Four-goal first quarter not enough for West Coast as expansion team Hawthorn prevail by three points

The West Coast Eagles finals hopes in the AFLW competition took a hit after they were undone by Hawthorn at Skybus Stadium in round six on Friday night.

Despite kicking the first four goals of a chilly contest at Frankston, the Eagles had a second term to forget and lost by three points to put their top-eight aspirations in the balance.

Great Southern duo Belinda Smith and Sophie McDonald were both quiet for the visitors, who trailed by a single point at three-quarter time before losing their fourth game of the season.

The Eagles sit 12th on the ladder, eight points adrift of the top eight with four rounds of the regular season remaining.

The Hawks, one of the AFLW expansion teams in 2022, kicked four unanswered goals in the second quarter on their way to a tight 6.8 (44) to 6.5 (41) win.

The Eagles will now face eighth-placed Richmond at Mineral Resources Park on Friday in round seven.

They will close the normal season out with games against Geelong, Western Bulldogs and Melbourne who all sit inside the top eight.