Hawthorn have won back-to-back premierships, and their third flag in seven seasons, with a surprisingly straightforward 63-point rout of Sydney at the MCG.  

Entering the match as underdogs, the Hawks made a mockery of the bookies, most experts and their highly touted opponents, blowing the game apart in the first half en route to a 21.11 (137) to 11.8 (74) win.

Hawthorn had become so used to overcoming adversity this season that the major surprise was how little Sydney presented them with.

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Norm Smith medallist Luke Hodge gets a kick away under pressure. Photo: Getty

Sam Mitchell, Brian Lake and Cyril Rioli all missed large chunks of 2014 – and all played their part on Saturday – while coach Alastair Clarkson missed a month of the season with a rare immune condition, Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Rioli, the subject of so much speculation throughout the past few weeks, was lively early up forward and had more impact than his nine possessions suggested. He was subbed off for Taylor Duryea in the final quarter.

The Hawks were too quick, too strong, too physical, too precise and far, far too good, while Sydney looked a shadow of the side that claimed the minor premiership.

Hawthorn have now done something the great Geelong sides of recent years could not: win premierships in successive seasons, and have cemented themselves as the latest footballing dynasty.

Jarryd Roughead was excellent for the premiers, kicking five goals, with old hands Mitchell and Jordan Lewis exceptional, while Luke Hodge’s 35 disposals and two goals saw him rewarded with his second Norm Smith Medal for best afield.

Lance Franklin was good for the Swans with four goals and Josh Kennedy battled hard, but many of their high-profile teammates failed to turn up.

The day had started brightly for the Swans, when Kennedy slotted the first goal on the run from outside 50, but from then on the Hawks machine clicked into gear – led by Lewis and Mitchell.

Franklin got on the board after a strong mark, copping some treatment from Lake, but Luke Breust responded immediately to level and a snap from Brad Hill had the Hawks out by a goal.

From that point on, the Hawks assumed complete control, with their tackling pressure and intensity around the ball supreme.

Their approach was best illustrated by a couple of bone-jarring tackles on Swan Dan Hannebery, who was subdued thereafter.

Son of a gun: Will Langford kicked three goals. Photo: Getty

The poise of Lewis and Shaun Burgoyne was important as Hawthorn took charge late in the quarter – and majors from Jack Gunston and Will Langford had them out by 20 at the first change.

The carnage continued in the second term, with Sydney powerless to stop the brown and gold waves storming over them.

Breust copped an accidental knee to the head from Dane Rampe, but was able to get up and slot the resulting free-kick, which was followed by goals from David Hale and Langford.

Hodge then marked at the top of the square to convert and moments later an errant kick-out landed in the Hawks’ skipper’s lap. He charged into an open goal to put his side 47 points up.

Swans speedster Lewis Jetta was concussed by a stray elbow from Ben McEvoy, and the Bloods desperately needed someone to stand up. Enter Adam Goodes, who got his hands on the footy and slotted a goal.

Buddy nabbed his second after a juggling mark in the square, but when Jarryd Roughead kicked truly from 45m the Hawks were out by an even seven goals at the long break.

The Swans needed Jarrad McVeigh, Kieren Jack and Luke Parker to get involved, and the latter got busy briefly in the third term.

But the Hawks, so clean by hand and foot, booted the first two goals of the term through Roughead and Gunston.

Jack and Franklin answered for the Swans, but when Matt Suckling snapped a ripper and Roughead kicked his third after some sublime delivery from Hill, the resistance was over.

Langford’s third – a miracle dribbler from the boundary – effectively started the party and the final quarter was an intensity-free zone, as the Hawks prepared to lift the cup.

HAWTHORN: 5.5, 11.9, 16.11, 21.11 (137)
SYDNEY: 2.3, 5.3, 8.5, 11.8 (74)

GOALS
Hawthorn: Roughead 5,Langford 3, Breust 3,Burgoyne 2,Hodge 2,Gunston 2, Hill, Puopolo, Hale, Suckling
Sydney: Franklin 4, Goodes 2, Jack 2, McGlynn, Kennedy, Tippett

BEST
Hawthorn: Hodge, Mitchell, Roughead, Lewis, Gibson, Langford
Sydney Swans: Kennedy, Malceski, Goodes, Franklin

INJURIES
Hawthorn: Nil
Sydney: Jetta (concussion)

SUBSTITUTES
Hawthorn: Taylor Duryea replaced Cyril Rioli in the fourth quarter.
Sydney: Craig Bird replaced Jake Lloyd in the third quarter.

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Meredith, Stevic, Nicholls

Official crowd: 99,454 at the MCG