Watch Alastair Clarkson's press conference above.

HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson has described Friday night's 38-point qualifying final win over Collingwood as one of the toughest games he has seen.

The Hawks will be grateful to have a two-week break before their preliminary final, after both teams put their bodies on the line throughout a ferocious clash.

"It was a tough game," Clarkson said post-match. "That's what you expect from finals.

"[They are] both very, very proud sides, and it was a super contest.

"The first half of the first quarter, I haven't seen 36 guys having a crack at the footy like that for a long time.

"It was fierce."

Having finished as minor premier, Hawthorn entered the match as favourites.

But Clarkson dispelled any notion of relief at securing the result many had expected, saying the Hawks' mission was still incomplete.

"It's not really relief, because we've still got some important times ahead," he said.

"Our focus now just goes to looking after our bodies and getting ourselves right, and trying to observe whichever opponent it might be that we'll play in the prelim.

"I'm no different after tonight's game than what I was last week or after we beat Collingwood in round one.

"We've got a mission as a footy club to try and salute at the end of the year, and you just play every game as hard as you can, and hopefully you win, and then very quickly you move on."

Clarkson admitted his team had not played perfect football, but nor did he expect it in the high-pressure finals environment.

"[In finals] you're just looking to grind out wins, really," he said.

"It was a different sort of game tonight.

"Very high scoring, but it wasn't a game that was high quality in terms of ball use.

"It was a really scrubby, hard-fought game.

"We're just happy to get the win any way that we possibly can.

"I don't think there's any perfect game in finals footy, and we won't be searching for that.

"It's just a fierce contest, everyone playing their role, and if we get that we know we're a great chance of victory."

Clarkson said Jordan Lewis and Clinton Young would both be fit for the preliminary final after missing Friday night's game with "residual soreness".

But the diagnosis does not look good for Brendan Whitecross, who was carried from the ground with a knee injury during the first quarter and subbed out almost immediately.

"I'm not sure the severity of it," Clarkson said.

"Hopefully it's just slight, but usually when the docs take him out so quickly, there's a bit of damage there.

"We'll hope for the best."