Dustin Martin kicks magical goal in Richmond Tigers' qualifying final win over Hawthorn Hawks

Richmond has sent out an ominous warning to the rest of the AFL with a dominant 31-point win over Hawthorn in the first qualifying final.

A stunning second-quarter goal from reigning Brownlow Medallist set the MCG alight as the Tigers ran out 13.17.(95) to 9.10.(64) winners in front of 91,446 on a wet Thursday night.

Martin was right on the sideline in the right forward pocket when he unleashed one of the goals of the year, which left the crowd in raptures.

Former Brisbane Lions captain Johnathan Brown was blown away.

“It's one of the greatest finals goals you'll ever see,” Brown said on the Fox Footy broadcast.

“No margin for error.

“When he goes in and does that under pressure you just can't help but get up off the back of him.”

Channel Nine AFL Footy Show host Eddie McGuire was also stunned by the goal.

"It was just a fantastic finals piece of play," McGuire said.

Martin starred in his 200th game, racking up 29 disposals and kicking an outstanding goal in the second term.

"He's certainly primed," Hardwick said.

"The season he had last year - I've never seen a better season.

"Can you live up to that? Well, it's going to be tough. But once again he's playing the consistent brand of footy we know and love and he's incredibly damaging because of it."

AS IT HAPPENED: RICHMOND VS HAWTHORN

Small forward Daniel Rioli and Kamdyn McIntosh kicked three goals apiece for the Tigers - the first time McIntosh has kicked three in his AFL career.

Onballer Jaeger O'Meara was best for the Hawks and captain Jarryd Roughead kicked three goals.

The minor premiers have the week off and are one win away from the grand final, while the Hawks go into a sudden-death semi-final against the winners of Friday's Melbourne-Geelong elimination final.

One word summed up the first half: pressure. A whopping 99 tackles were laid, 44 by the Tigers and 50 from Hawthorn. This was tough, brutal finals football at its best, with intermittent rain adding to the slog.

A series of spotfires will attract match review scrutiny, but there was nothing that looked like it would garner a suspension.

Tigers captain Trent Cotchin conceded a free kick in the first quarter when he collected Shaun Burgoyne high, gifting the Hawks star an easy kick on goal.

Inexplicably, Burgoyne missed the kick and All-Australian small forward Luke Breust did the same in the second term.

Those misses by two of the Hawks' most reliable kickers were crucial. Hawthorn needed everything to go right to challenge the reigning premiers and they trailed by 14 points at halftime. While the Hawks fluffed those two chances, Richmond slotted through two brilliant goals in the first half.

Rioli showed his class with an accurate snap early in the first quarter. Predictably, Hawthorn brought in tagging specialist Daniel Howe as a late inclusion. He came in for tall utility Ryan Schoenmakers, who had a sore Achilles.

Adding to Hawthorn's woes, star defender Ben Stratton went off in the third term and ended the game with ice on his right hamstring. Fellow backman Blake Hardwick also was hobbled with a sore hip.

Star Alex Rance sent a scare through Richmond with a sore foot at three-quarter time, but he played out the game.

It is Richmond's 22nd-straight win at the MCG.

- with AAP