HAWTHORN'S percentage has been given a huge boost thanks to its thumping 162-point win over Greater Western Sydney on Sunday, helping its top-four chances.

The Hawks, who gained almost 14 per cent, now sit only a game from top spot and have the best percentage in the competition but by virtue of the close race at the top of the ladder remain out of the four.

Big upcoming clashes against rivals Collingwood, Essendon and Geelong will decide Alastair Clarkson's team's fate, but the coach is urging his players to focus only a week ahead.

"We'll look no further than the Western Bulldogs next week," he said after the thrashing of the Giants.

"Our form has been pretty good over the last little while, but we've got eight home and away games to go and we'll add up the wins at the end of the year and see where we sit."

Key forward Jarry Roughead, who booted six goals, said the Hawks had focused on playing hard for the whole game after easing off late in recent wins.

And he admitted the percentage boost could come in handy at season's end.

"We probably haven't finished games the way we would like," Roughead said.

"We've been getting outscored in last quarters, so to really put the foot on the pedal and on their throat was good.

"If you look at the ladder, it's probably going to come down to a few things with the logjam that it is up top, but when you've got Collingwood, Geelong and Essendon in the next few weeks, they're not going to be wins like that, so you've got to take these ones when you can and go for it."

Clarkson gave his players a stern talking to at quarter-time after they lost contested possession 25-38 and clearances 5-13 in the opening quarter.

The Hawks responded, finishing well up in both categories as they booted 17 goals to two in the second half.

The coach said better teams would not be so forgiving of slow starts at the contest.

"I was really disappointed that we didn't execute that part of our game as well as we could," Clarkson said.

"You go down by those sort of numbers against some of the top sides in the competition and they're going to hurt you with scoreboard pressure.

"GWS aren't polished enough at this point in time to cause the damage at the front end, but … the process of allowing them some easy ball in that regard was disappointing."

Lance Franklin booted four goals for the game, including the 500th of his career, before being subbed off with a cork in the third quarter.

With Franklin wearing the red vest, Roughead became the Hawks' focal target and booted all of his goals in the second half.

Clarkson said Franklin should be fit to face the Western Bulldogs next week.

"We'll get it assessed throughout the course of the week, but he (Franklin) usually recovers from injuries really, really well," Clarkson said.

He said both Shaun Burgoyne and Brad Sewell, who missed the win with soreness, should also be available to face the Bulldogs.

"'Sewelly' just had so many 'corkies' coming out of the Carlton game," Clarkson said.

"If it wasn't a thigh it was a buttock, and if it wasn't that it was a calf.

"He was just really sore … but we'll get him back this week."