PRESSURE. Paul Puopolo lives and breathes it.

He’s doesn’t concern himself with kicking the amazing goal from the boundary line like Cyril Rioli or averaging 30 disposals like Sam Mitchell - that’s not why he’s in the Hawthorn team.

That’s not why he’s such a valuable player to Alastair Clarkson and his teammates.

And he knows it.

A pocket rocket in every sense of the word, Puopolo stands at just 173cm but his impact on matches belies his size. His pace and ability to pressure the opposition to force turnovers is among the best, if not the best in the competition.

There is no one who impacts contest after contest like Paul Puopolo.

“My role in the side is to be a bit of a pest,” he says.

“I’m not there top get massive possessions or kick lots of goals but if I can bob up and get in their face and apply that pressure, then that’s good for me and good for the club.”

Hawthorn has the luxury of having two of the best players in the competition at impacting and changing the complexion of a game without being in possession of the ball.

Puopolo and teammate Rioli can be influential and be match winners without having seven goals or 40 disposals next to their name.

Their defensive efforts can lift the team and change the momentum of a game at any given time thanks to a chase down tackle or forced turnover.

Their ability to kick brilliant goals or set up their teammates is just a bonus.

And that was true in Friday night’s thrilling four-point victory over Essendon.

Although Puopolo snagged a crucial goal when the Hawks hadn’t kicked one in over a quarter and Rioli booted the match-winner, coach Clarkson and their teammates won’t remember their influence on the contest through their goals.

It would be through their pressure acts of which Puopolo had 30 - the most of any Hawk - and Rioli 16 on Friday night.

Their pressure lifted their teammates to victory to storm home when the Hawks looked headed for their first defeat at the hands of Essendon in five games.

“For my game, the main efforts go towards trying to do things that will be lifting for the boys,” Puopolo told hawthornfc.com.au

“I’m glad that they do look up to those kinds of efforts because I do work really hard to do those kings of things and if it does lift the team, then I’m more than happy to do it.”

The Hawks surrendered a 32-point half time lead in the second half against the Bombers at Etihad Stadium and even trailed by as much as 11 points at the 13-minute mark of the final term.

But they wouldn’t be denied.

Any question marks over the hunger within the Hawthorn players were answered in just under 20 minutes of football, when they stormed home to record a gutsy win.

“It was definitely a good sign from the boys to have just kept fighting when we were down and out,” Puopolo said.

“Everyone put in the effort, it was great to see especially given it’s so early on.

“It’s one game in a season but to have fought it out could pay dividends come finals time when there are those close games.”

Puopolo says it is the injection of youth combined with the return of some familiar faces that has ensured the energy and hunger is alive within those wearing brown and gold on game day.

“We’ve got a lot of guys who didn’t play in the premiership, so they’re as hungry as ever and they lift the guys,” he said.

“Having people like Suckling playing again and then there’s the young guys Angus Litherland and Tim O’Brien, those guys are really lifting the group because they’re young and full of energy.”

It might have been a Round 2 victory but the importance of winning against the odds isn’t lost on Puopolo or his teammates.

“It’s a credit to the coaching staff because we do rehearse stuff like that because you never know when it’s going to be important,” he said.

“It’s a great reward for the boys for all that hard work we’ve been doing on the track to pay off in the season.

“If you win close games like that, it gives you the confidence to win more games like that because there are going to be plenty of good sides we’ll come up against.

“If we can win those games, that gives us a lot of confidence for the rest of the season.”