The status quo prevailed in the AFL round 21 opener, with Hawthorn the best team to miss the finals and Carlton needing all the help it can get.

Hawthorn continued its late-season rally by strolling to 74-point win over the Blues by kicking 12 goals to three in the second half to win 20.18 (138) to 10.4 (64) before a crowd of 30,406.

With captain Shane Crawford and the creative Joel Smith best, Nathan Thompson booting six goals and Daniel Harford doing enough to revive his career, there were several good signs for Hawthorn coach Peter Schwab.

But Schwab's joy of watching his side kill off an opponent by kicking the last eight goals of the game would have been tempered by the frustration of knowing his side had produced its best football too late.

Carlton's loss ensures it will get a concession pick in the national draft, by failing to win more than 20 points at season's end.

The bonus will be an enormous boost for coach Denis Pagan, who lacked the young leg-speed to go with the Hawks as the game wore on.

The Blues lost midfielders Scott Camporeale, Darren Hulme and Simon Wiggins to flu before the game, but showed great spirit in the second quarter to get within 16 points at half-time after trailing by 29 at quarter-time.

But aside from Anthony Koutoufides and Brendan Fevola, who kicked four goals to move to third on the goalkicking table, not enough Blues made an impact in the second half.

Crawford, who gathered 35 disposals and took a towering mark in the last quarter, was presented with the inaugural David Parkin Medal, named after the former Hawthorn premiership captain and three-time Carlton premiership coach.

Hawthorn can still make the finals if eighth-placed Essendon cops two enormous thrashings and the Hawks give Richmond a hiding next week.

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