HE’S BEEN Hawthorn’s most outstanding clearance player this season and Jordan Lewis says that form has come as a result of spending more time in the midfield.

The Hawks vice-captain has been known to spend some time forward in his illustraious 201-game career but has also at times been tasked with stopping some of the opposition’s playmakers.

Famously, Lewis took down then-Collingwood defender Heath Shaw in Hawthorn’s 47-point win over the Pies in Round 17, 2012 in a best on ground performance.

In that game, Lewis booted five goals and held the Magpie defender to 22 disposals - he was well down on his usual impact.

But those roles, if his start to 2014 is any indication, seem to be a thing of the past.

So far this season, Lewis has been played almost exclusively as a midfielder, although he has been known to sneak forward in an attempt to add to Hawthorn’s midfield goal-kicking depth.

More time in the midfield has helped Lewis, who is renowned for his hardness and willingness to win the contested ball excel at the stoppages and be Hawthorn’s best clearance player.

In recent times, dual premiership player and four-time club best and fairest winner Sam Mitchell has held that mantle, but Lewis has been that man for Hawthorn so far this year.

In four of Hawthorn’s opening eight games, Lewis has topped the Hawks for clearances, including 10 against Fremantle in Round 3 and nine against the Swans in last Friday night’s 19-point loss.

But it hasn’t been a concerted effort or focus from the 28-year-old, rather he has just been playing the role most familiar to him.

“I’ve probably been just a little bit more exposed to the midfield this season than in recent years and that’s probably where I do my best work,” he told hawthornfc.com.au

His form has come at an ideal time for the Hawks, who will for the first time be without Mitchell for an extended period.

Out for up to two months with a hamstring injury, the onus now falls on Lewis and teammates like Shaun Burgoyne, Will Langford, Liam Shiels when he returns and Luke Hodge to win the clearances.

And it’s a task he’s aware of.

“Sometimes the ball just falls in your lap and you are able to clear the ball but with ‘Mitch’ going down, I really have to step up in that area,” he said.

Lewis has played some of the best footy of his career so far in 2014 and it hasn’t just been his work at the stoppages that has impressed.

Playing mostly in the midfield has allowed him to focus more on the game that arguably doesn’t come as naturally as throwing his body in at the contest, and that’s his outside play.

A hard at it in-and-under player by nature, Lewis focused more on his ability to spread and win uncontested possessions over the pre-season.

And it has worked, ranked fifth at the club this season for uncontested possessions and seventh for inside 50s.

His worth to Hawthorn isn’t just in the clinches because he’s also ranked second for total disposals so far this season.

“My work away from stoppages is where I’m always improving game and something I’ve really focused on this year,” he said.

“It’s not what you do at the stoppages but what you do around the stoppage and outside it.”

An area he would like to improve after this weekend’s bye though, is his ability to work forward and kick goals.

One of Hawthorn’s biggest strengths this season has been the goals kicked by midfielders, with Isaac Smith (seven), Matthew Suckling (seven) and Bradley Hill (five) among the regular contributors.

A goal kicker in the past, Lewis wants to get that part of his game back as the Hawks aim to cement their place in the top four.

But as one of Hawthorn’s best so far in 2014, his desire to improve comes as a result of the high expectations he sets for himself.

“There have been some good games but there have also been some games that you’re not too happy about but that’s a level that you set for yourself,” he said.

“I want to play well every week but sometimes you have to put it in perspective and just concentrate on the things you can control.