FEW PEOPLE saw Brad Sewell’s omission from the Hawthorn side prior to round 16 coming, but many more predicted his response.

True to form, the hard-working onballer rolled up his sleeves and, after earning a late call up, made sure there was no danger of a repeat performance with 39 touches in the big win over the Brisbane Lions.

“It was certainly a bit of a rocket and a bit of a wake-up call,” Sewell said. “It was a little bit out of the blue, I certainly didn’t see it coming, but that’s the nature of the beast sometimes.

“Players do need that from time to time - it’s not something that you want to go through - but I like to think I’ve responded pretty well.

“It had the desired result so whether it was harsh or not it certainly worked. The challenge for me now is to continue that.”

And continue it he has. Sewell has featured among the Hawks’ best players for the past three weeks and agrees his axing, however temporary, served as a lesson for him and his teammates.

“You just can’t let up at any stage,” he said. “Due to the competitive nature of our list with almost everyone fit, you just can’t afford to lapse even a little bit regardless of who you are or what you’ve done in the past.”

With four weeks of the home and away season remaining, the Hawks face a gruelling slog home to secure a finals berth beginning with Saturday’s clash against the Sydney Swans.

Many have the Swans wobbly in eighth spot on the back of big losses to Melbourne and Geelong, but Sewell disagrees.

“Contrary to popular belief they actually played some pretty good footy against Geelong last week,” he cautioned.

“Against most other sides they would have been a chance to knock them off, but the Cats’ use of the ball allowed them to run away with it a bit in the end.

“Neither side is guaranteed finals yet so each game from here on in is so important.”

Former teammate Ben McGlynn added a bit of spice, albeit tongue-in-cheek, when good mate Sewell got a special mention in a press conference earlier in the week.

“He thinks he’s a very good looking man, Brad Sewell, so I think a few of the boys will be getting into him this week,” McGlynn said.

When made aware of the good-natured jibe, Sewell chuckles.

“He’s not bad is he?” he said.

“That’s not bad coming from someone who spends all his time on the beach now. At least he’s saving a bit of money on the solariums he used to get into in the colder months in Melbourne.”

Hawthorn’s record at the SCG is certainly no laughing matter for the visitors who have saluted at the ground just once since round 12 of 1994 when Jason Dunstall kicked 11 goals and Dermott Brereton kicked three - for the Swans.

“That record is certainly something that we have to address,” Sewell said of the Hawks’ one win in 10 appearances.

“The size of the ground might have something to do with it, but Sydney has been a pretty successful side over the last seven or eight years. I’m not sure too many teams have a good record against them on their home deck.

“[But] there’s no better week to put that to bed because it’s a crucial game for both sides really.”