The Hawks were left ruing missed opportunities after they lost an early lead to go down to Melbourne by five points at the MCG.
“It’s swings and roundabouts and ebbs and flows, so you’ve got to take your chances,” Coach Alastair Clarkson said after the loss.
“We had plenty of chances today and we butchered them.
“We couldn’t sit there and say Melbourne’s pressure was just enormous and that’s what [caused us to] drop marks and miss kicks and such.
“We were out on our own, and we’re just dropping balls. There’s no excuse for that.
“At the end of the day, we got what we deserved. 50 inside 50s to 63, you’re not going to win many games of footy when you give up that discrepancy.”
After seven rounds, the Hawks have registered three wins and four losses and are currently out of touch with the top eight.
But never ones to rest on their laurels, Clarkson says the Hawks’ brain trust are regularly trying new things and looking for ways to bounce back into contention.
“Some of it will be the way that we’re playing and some of it will be personnel,” Clarkson said.
“We’re always sitting here and judging who the players are that’ll help us win our next premiership.
“Right at the minute, we’re looking at our group and saying listen, we’re a middle of the road side.
“So we could keep going down that track and end up a middle of the road side for the next four of five years, but that’s not the way we go about it.”
The Hawks will be looking to bounce back next week, as they take on the in-form Giants at the MCG on Sunday afternoon.
