HAWTHORN half-back Rick Ladson says theclub's focus has already shifted to next week’s clash with Richmond,following his side’s 71-point drubbing at the hands of Adelaide on Saturday night.
"Obviously it was bad to lose by asmuch as we did, but I don’t think the scoreboard actually showed how well weplayed," Ladson told hawthornfc.com.au.
"Adelaidewas at their best tonight and really got their game going and used the ball alot better than we did.
"I thought our endeavour was there allnight, but we just weren’t able to get them on the scoreboard.
"We had a crack – there’s no doubtabout that – but they were just a lot smoother than us.
"We’ll turn it around. We’ve got Richmond next week andthat’s where we’re looking straight away."
Ladson, 23, said it was disappointing notto notch a win for Sam Mitchell in his 100th match for the Hawks.
"[It was] definitely disappointing.Sam’s been one of our best players in those 100 games too.
"He just leads from the front – whichhe did again tonight. He was in and under and trying to get us going.
"It’s just disappointing we couldn’tbring home a win for him on his 100th and help him celebrate like we did withHodgey [Luke Hodge in his 100th] a few weeks ago.”
Ladson was taken at the end of 2001 withpick 16 in the same draft as Luke Hodge (pick one), Campbell Brown (pick 32)and Mitchell (pick 36).
However a wretched run with injury,especially early in his career, has seen Ladson restricted to just 64 matches –while Hodge now has 102, Mitchell 100 and Brown 87.
But with 22 matches last year, and another12 so far in 2007, Ladson is starting to find his niche.
Averaging over 20 possessions a game in2007 at better than 87 per cent efficiency, Ladson was again one of the Hawksbest last night, with 30 possessions off half-back.
"Yeah, it [my form] hasn’t been toobad. I’ve missed a couple of games with injury, but the team’s going well, andI’ve just started to fit in nicely and play some consistent footy, which isgood."
Hawthorn hasn’t beaten Adelaidein Adelaidesince May 1994, when Jason Dunstall kicked nine and John Platten had it 37times, kicked six, and took away the three Brownlow votes.
The only remaining Hawthorn player fromthat game is Shane Crawford, who was in his just second season. Rick Ladson was10-years-old, and teammate Xavier Ellis six.
Ladson says the Hawks' poor record againstthe Crows at AAMI was never raised during the week – a sign this group isintent on writing its own history.
"We never think like that going intogames. We showed we could win here when we beat Port [Adelaide] about a monthago, and we’re always confident that we can turn things around."
