Hawthorn has one foot in the finals after a nine-goal blitz in the first quarter handed them a 63-point thumping of Richmond at the MCG on Sunday afternoon.

The hot Hawks stunned the Tigers early to lead by 50 points at the first break and despite a response from Adem Yze's side, the result was never in doubt with the Hawks winning 19.17 (131) to 10.8 (68).

The Hawks decimated Richmond in the first quarter, slamming on seven goals in the space of just 11 minutes to kill the contest, reaching the first break 50 points ahead with nine goals on the board after registering 17 more inside 50s and seven more centre clearances. 

It was clinical, but they didn't maintain the pace as Richmond produced a spirited response to prevent a triple-figure margin.

It looked good early for the Tigers when Rhyan Mansell made Jarman Impey pay for slipping, tucked the ball under his arm, bounded away towards goal before drilling a shot from just inside 50.

The lead didn't last long. The response was swift and decisive.

Jai Newcombe was in everything and kicked the first before Dylan Moore and Jack Gunston hit the scoreboard. By the time Karl Amon drilled a goal from outside 50, Will Day had just been helped off the ground but Hawthorn couldn't have been more dominant.

The Tigers were never going to come back from so far back but after Hawthorn kicked three of the first four goals of the second quarter, Toby Nankervis threw his weight around and gave away some free kicks, but made his intentions clear. Noah Balta kicked two goals in two minutes before Hugo Ralphsmith and Mansell kicked the next two to make it four in a row. They won the quarter, but it was a consolation prize on a day where they lost by 50+ points for the sixth time in 2024.

Gunston kicked the first goal of the second half, but Richmond didn't drop its bundle. Shai Bolton kicked a second and then a third. After starting so poorly, suddenly the Tigers were alive. But a sloppy moment from Nankervis resulted in a 50m penalty and another James Worpel goal.

Gunston added two last-quarter goals to enjoy his biggest bag of the year and seal the win.

HAWTHORN 9.3 12.6 15.11 19.17 (131)
RICHMOND 1.1 6.5 8.6 10.8 (68)

GOALS
Hawthorn: Gunston 5, Watson 3, Dear 3, Moore 2, Worpel 2, Mackenzie, Chol, Amon, Newcombe,
Richmond: Bolton 3, Balta 2, Mansell 2, Ralphsmith, Hopper, Graham

INJURIES
Hawthorn: Day (collarbone)
Richmond:

SUBSTITUTES
Hawthorn: Luke Breust replaced Will Day in the first quarter
Richmond: Kamdyn McIntosh replaced Matt Coulthard in the third quarter

Crowd: 58,231 at the MCG