging on to the ball and delivering it cleanly from player to player.
The statistics told the story, Geelong finishing the game with 170 contested possessions to Hawthorn's 118.
!["Chin up mate, what can you do about it," Alistair Clarkson told to Isaac Smith after the miss.](/web/20161113153928im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/d/9/b/k/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.grd9dx.png/1473462285352.jpg)
The Cats had 188 uncontested possessions to the Hawks' 260.
"Every team's adjusting and trying to play to their strengths as much as possible and I think both teams did that tonight, that's why is was so close," Scott said.
![Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge may catch the attention of the match review panel for an off-the-ball hit on Geelong skipper ...](/web/20161113153928im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/d/9/b/r/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.grd9dx.png/1473464965625.jpg)
Hawthorn's Isaac Smith had a chance to win the game for his team with a set shot from 40m after the siren, but he missed.
Scott said he felt for the 27-year-old, admitting when Smith got the ball he thought Geelong would probably lose.
![Cat Steven Motlop celebrates the win.](/web/20161113153928im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/d/9/6/c/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.grd9dx.png/1473487584634.jpg)
"That's a horrible situation to be in," he said.
"Off the boot he probably thought it looked pretty good as well, so in the moment you're not commiserating with them, but you certainly do feel for them."
![Scott Selwood celebrates after Isaac Smith missed the shot after the siren.](/web/20161113153928im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/d/9/b/l/image.related.articleLeadNarrow.300x0.grd9dx.png/1473462285352.jpg)
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20161113153928im_/http://www.smh.com.au/cqstatic/12z7v7/AFL_finals_CATS_WIN.jpg)
Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said he felt philosophical about his team's loss - the Hawks had won many close contests in 2016 and this one did not go their way.
"We had our chances throughout the night, so did the Cats [and] it comes down to the last kick," he said.
His message to Smith after the match was simple.
"Chin up mate, what can you do about it," Clarkson said.
"He's been a great player for us ... he's disappointed and we're all disappointed, but he's been a ripper for us."
The Hawks will play the Western Bulldogs next week.