Author: Australian Associated Press

• Hawks 14.17.101 beat Crows 10.7.67 in semi-final at Adelaide Oval

• First minor premiers to exit in ‘straight sets’ for 42 years

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Five goals from veteran Jack Gunston and another Jai Newcombe midfield masterclass have powered Hawthorn to a stirring 34-point semi-final triumph against Adelaide.

The Hawks will meet fierce rivals Geelong in a preliminary final after their 14.17 (101) to 10.7 (67) victory win at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.

• Suns set up first Q-Clash final with one-point win over Dockers

• Lions midfielder Lachie Neale to miss semi-final due to calf injury

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Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick has declared his club will no longer be stomped on or forgotten after beating Fremantle in dramatic fashion to set up a blockbuster Q-Clash semi-final.

The Suns blew a 26-point lead against the Dockers on Saturday night but managed to regain their composure in the dying minutes to seal a famous one-point elimination final win at Optus Stadium.

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• David Swallow behind sees Suns win 11.4 (80) to 12.7 (79)

• Late drama sets up semi-final against local rivals Brisbane

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Retiring Gold Coast champion David Swallow has kicked a behind with nine seconds remaining to lift his team to a thrilling one-point elimination final win over Fremantle at Optus Stadium.

Fremantle fought back from 26 points down late in the third quarter to take a six-point lead with three minutes remaining in Saturday night’s blockbuster in front of 57,507 fans.

• Hawks beat Giants 16.11 (107) to 13.10 (88) at Engie Stadium

• Hawthorn set up semi-final with Adelaide; season over for GWS

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Hawthorn sensationally prevailed in a fourth-quarter shootout to claim a 19-point elimination final win over GWS. The Giants had clawed back a game-high 42-point deficit in the third quarter to level the scores at 13.7 (85) early in the fourth at Engie Stadium on Saturday.

But after the Hawks steadied, Sam Butler kicked truly to give them a seven-point lead 17 minutes into the last term, before Mabior Chol slotted two straight goals for the cherry on top in a 16.11 (107) to 13.10 (88) win.

• Lions tamed 16.16 (112) to 11.8 (74) at Melbourne Cricket Ground

• Cats to play Crows, Giants or Hawks for place in grand final

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Perennial AFL premiership contenders Geelong have marched into a home preliminary final with a scintillating and spiteful 38-point qualifying final win over reigning premiers Brisbane.

The Cats dominated from the outset as they shrugged off the demons of last year’s preliminary final loss to the Lions, prevailing 16.16 (112) to 11.8 (74) in front of 86,364 at the MCG on Friday night.

• Adelaide star speaks publicly on return from overseas trip

• ‘I am fully committed to bettering myself,’ says Crows forward

Adelaide ace Izak Rankine says he is committed to regaining society’s trust in the wake of his AFL ban for a homophobic slur. An emotional Rankine returned to Australia on Tuesday night and fought back tears during a public apology at Adelaide airport.

“Going away has given me space to reflect and educate myself to understand the weight of my mistake,” Rankine said. “And I am fully committed to bettering myself. In the next few days I will be standing in front of my teammates and the AFLW and apologising to them personally – and they deserve this at the very least.

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