HAWTHORN’s remarkable turnaround at the SCG on Saturday night wasn't sparked by one of your classic Alastair Clarkson sprays.
It would have been justified because the Hawks were ordinary for the first 20 minutes of the second quarter, beaten at the coalface and outside the contest and at one stage they trailed Sydney by 25 points.
The Swans without Lance Franklin and Luke Parker mind you, whose pre-game withdrawals meant the bookies moved the Hawks into firm favouritism.
No, this turnaround was sparked by some quiet urging to his midfielders to get their hands dirty and for his experienced heads to take charge.
“We were down and out in the first and Sydney outplayed us in a lot of areas of the game and that's why you need the Strattons and the Gunstons and the Rougheads to keep composed,” Clarkson said after the nine-point win that booked the Hawks the double chance heading into the finals in a fortnight.
“That's what I said to the players at half-time. The game would turn but we needed to get our contested work going in the second half to be any chance against Sydney, because that's their greatest strength has been.
“They left us in their wake in the first half and we were able to turn it around in the second half.”
The Swans held the edge in contested possession 75-65, but by game’s end it was 146-137 in Hawthorn’s favour.
“We played far from our best footy in the first half, but we were able to grind out a win and that's really pleasing because interstate wins are crucial and it gives us a top-four finish,” he said.
The Hawks will almost certainly play Richmond or Collingwood at the MCG in a qualifying final, a prospect Clarkson said will be fantastic for his players.
“In three of the last four weeks we have played big finals-type games. Geelong and Essendon really needed to win those games against us. We didn't dominate those games but like tonight we found a way.
“We’re not going to win the title playing like we did tonight. We’re going to have to improve and hopefully we can, but the players have belief. There’s a nice balance between the spirit the younger players bring and the experience of the wise old heads.
“We look forward to two weeks’ time.”
The Hawks are hopeful of having star defender James Sicily back. He will see a specialist this week and will hope to be cleared to play after six weeks out with a broken wrist. Full-back James Frawley should be right to go after missing with back stiffness as well.
Not even the most optimistic Hawthorn supporter thought pre-season the Hawks were a top-four caliber team. The 2018 Hawks were a mystery, even to themselves.
“A lot of people didn't even have us top eight and that was realistic given where we were as a club,” Clarkson said, given the departure over the last two years of stalwarts Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis and Josh Gibson.
“We’re pleased we have been able to give some exposure to some younger players and we’ll see where it takes us,” he said, and indeed, Harry Morrison and James Worpel in particular, were outstanding all night.
“We’ve still got a fair way to go as a footy club, but when opportunities like that present themselves, we’ve worked hard to get this opportunity and who knows where it will take us if it stares us in the face.”
