Hawthorn have vowed to reload, then unload in 2013 after their AFL grand final heartbreak.
Midfielder Brad Sewell says he expects the gutted Hawks to use their 10-point loss in an MCG epic to Sydney to be the catalyst for an even better pre-season preparation.
Sewell admits using the grand final defeat as a spur to go one better in 2013 emerged as a theme in post-match dressing room soul-searching.
“We’ll go away tonight, over the next week, over the next six to eight weeks, and lick our wounds,” Sewell said.
“We’ll prepare for next year in the same manner we did for this year, with probably a little bit more. That was certainly mentioned in there (the dressing rooms).
“Our group will bounce back, no doubt about that. We’ll reload, and go again.”
Just like their 2008 grand final win against a raft of statistics which favoured Geelong, it was the Hawks who became statistical anomalies on Saturday.
The Hawks had more contested possessions – usually as much a winning barometer in modern AFL as the scoreboard – and more scoring shots, but still lost.
Sewell believes Hawthorn’s waste in front of goal at vital times – eventually kicking 11.15 to Sydney’s 14.7 – was telling.
“They capitalised on their opportunities. We didn’t,” he said.
“We lacked a bit of polish today. 11.15 we ended up kicking, and that’s the story at the end of the day – straight kicking.”
But Sewell – arguably his side’s best with 33 touches and 10 tackles – was full of praise for Sydney’s efforts, describing the Swans as a remarkable side.
“(Today they showed) terrific resilience, discipline and all those things that they get put up on a pedestal for.”
Brendan
Guest
Hawthorn lose too many close games .What you keep count of seconds and thirds do you? There is a structural weakness in the backline and i am not the only one saying it.Richards had injections in his ankle all game ,Mumford had a bad hammy, Goodes did an acl and Bolton wasn't right either.You had double the free kiiks, more centre clearances and more scoring shots.So where was the game lost your backline allowing them to convert less forward 50's into three more goals.Think what you like Hawker IMO finishing second in the worst thing that can happen.
hawker
Guest
Goodes was in the right place at the right time to snap that goal. Can hardly blame the backman for that or no more than any other backline. If it was as easy to score against hawthorn as you say they wouldn't have made the PF and GF in the first place.
Brendan
Guest
You were up by 20 points at 3/4 time in a prelim last year and lost.You were up by two goals in the g/f and got done by 10 points a 4 goal turnaround in a qtr.Geelong has beaten Hawthorn after being 29 points behind at 3/4 time amid the nine consecutive victories.When it matters its too easy to score goals against Hawthorn -dont forget Geelong scored the last two goals of the game in there recent match to win.I said it at the start of the year Hawthorn wont win the flag because they lack quality tall defenders it almost cost them against Adelaide and a tall forward on one leg called Goodes kicked the goal to put the Swans in front.Statistics from the home and away dont always correspond with finals success.Hawthorn will not win a flag with this list until they recruit another couple of tall defenders.
hawker
Guest
Well Brendan seeing as they've finished second losing a GF that was up for grabs until the last 30 seconds they are better off than 16 other teams that didn't make the GF this year, despite having no heart, an average backline (that conceded the 3rd least amount of points this season - geez there must be some below average backlines out there!) If they were fortunate to make a GF they were just as unfortunate to lose it
hawker
Guest
"That goal Gunston missed in the fourth quarter came from a direct lay off from Franklin. He could have run onto his left and wound a shot off himself, but he decided he would leave it in lesser hands. Maybe this was confidence, maybe it was doing the team thing, one thing is for sure it didn’t work when it counted most." Righto so its buddy's fault he missed set shots then when he does pass to someone in a better position and they miss its his fault as well - sheesh...
Brewski
Guest
Hawthorn don't lack heart and i don't barrack for them, or even like them.
Brendan
Guest
How can anyone make a case for Hawthorn to bounce back when they were beaten by a side that had four players on one leg and a ruckmen from Canada.Hawthorn cannot win tough games so they must lack heart.Yes they have some highly skilled players but there backline is average as indicated by the ratio of forward entries by the Swans to goals.Hawthorn rate themselves far too highly and should consider themselves fortunate to make the G/F as the prelim could have gone either way.
doubledutch
Roar Pro
Winston, Sewell, Gunston and Hale are not getting paid $900000 + either! Buddy is paid to kick goals or assist in goals. That goal Gunston missed in the fourth quarter came from a direct lay off from Franklin. He could have run onto his left and wound a shot off himself, but he decided he would leave it in lesser hands. Maybe this was confidence, maybe it was doing the team thing, one thing is for sure it didn't work when it counted most. Buddy is a liability and there is no reason why a guy that important should be kicking balls consistently out of bounds on the full 40 metres out on a slight angle in a grand finals. I think Clarkson will seriously look at the offensive structure over the summer because they were disgraceful on Saturday. People can cover it up all they like but this wont help Hawthorn improve.
Winston
Guest
A bit harsh on Buddy I think. He did miss some, but even Sewell missed 2 in the 4th quarter, Gunston missed a set shot, and Hale missed the easy ones when he kicked the hard one from outside 50. When Hawks were in trouble it was Buddy who dragged them back. I think they had too many others who went missing or just didn't do enough. Roughead didn't turn up. Rioli did nothing. Birchall did nothing in 1st quarter (contrast with Josh Kennedy who came back hard after a quiet start). Burgoyne didn't play nearly as well as he did in the last month. Those 2 muppets who got beaten by Morton also got off easy since they weren't the last ones to make a mistake that led to Jack's goal. So while it's easy to say "if only they kicked straight", but maybe better to say if only they didn't stuff up all those other things.
ChrisH
Guest
Franklin is a liability! It must be gut wrenching for Mitchell and Sewell to get the ball inside fifty time after time, only to see Franklin drop the mark, give a free kick away, or spray the ball behind or out on the full. Hawthorn played the best football I've seen the club play since the eighties when Franklin was out injured this year. Does he even realise how important his shots on goal are?! If we had have gone 17 points up in the last we would have been hard to beat, yet he sprays it out of bounds and the swans make us pay shortly after.
David Orchard
Guest
Gutted Boys but great effort sticking in there all day. Bring on 2013. Congratulation to Josh Kennedy and the Sydney Swans. Dad John would have mixed emotions today.