HAWTHORN vice-captain Jordan Lewis has played down the threat posed by Fremantle's famed defensive pressure, saying his own team's is just as good.

The Dockers have been widely praised for the manner in which they suffocated the Sydney Swans during Saturday night's preliminary final win, with experts predicting it will be a key to upsetting the Hawks in Saturday's Grand Final.

But Lewis said he had not seen anything he didn't expect in Fremantle's performance, and was confident in his teammates' ability to handle the heat.

"It was a finals game, the pressure was up – it was pretty much what we expected," the 27-year-old said on Tuesday morning.

"Every finals game you play, the pressure is up.

"Because the media have hung onto it a little bit, it tends to grow legs.

"No doubt they're a great pressure side, but if you look at the statistics, so are we."

Under Champion Data's 'pressure factor' rating, which measures all opposition disposals and how much pressure they are under, Hawthorn is ranked higher than Fremantle.

The Hawks have a pressure factor rating of 1.87 in 2013 (ranked equal first in the League), compared to the Dockers' 1.85 (equal fifth).

However, Fremantle has averaged slightly more pressure acts a game than Hawthorn: 260.6 (ranked sixth) to 257.5 (ranked seventh).

While Hawthorn is the highest-scoring team in the competition and is more renowned for its potent forward line, Lewis said he had complete belief in the team's defensive capabilities.

"It (defensive pressure) is our number one focus internally," he said.

"We've got a heavy focus on the defensive side of our game, and we believe if that's at the forefront of our mind, our offensive side takes care of itself."

Lewis said he had not used last year's 10-point Grand Final loss to the Sydney Swans as motivation during the season, but might call on the sour memories this week.

"The memory of it, and the emotional side, players may draw on this week and try not to repeat that feeling," he said.

"But definitely throughout the year, if you're looking backwards, you can't concentrate on the game at hand."