Given they are the top-ranked team left in premiership contention, the Hawks would usually have been entitled to a Friday night preliminary final.
But a rugby league booking means the Sydney Swans will host either Collingwood or West Coast on the Friday night.
In a statement released on Tuesday afternoon, the League said it had opted to start the game involving Hawthorn at 5.15pm on Saturday "to maximise both the match-day and television audience … as well as ensuring that the visiting team would be able to return to its home state that night to prepare for the Grand Final, should either Adelaide or Fremantle qualify."
The fixture for week three of the 2012 Toyota AFL Finals Series will be as follows (all times are local):
Friday September 21
Second Preliminary Final: Sydney Swans v Winner Collingwood/West Coast at ANZ Stadium, 7.50pm
Saturday September 22
First Preliminary Final: Hawthorn v Winner Adelaide Crows/Fremantle at the MCG, 5.15pm
Since 2005, when the agreement to host a preliminary final at the MCG every season expired, the AFL has tried to ensure that all preliminary finalists are able to return to their home state by the Saturday night before the Grand Final.
