SPEEDSTER Paul Puopolo says banking four points in the middle of the season is crucial if Hawthorn is to secure a top four spot.

After overcoming a determined Carlton last Friday night, the Hawks face another test this weekend as they prepare to take on Collingwood in a traditional Saturday afternoon blockbuster at the MCG.

In the context of the season for both the Hawks and Pies, Saturday’s game is crucial for both teams given the jam of teams sitting on eight and nine wins for the season.

Hawthorn currently sit second on the ladder on percentage with Sydney and Geelong both breathing down their neck also on 36 points, followed by Fremantle and Collingwood on 32.

A win against the Pies on Saturday would put an eight-point gap between the two sides and keep the Hawks in the box seat to sew-up a top four finish with blockbuster games against North Melbourne, Sydney, Fremantle, Geelong and Collingwood again to come in the back end of the year.

“This is a pretty important time of the year,” Puopolo told hawthornfc.com.au

“Most people don’t think about it but getting these wins now is really going to help us come finals time because there’s pressure in these games to stay in the top four and then finish there.”

In order to bank another four points, the Hawks will need to withstand the pressure of the league’s best tackling team.

Collingwood average 75.6 tackles per game this season, with their ferocity and appetite to apply pressure almost back to that of their premiership year in 2010.

The Pies have been successful this year at dispossessing their opponents in the midfield, then sweeping the ball away to score on the turnover.

Hawthorn are aware of the Pies’ strengths, however, and got a dress rehearsal for that pressure last Friday night as the Blues took it right up to the reigning premiers.

But Puopolo says Hawthorn’s ability to handle the footy cleanly is more about the preparation they’ve done on the training track, which gives them the confidence to cleanly handle the footy and find teammates under the intensity of high-pressure games.

The Hawthorn speedster was particularly impressive with his clean ball handling on Friday night, dishing out one which set up a crucial Brad Sewell snap to reduce Carlton’s lead.

“It’s something we rehearse and work on, we always do our hands especially before a weights session,” Puopolo said.

“One of the things we try to do it put ourselves under as much pressure as we can without hurting ourselves at training but putting that pressure on so when it comes to games, we’re not under the pump, we’re ready for it.

“It does give you confidence because you feel like you’re ready. When you get into those situations you think to yourself ‘I’ve been here before, I’ve done that’ so you can be cool, calm and collected.”

Puopolo played one of his best games for the year against the Blues and was among Hawthorn’s best with 16 disposals, six marks, fives inside 50s and two goal assists.

While the stats sheet said he only laid three tackles for the match, his pressure around the ball was exceptional – his all round game clicked.

“I’ve been running really hard the last couple of weeks and haven’t got much of the footy but on Friday night I got a bit of the ball,” he said.

“I’ve been trying to get into the midfield a little bit more; the coaches have been trying to get me around the ball because sometimes in the forward line you can’t get around it much.

“(But) putting on pressure is my role in the side though, so I’m happy to do that – if I can keep buzzing around I will.”

Puopolo is Hawthorn’s number one tackler, averaging 4.4 per game. He has also kicked nine goals and averaged 16.4 touches in his 12 games this year.