Hawthorn have booked their spot in a preliminary final and made sure any sign of Geelong’s long-held hex on the club is well and truly buried with a 36-point win over the Cats at the MCG on Friday night.

For two-and-a-half quarters it looked as though this would be another thrilling chapter in the incredible recent rivalry between the two clubs but, as was the case a fortnight ago, the Hawks were too tough for too long, posting a 15.14 (104) to 10.8 (68) win.

Joel Selwood kicks his third goal of the evening. Photo: Getty

Geelong have spent much of the past six seasons making a habit of rolling what was supposed to be a better credentialed Hawthorn side.

But, with the curse finally lifting last September, at this stage the Cats just don’t have it in them to beat the Hawks. Alastair Clarkson’s side are just a little bit cleaner, a little bit harder, a little bit cooler under fire than the Cats.

These Hawks don’t scare, and they are now in the box seat to do something the tremendous Geelong sides of recent years couldn’t – win successive premierships.

As Jason Akermanis wrote this week, their lack of anxiety is impressive to watch. This Hawthorn side is one forged in the furnace of white-hot finals, like their loss to Sydney in the classic 2012 decider, and their preliminary final win over Geelong last season.

These Hawks don’t scare, and they are now in the box seat to do something the tremendous Geelong sides of recent years couldn’t – win successive premierships.

The Cats were well served by Joel Selwood (31 touches, three goals) and Jimmy Bartel, but in the end it was left to too few, while Sam Mitchell (36 touches), Bradley Hill, Shaun Burgoyne, Josh Gibson, Isaac Smith and Luke Hodge were all outstanding for the Hawks.

Jack Gunston and Jordan Lewis kicked three goals apiece for Hawthorn and Brian Lake stood tall in defence, holding Tom Hawkins to a solitary goal.

The first half was full of what makes Hawthorn/Geelong the best rivalry in modern footy: momentum changes as dramatic as Melbourne weather. Just when one side looked like being in for a long night, they’d respond and hit the scoreboard in a rush.

Burgoyne, Mitchell and Smith got busy late in the term, while Hill could have blown up the GPS with the amount of ground he covered as the Hawks began to take control.

The match began on Geelong’s terms, but they went into the first break nine points down – time-on goals to Jarryd Roughead, Lewis and Paul Puopolo giving Hawthorn the ascendancy.

The Cats had settled first and owned the first 15 minutes of the night, but – despite a running goal from Selwood and a cool finish from Bartel – they struggled to get their due on the scoreboard.

Hawkins was guilty of spilling a couple of straightforward marks after out-positioning Lake, and he finished the term without a disposal, while Steve Johnson looked lively but couldn’t pinpoint his passes.

Sam Mitchell had the ball on a string. Photo: Getty

Burgoyne, Mitchell and Smith got busy late in the term, while Hill could have blown up the GPS with the amount of ground he covered as the Hawks began to take control.

Hawthorn started the second term the same way, and looked like they might run away from the Cats.

But a terrific contested mark from Bartel allowed him to split the middle from 50 against the run of play and when Selwood slotted his second goal, the Cats were back in front.

Halfway through the term Steven Motlop limped off for Geelong with a lower leg injury and the Hawks seized the moment – quick goals to Smith, Puopolo and Gunston again putting the premiers in command.

There would be another surge before the half was out though, with Motlop returning, Jordan Murdoch running into an open goal and when Josh Walker marked and goaled after the siren, the match was all square.

David goaled inside the opening 40 seconds of the second half, after a poor mistake from Selwood in giving a free-kick to Mitchell and failing to stand the mark, but he made up for it when he kicked his third on the run to tie things up again.

The third quarter was goal for goal, with the big names lighting up the scoreboard: Selwood, Hawkins and Hodge all showing class.

Back-to-back majors to Gunston late in the term put the Hawks out by 13 points and despite surging forward in wave after wave, they could only add another point to the margin at the final change.

Luke Breust’s first goal of the night put Hawthorn 20 points up, and when Lewis goaled deep into the final term the margin was 28 points and the dam wall had broken.

The thriller that had been on the cards was up in smoke – not that the Hawthorn fans minded, as their side booked a place in the preliminary finals for a fourth successive season.

HAWTHORN: 3.4, 6.5, 10.8, 15.14 (104)
GEELONG: 2.1, 6.5, 8.6, 10.8 (68)

GOALS: Hawthorn: Gunston 3, Lewis 3, Puopolo 2, Roughead 2, Hale, Hodge, Breust, Langford, Smith
Geelong: Selwood 3, Bartel 2, Murdoch, Walker, Hawkins, Johnson, Blicavs

BEST: Hawthorn: Mitchell, Hill, Smith, Hodge, Burgoyne, Gibson
Geelong: Selwood, Bartel, Varcoe, Guthrie, Stokes

INJURIES: Hawthorn: Nil
Geelong: Motlop (lower leg)

SUBSTITUTES: Hawthorn: Jonathan Simpkin replaced Brad Sewell in the fourth quarter
Geelong: Jackson Thurlow replaced Hamish McIntosh in the fourth quarter

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Nicholls, Chamerblain, Pannell

Official crowd: 74,753