Hawthorn defender Mackenzie Eardley was sent to hospital during the Hawks' nine-point win over Fremantle.

Eardley injured her neck late in the first quarter of the Hawks' 5.4 (34) to 3.7 (25) triumph at Fremantle Oval on Sunday.

The 20-year-old received treatment for more than five minutes on the field before being stretchered off and taken to hospital for precautionary scans.

Adding to Hawthorn's woes, Kristy Stratton and Laura Stone sustained match-ending ankle injuries in the opening quarter, leaving the Hawks with just two fit players on the bench.

The Dockers closed to within five points in the last term but Hawthorn bravely held on to claim victory.

The Hawks (6-1 win-loss ) finished the round in third spot on the ladder, putting them in prime position to reach the finals for the first time.

Their goals were shared around with Greta Bodey, Jasmine Fleming, Sophie Locke, Jess Vukic and Eliza West all kicking majors.

Hawks captain Emily Bates claimed nine clearances alongside 19 disposals and eight tackles.

For Fremantle, Ebony Antonio, Tunisha Kikoak and Orlagh Lally kicked one goal each.

Aisling McCarthy (24 disposals, five clearances) and Gabrielle Newton (21 disposals, seven clearances) battled hard all day for the hosts.

The Dockers (5-2) slipped to sixth, with the loss to Hawthorn denting their top-four hopes.

Bombers grab top-eight spot

Georgia Nanscawen and Madison Prespakis have produced outstanding displays to lead Essendon to a gritty nine-point win over Gold Coast in Carrara.

On a hot and humid Queensland day, Nanscawen racked up 28 disposals, while Prespakis was also influential with 22 touches and two goals.

The 5.6 (36) to 4.3 (27) win lifted Essendon (4-3) into seventh spot.

In contrast, Gold Coast (six losses, one draw) remain last on the ladder.

"It's super exciting," Prespakis told the Seven Network of being in the top eight.

"It's hot up here. But both teams are playing in it. I'm really proud of the girls. I thought we fought hard all game."

It was not all good news for the Bombers, with forward Amber Clarke set to undergo scans after her left knee twisted awkwardly in a tackle late in the third quarter.

Clarke kicked two goals for the match but was sporting a knee brace after her injury and cut a forlorn figure on the bench.

Jacqueline Dupuy kicked two goals for Gold Coast, while Lucy Single and Charlie Rowbottom finished with 22 disposals each and a combined 15 clearances.

Cats win on the road against Swans

Geelong held off a surging Sydney Swans outfit to keep its season alive with a three-point victory.

The Cats led at every change before the Swans mounted a serious fourth-quarter challenge to reduce a match-high 21-point lead.

Lexi Hamilton brought the Swans within four points late in the last quarter, but the Cats held on to win 5.14 (44) to 6.5 (41) in front of 3,127 spectators at Sydney's Henson Park.

The Cats' second victory of the year comes past the halfway mark of the 11-round season, having started their campaign with one win, four losses and a draw.

They are 11th on the ladder, six points shy of the top eight.

Aishling Moloney was the Cats' sole multiple goal-kicker with two majors.

Georgie Prespakis (19 disposals) starred in the absence of injured ball winner Amy McDonald, alongside Julia Crocket-Grills (one goal) and Jacqueline Parry (one).

The Swans' season hangs by a thread after their third-consecutive loss.

Their path towards a second-straight finals appearance will not get any easier, with matches against competition heavyweights Brisbane and North Melbourne ahead.

Paris McCarthy managed a match-high three goals for the Swans.

Laura Gardiner (30 disposals, five clearances) was the star in a Swans engine room missing Ally Morphett and Chloe Molloy.

AAP