Finals expose teams, structural weakness and the foibles and limitations of individual players.

This final round had de facto finals, none more so than the Bulldogs and Fremantle clash and the season denouement at the Gabba between the 2024 premiers and the Hokball Hawks, who seemed to be gaining some of their 2024 late-season momentum.

Hawthorn was highly competitive and had a sniff late, but some of their players did not deal with the finals-like heat. The Lions were cleaner, stronger in the contest and more composed.

It was only Brisbane’s profligacy - an issue that has bedevilled them for much of 2025 - that kept the Hawks close enough to threaten the big steal.

Hawthorn remains an unfinished project, a site that isn’t complete. They would be significantly better with another A grader in the midfield - Will Day’s absence was keenly felt in this quasi-final.

Jai Newcombe, Lloyd Meek and Blake Hardwick delivered, as did gadfly forwards Jack Ginnivan and Nick Watson.

Mabior Chol kicked three goals in the opening quarter of the showdown.Credit: via Getty Images

But others struggled or were slightly off-key. Young Calsher Dear, often matched to a superstar in Harris Andrews, was unable to produce or........

© The Sydney Morning Herald