ALASTAIR Clarkson has warned Hawthorn has to be wary of a Port Adelaide ambush at Etihad Stadium on Friday night, saying the Power's best is still up there with the "best five or six sides in the competition".
The Hawks suffered an eight-point loss to the Power in round four, when they were blown away by Port's stunning eight-goal opening term before fighting back to almost snatch a famous win.
Last year's preliminary final combatants' fortunes have varied drastically since then.
The Hawks have climbed to within striking distance of a top-two spot, while the Power – many people's flag favourites – almost certainly won't play finals.
However, Ken Hinkley's men have found some of their better form over the past month and could still derail the back-to-back premiers' top-two bid, Clarkson warned on Thursday morning.
"They've played some good footy over the last four weeks in particular and won three of those games," Clarkson said.
"They've freed themselves up a little bit without the burden and expectation that they had earlier in the year and they're playing some pretty good footy.
"They're a fast and attacking side and we're playing on a pretty fast deck at Etihad Stadium tomorrow, so they would fancy their chances on that basis.
"We've got to be really wary of that too because the last two times we've played them they've started games really well and built momentum and it's been really difficult to halt that.
"They've got some weaknesses in their side that if you can exploit them it will give you a chance to win the game. But actually executing that and saying it are two different things.
"So we've got a significant challenge tomorrow night. Their best is up amongst the best five or six sides in the competition."
The Hawks are in the enviable position of having a near full-strength squad to pick from at this late stage of the season.
"To have guys available towards the end of the year is really handy for us," Clarkson said.
"But we've still got three games to go and as we've seen with a lot of clubs throughout the course of the year you can go from being in a good position injury-wise to having a medical room full of injured players too."
Will Langford trained with the VFL players in a sign he will have another week at Box Hill after overcoming a knee issue, while Matt Spangher (hamstring) completed strengthening exercises and ran laps away from the main group.
The premiership defender is expected back next week.
The Hawks have successfully brought back Cyril Rioli from a succession of hamstring problems, with the livewire forward playing all-but one match in a career-best season.
Clarkson understood the "hysteria" after Rioli's six-goal haul against Geelong, but said his defensive efforts and team play hasn't changed.
"The defensive stuff, the tackling, the goal assists, he's been doing that all his career," he said.
"Internally, we've been absolutely rapt with the contribution he's made to our club and we don't think this year's any different to any other year he's played for our club."
Clarkson also said the club continued to support the Brett Ratten and his family after the tragic death of Ratten's teenage son, Cooper, last weekend.
"There's nothing you can really say except provide that ongoing support and wish them well in this grieving process and hope that things as best they can return to some sort of normality in the weeks ahead," he said.
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