HAWTHORN forward Jack Gunston said Friday night’s qualifying final loss to Geelong was ‘disappointing’, but the side can’t afford to dwell on the result.

Isaac Smith had a shot after the siren to win the game for the reigning premiers, but missed as the Cats grabbed a preliminary final spot by just two points.

“It’s a tough loss. We controlled a lot of the game, had a lot of inside 50’s and just couldn’t capitalise on those chances,” Gunston told hawthornfc.com.au.

“We gave them some easy transition goals which I’m sure we’ll look at early in the week.”

After so many close wins in 2016, the Hawks looked like pulling off another masterful escape against their arch rivals, but it wasn’t to be.

Gunston said while a lot went right for Hawthorn during the game, their errors led to goals for the opposition.

“There was a lot that went right and we did some good things but our bad things probably cost us goals, which sometimes you can stop – you can have one stuff up, two stuff up but when it’s a few in a row, it can hurt,” he said.

With Isaac Smith lining up for goal after the siren, Gunston wasn’t thinking so much about whether his team mate would kick the goal, but rather what Smith would do afterwards.

“I thought he’d kick it, he’s a beautiful kick,” he said.

“But it happens – we kicked a lot more points throughout the night and he just happened to have the kick after the siren and so be it.

“There’s no point dwelling on it now, we’ve got to move on pretty quick – we’ve to the Bulldogs, they played some really good footy on Thursday night, so we’ve got to get to recovery and do everything right this week.”

Hawthorn will take on the Western Bulldogs on Friday night at the MCG for a preliminary final spot against the GWS Giants.