Canny Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson has downplayed his club’s stunning late season surge into the AFL’s top four and says they need to lift a gear in the finals.
The Hawks nine-point win at the SCG on Saturday over Sydney secured them a top four spot and denied the Swans the same double chance opportunity.
“We’ve won six games on the trot and we’ve been really pleased with that and we’ve worked really hard in that period of time to achieve that,” Clarkson said.
‘But it’s hardly been startling footy. We need to find a way to lift it up a gear in the next couple of weeks.
“We’re going to be coming up against formidable opponents who have been probably top four for the whole year, where as this is the first time we’ve even sniffed it. So we need need to get a bit better and if we do then, who knows where it will take us.
“It’s hard not to watch some of the sides that have been well above us on the ladder throughout the course of the year, to see what they are doing and why they are the sides that they are, and we’ve got some studying to do over the next couple of weeks.”
Clarkson lauded both his veterans and emerging youngsters after the Hawks overturned a four-goal second quarter deficit against Sydney.
He said they got important contributions from Harry Morrison and James Worpel, both 19, and 20-year-old Irishman Conor Nash.
Clarkson felt the efforts of the younger Hawks was one of the factors in their winning streak.
“We injected some younger guys into the side that have given us some real enthusiasm and that’s helping us,’ he said.
The Hawks could regain the services of James Sicily for week one of the finals, after the emerging star broke a scaphoid against Brisbane in mid-July.
“We’re at that point in time where I think he’s missed the six, we’ve gone six-zip without him, so maybe we don’t play him, I don’t know,” Clarkson said.
“‘I’m being a smart alec by saying that, but he’s an important player for us.
‘He’ll be a handy return for us, if he is available to play, but we need to get the specialist’s call on that.”
Nineteen
Guest
I'd agree that we have no chance of winning the flag however when I sent that as a text to another Hawks supporter they replied with '2008.' :-)
DingoGray
Roar Guru
And lost to Brisbane twice...... If you looked at the start many expected St Kilda to be at least around what they were last year. Freo at home is no easy game either. It's easy to say in hindsight tthey've had a soft draw. It's not like they played both Carlton & Suns twice.
Bruce
Guest
Well they played Brisbane and st Kilda twice (2 bottom 4 teams). They didn't have to play in Adelaide all year, and only travelled to perth once to play freo. looks pretty soft to me
Bruce
Guest
Exactly, there are heaps of old players they still need to turn over. Burgoyne on his last legs, roughead old and well past his best etc
Bruce
Guest
I think Melbourne will open the cats up. Mel vs hawks elim
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
Well, there's a good chance of it. If they play, you may as well flip a coin.
Pablo
Guest
Yes, he is the ex Sydney and Collingwood player who came from NW Coast Tassie
Pablo
Guest
Agree. Clarko has a knack of surrounding himself with good people. There are a lot of senior AFL coaches that have worked as assistants to Clarko. Some pundits seemingly put this all down to Clarko. Sure they may have taken with them some of his football IP and personal ethos. They would have come to Hawthorn with a wealth of experience and played under great coaches themselves. But there are any number of those guys around and Clarko has been good at sorting the wheat from the chaff as they say. Clarko is a genius himself. I think the reason why he has never won a coach of the year award is because that is chosen the week before the grand final and Clarko leaves his best work for the last day in September.
Dan in Devon
Guest
Is that the same Graham Wright who played for the Pies?
Dan in Devon
Guest
Peter, I have that feeling too. I think the Hawks have the footskills to swing the ball and break open the tigers contested / close checking game. I think the open spaces of MCG could actually benefit the hawks despite the tigers form there.
New York Hawk
Roar Rookie
I don’t think even Clarko can win us the flag this year. That said, crazy things can happen. The one crazy thing I don’t want to see is is losing to the Cats in the Elimination Final. I can handle losing to the Tigers in the QF, sort of, but being knocked out by the Cats would ruin an otherwise good year...
User
Roar Rookie
Agreed, no doubt tiges and Eagles are a class above the rest ttf
Realist
Guest
Eagles to knock over the out of form Magpies in the QF. Go Eagles. There, fixed it for you PtS!
Cuz
Guest
A big call Pete, I don't think they are quite up to it as the Tigers will switch up a gear. Hope you are right though.
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
Tigers v Eagles. The rest can fight among themselves.
Birdman
Roar Rookie
Clarko def. deserves the accolades coming his way but the Hawks' bounce up the ladder comes off the back of Graham Wright's drafting genius - Morrison, Worpel, Sicily, Nash, Henderson, Hardwick, Miles, Brand - all lowish picks. Fitness guru, Andrew Russell the other big key to Clark's success.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Hawks to knock over the out of form Tigers in the QF. Go hawks .
anonandon
Guest
And yet he has never won AFL coach of the year. Amazing.
Rissole
Guest
Yeah I don't agree with them being rebuilt. Just topping up (O'Meara, Mitchell) to remain in contention. Similar to the Cats. There are still many premiership (and triple premiership) players in the team. You rarely earn those by being substandard footballers.
the runt
Guest
Explain the soft draw, at the start of the season when all the experts rated the draws the Hawks had one of the harder ones. Richmond had a softer draw.