HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson has dismissed star forward LanceFranklin's stunning display of inaccuracy last week as an"aberration."
Franklin stumbled to an astonishing 2.11 as the Hawks disposed of theWestern Bulldogs at Telstra Dome last Sunday.
But Clarkson is confident that the 20-year-old spearhead willredeem himself in Saturday's key match against Sydney at the SCG.
"He's kicked a lot of goals for us this year and he's got very goodgoal sense," Clarkson said.
"Last week we really just treated it as an aberration - hopefully he'sgot the kicking boots on now.
"Last time we played Sydney he kicked six so hopefully he can do thatagain this week."
Clarkson is approaching the game with some trepidation, both because ofthe Swans' reputation for smothering fleet-footed teams and the need to nail atop four spot and earn a double chance in the finals.
"It's an enormous challenge," Clarkson said.
"We fell a little bit short against Sydney the last time we playedthem, round 11 at the MCG this year.
"We got away to a good start and, as Sydney have done to a lot ofsides, they stifled our run and they ended up getting the points.
"There are enormous stakes for both sides in a sense, both sides liketo go into finals having won round 22 and that's going to be a significantopportunity for us to try to win the game and finish in the topfour."
Clarkson said the Hawks were still smarting from their defeat at thehands of the Power two weeks ago and were determined to finish off thehome-and-away season with successive wins.
"We're heavily focused on what we can do to try to beat Sydney, we'rereally disappointed with our loss against Port Adelaide in round 20," hesaid.
"We responded in the right fashion against the Western Bulldogs lastweek but that's done and dusted and now we've got another enormous challengeagainst the Swans.
"The most significant part of this week is that if we win we go in witha top four chance and that means we get the double chance to have a crack lateron in September."
According to Clarkson the top four is little protection against teamslower down the eight.
"Even Fremantle's got a chance to make the finals - if they landed ineighth spot the team that plays them that finishes in fifth would be a littlebit jumpy in the first week of the finals.
"It's just the depth of the finals, so all the top four does is give youa chance to have a poor final in the first week and still be alive.
"From that perspective it's important but there's any one of 10 sidesthat could win it," he said.
Franklin stumbled to an astonishing 2.11 as the Hawks disposed of theWestern Bulldogs at Telstra Dome last Sunday.
But Clarkson is confident that the 20-year-old spearhead willredeem himself in Saturday's key match against Sydney at the SCG.
"He's kicked a lot of goals for us this year and he's got very goodgoal sense," Clarkson said.
"Last week we really just treated it as an aberration - hopefully he'sgot the kicking boots on now.
"Last time we played Sydney he kicked six so hopefully he can do thatagain this week."
Clarkson is approaching the game with some trepidation, both because ofthe Swans' reputation for smothering fleet-footed teams and the need to nail atop four spot and earn a double chance in the finals.
"It's an enormous challenge," Clarkson said.
"We fell a little bit short against Sydney the last time we playedthem, round 11 at the MCG this year.
"We got away to a good start and, as Sydney have done to a lot ofsides, they stifled our run and they ended up getting the points.
"There are enormous stakes for both sides in a sense, both sides liketo go into finals having won round 22 and that's going to be a significantopportunity for us to try to win the game and finish in the topfour."
Clarkson said the Hawks were still smarting from their defeat at thehands of the Power two weeks ago and were determined to finish off thehome-and-away season with successive wins.
"We're heavily focused on what we can do to try to beat Sydney, we'rereally disappointed with our loss against Port Adelaide in round 20," hesaid.
"We responded in the right fashion against the Western Bulldogs lastweek but that's done and dusted and now we've got another enormous challengeagainst the Swans.
"The most significant part of this week is that if we win we go in witha top four chance and that means we get the double chance to have a crack lateron in September."
According to Clarkson the top four is little protection against teamslower down the eight.
"Even Fremantle's got a chance to make the finals - if they landed ineighth spot the team that plays them that finishes in fifth would be a littlebit jumpy in the first week of the finals.
"It's just the depth of the finals, so all the top four does is give youa chance to have a poor final in the first week and still be alive.
"From that perspective it's important but there's any one of 10 sidesthat could win it," he said.
