Brisbane has overcome the goalkicking yips to grab a finals double chance, squeaking past Hawthorn for a tense 10-point win at a packed Gabba on Sunday night.
In an ideal dress rehearsal for September, the Lions' 11.23 (89) to 11.13 (79) win ensures they finish in third place and face Geelong in a qualifying final at the MCG in two weeks.
Hawthorn will finish seventh or eighth and play either Greater Western Sydney or Fremantle in an elimination final on the road.
In Dayne Zorko's 300th game, Brisbane dominated for large periods, but kept the door ajar with its wayward kicking around goal.
It kicked eight consecutive behinds in a goalless first quarter and then nine consecutive behinds in the third term as the home crowd grew increasingly tense.
But with the teams separated by two points midway through the fourth quarter, cult hero Bruce Reville snapped a settler from the left forward pocket after Karl Amon was penalised for insufficient intent when spraying an errant handball.
When Cam Rayner kicked truly on the run from the next centre bounce, the Lions had the breathing space they needed.
Hugh McCluggage (32 disposals and two goals) and Josh Dunkley (33 and eight tackles) helped Brisbane gain the ascendency around the contest, while Will Ashcroft (28) was also highly involved.
However, with Hawthorn trying to move the ball swiftly from any part of the Gabba, it was the Lions' half-back line that proved so crucial, winning their one-on-ones or shutting down quick transitions.
Darcy Wilmot (27 disposals) was magnificent and one of the best players on the ground, while Zorko, Jaspa Fletcher and Brandon Starcevich also stood tall.
Brisbane deserved its win, but made things difficult with its horrible goalkicking.
In the first quarter, Charlie Cameron, Sam Day and Zac Bailey all hit the post with simple chances, while Day and Logan Morris also sprayed set shots they'd normally convert.
At the other end of the ground, Mabior Chol was on fire, kicking the Hawks' three goals, two of which came from soaring pack marks.
A McCluggage snap early in the second broke the drought for the home team, and seemingly eased some jitters at the same time.
Brisbane was able to set up camp inside the front half of the ground for much of the second term as the Ashcroft brothers got busy in congestion and the defensive intensity went up a notch.
After missing a month with injury, Kai Lohmann returned with a bang, kicking two in a minute, while Rayner lifted the roof with his bomb from 50m.
But Jack Ginnivan would have the final say of the first half, kicking a snap on his left foot as the siren sounded to bring the Hawks within five points at the break.
The third term was almost a carbon copy of the first, with the Lions dominating much of the term, but leaving goals on the table with their inaccuracy.
Morris and Cameron extended the lead to 20 points early in the third quarter, but that started a run of nine consecutive behinds as the home team continued to waste its dominance.
Was Ginnivan's goal before or after the half-time siren?
It appeared Brisbane would go into half-time with an 11-point lead following a Cam Rayner bomb from 50m. However, with a handful of seconds left on the clock at the centre bounce, Hawthorn got it going forward and Jack Ginnivan was able to gather and snap on his left foot, with the ball avoiding the despairing lunge of Ryan Lester on the line. The siren sounded almost simultaneously with the kick, but the Hawk got the green light, and the visitors had a crucial momentum boost going into the break.
Cameron makes his mark in 250th
Dayne Zorko took most of the headlines during the week for his 300th game, but Charlie Cameron had his own milestone, clocking over 250. It's been a rollercoaster season for the Gabba crowd favourite and he was just a whisker away from having a huge night. He kicked 2.3 from 10 disposals and looked back to his threatening best, buzzing around defensively and proving a difficult match-up with ball in the air or on the ground.
BRISBANE 0.8 6.10 8.19 11.23 (89)
HAWTHORN 3.3 6.5 8.8 11.13 (79)
GOALS
Brisbane: Rayner 2, McCluggage 2, Lohmann 2, Cameron 2, Reville, Morris, Fletcher
Hawthorn: Chol 3, Gunston 2, Ginnivan 2, Watson, Moore, Meek, Lewis
BEST
Brisbane: Wilmot, McCluggage, Dunkley, Rayner, W.Ashcroft, Starcevich, Fletcher
Hawthorn: Amon, Impey, Ginnivan, Newcomb, Meek
INJURIES
Brisbane: Nil
Hawthorn: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Brisbane: James Tunstill (replaced Ty Gallop in the fourth quarter)
Hawthorn: Luke Breust (replaced Mitch Lewis at half-time)
Crowd: 32,086 at the Gabba
