HAWTHORN dealt the Brisbane Lions' AFL finals aspirations another blow with a masterly defensive performance that resulted in a 69-point thrashing at Aurora Stadium yesterday, moving into second place on the ladder ahead of the Western Bulldogs who play today.

While the Hawks are assured of the double chance in September, the Lions will remain outside the eight after this defeat, their fifth from the past six games.

Veteran midfielder Shane Crawford was one of the Hawks' best in his 300th game and Lance Franklin again starred with six goals and a match-turning second quarter.

In a game remarkable for its low scoring in the first half — 3.7 to 1.5 — both teams deployed zone defences, which turned the match into a chess game of short chip passes. Both had managed only one goal apiece well into the second quarter, when Franklin turned the game. Roaming up the ground, he won a loose ball, took two bounces and passed a perfectly weighted kick across his body to Cyril Rioli, who goaled.

Three minutes later, Franklin snapped a major, which put the Hawks 13 points up, and well ahead in general play given the Lions' inability to pose a threat in attack.

Jonathan Brown kicked the Lions' first goal, in the first quarter, but Brisbane supporters had to wait until after the three-quarter-time siren for their next major, through Jared Brennan.

Justin Sherman kicked the first goal of the last quarter to ensure Brisbane would not post its lowest score in the club's history, but Franklin's fourth goal, a banana kick from the boundary, and Rioli's third sealed the win.

The Hawks went on with the job in the last quarter, by booting nine goals to turn the match into a rout, with Franklin's three for the term taking his season tally to 91.

Crawford capped a great afternoon with the final goal of the game.

The Lions' score was their fifth-lowest since the merger of the Brisbane Bears and Fitzroy in 1997.

Brown and Bradshaw went into the match with 125 goals between them, but were largely ineffective.

Brown gave away two 50-metre penalties in the first term, while Bradshaw's noted accuracy was missing, although he kicked two late goals.

For Hawthorn, Luke Hodge won plenty of the ball playing loose at half-back, Grant Birchall provided great run from defence and Jarryd Roughead was a good marking target, although he finished with 1.4.

Luke Power, Travis Johnstone and Michael Rischitelli won plenty of the ball for Brisbane but were rarely damaging, while Jamie Charman battled hard in the ruck.

The Lions remain in the hunt for a finals berth, but face a tough finish with games against the Western Bulldogs, Carlton and Sydney.

HAWTHORN 1.3 3.7 7.11 16.14 (110)
BRISBANE LIONS 1.2 1.5 2.10 5.11 (41)

GOALS Hawthorn: Franklin 6, Rioli 3, Lewis 2, Stokes 2, Crawford, Dew, Roughead. Brisbane Lions: Bradshaw 2, Brennan, Brown, Sherman.

BEST Hawthorn: Hodge, Franklin, Mitchell, Gilham, Crawford, Dew. Brisbane Lions: Rischitelli, Johnstone, Charman, Black, Brennan.

INJURIES Brisbane Lions: Drummond (quad).

UMPIRES Chamberlain, McLaren, Meredith.

CROWD 19,929 at Aurora Stadium.

THE UPSHOT That Brisbane needs a miraculous finish to its season to make the finals, having dropped back to the pack with five losses in the past six rounds. And that the Hawks can hang tough when they need to, locking down early, and put on an exhilarating show, tearing away with some Buddy brilliance later. Bring on September.

TALKING POINT So much for a shootout. With Brown and Bradshaw at one end and Buddy and Roughy at the other, this could have been a day out for forwards. Instead, only four goals had been kicked to half-time as the Lions, in particular, struggled to penetrate Hawthorn's defensive zone. Brisbane managed only eight long kicks in the first half, then Buddy got the Hawks going.

HOT AND COLD Cyril Rioli doesn't need much of the ball to hurt the opposition, and his 16 touches were typically hot, none more than the one-handed slips catch at full stretch in the third quarter. Meantime, the Lions' most influential player, Jonathan Brown, had a dreadful day, giving away a couple of 50-metre penalties in frustration and managing only one goal, two behinds.