Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson and his Gold Coast counterpart Stuart Dew have made appeals for urgent AFL clarity about cuts to list sizes.
The Hawks trounced the Suns by 51 points on Sunday at Adelaide Oval in the last game of the season for both the non-finalists.
Clarkson and Dew say they're desperate for an AFL ruling on looming cuts to list sizes and the soft salary cap which covers football department spending.
Lists could be reduced to 35 players and the soft cap by as much as $3 million as the AFL grapples with the financial fallout of COVID-19.
"I'm not sure what the hold up is," Clarkson said after Hawthorn's 17.6 (108) to 8.9 (57) demolition of the Suns.
"It's pivotal. I can only imagine it something to do with the (AFL) Players' Association.
"And if that is where the hurdle is, just let us know.
" ... A lot of people in the industry are hanging on this decision, so let's get the decision made."
Both Clarkson and Dew will hold exit meetings within days with players, unable to confirm some futures.
"We are obviously like everyone else, desperate to know about list sizes," Dew said.
"We also want to consider how the players' mindsets are and give them as much information.
"So if we know what players' futures looks like regards to list sizes, we will make sure we tell them and give them that courtesy so they can move on.
"As best we can, we will be as honest as we can ... but there might be some that we won't be able to give clarity."
The Suns loom as particularly hard hit by cuts - they entered this season with 51 players on their list while other clubs had between 43 and 46, depending on the rookie numbers.
Two Hawthorn stalwarts definitely won't be there next season, with triple premiership winners Paul Puopolo and Ben Stratton ending their decorated careers with a win over the Suns.
Puopolo kicked three goals while Stratton slotted just his second career major - some 11 years after his first, in his 2010 debut season.
Hawthorn banked a fifth win of the season and they'll likely finish 15th, one ladder rung behind the Suns who are yet to reach the finals in 10 seasons.
Australian Associated Press
