HAWTHORN faces an uphill battle to win the flag from seventh place, but skipper Sam Mitchell believes his team has the talent and experience to do it.

The 2008 premiers look ominous entering the finals having just beaten top-of-the-ladder Collingwood which Mitchell said had only served to reinforce the belief amongst the players.

“How far we go through September is in our hands,” Mitchell said on Monday.

“We’ve got the talent and we feel we’ve got the systems and the belief to go very, very deep into September. It’s just got to be our day this week and then we’ll move on from there.

“If we can have four great days then I think we can beat four good sides and salute at the end.”

The Hawks’ finals campaign kicks off with a do-or-die clash against Fremantle at Subiaco which Mitchell described as a “great way” to start September.

That Hawthorn is even in a position to challenge for the 2010 is an achievement in itself given the club’s 1-6 start to the season.

“We knew we had talent, we just had to find a way to get it out of ourselves,” Mitchell said of the run of losses that threatened to derail the Hawks’ season.

“I think what enabled us to get back into the season was that we stayed positive and we believed in each other and our systems.”

Despite the achievement Mitchell said the club would not be content to simply make up the numbers.

“I guess you continue to review your goals,” he said.

“If you had of asked me at 1-6 if making the finals was a pass mark I probably would have said yes, but now that we’re here I’d say no.

“We think we’ve got some talent and if we lost this week I’m pretty sure there’d be 45-odd players and 10 coaches who would be very, very disappointed with our season.

“There’s no reason why we can’t win the next four games.”