"WHEN you're happy you're playing good footy."
 
That's the simple manner in which Hawks maestro Cyril Rioli assessed his game in his club's 47-point belting of fellow premiership fancy Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday.
 
Rioli finished with 19 disposals, eight tackles, seven inside 50s and an equal game high five score involvements rotating up forward, as well as spending plenty of time running through the midfield.
 
Rioli told hawthornfc.com.au after the game a concerted effort on improving his fitness has allowed him to spend more time in the midfield this season.
 
"My fitness has really improved over the last three years and, although injuries have sort of struck me in the past, I've been able to get over them this year," Rioli said.
 
While Pies star Dane Swan entered possession realms other players have rarely ventured, Rioli's influence on the game and the quality of his 19 possessions were equal, if not greater, than his Pies counterpart.
 
Rioli's individual brilliance was highlighted by an over-the-head-look-away handball in the second quarter and a delicately placed kick in to the forward line to set Jarryd Roughead up for a goal.
 
Prone to soft tissue injuries in the past few years, Rioli said the Hawks had devised a specific running program to prevent any recurrences of his injuries.
 
"This pre-season, I've done a lot more work with my running technique and the trainers are really drilling in to me to stand upright and take shorter strides and not lengthen out when I'm running," Rioli said.
 
"I've done a lot more pilates and rub downs which have really helped me and a lot more work on building leg strength in the gym."
 
While Rioli was at his creative best, Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson said it was important for his side to have contingency plans if one of their key playmakers was to succumb to injury in a finals game.
 
"It's a really good test for our group to see if we can do it without some of these key players," Clarkson said.
 
"If something catastrophic happens in big games then you've got a plan B.
 
"What these opportunities present for us is in the worse case scenario, if one of these guys gets injured in a big game, you know that you've got a strategy and you can move to it straight away."
 
You can be rest assured Clarkson does not want that player to be Rioli.
 
Ben Guthrie is reporter for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_BenGuthrie