HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson has defended star forward Lance Franklin, suggesting the media should find other targets.

The 21-year-old slotted eight goals, but also kicked six points and shanked one that missed completely when Pie Dale Thomas ran at him as he moved off his line in taking a set shot.

"Yeah, well, there's been a lot of conjecture about his kicking," Clarkson said after the game. "You know, he's kicked eight goals tonight and he's probably had about 15 shots on goal.

"We're pleased with the contribution that he makes for our footy club.

"There's a lot of people out there that seem to be displeased with it, but we're pretty happy with the contribution that he makes.

"Maybe there might be an opportunity for the media to focus on the guys that can't get the footy, rather than the guy that can get the footy, and then focus on the goalkicking.

"The way that we look at it, he is a very, very dangerous forward. What it's doing is that opposition sides are starting to double-team him, and that's going to create opportunities for other forwards in the side.

"That's a really beneficial thing to have in a football club."

Clarkson said the entire forward line, including the smalls, was making life tough for opposition defenders.

"[Franklin's] leading the goalkicking, and we've got another guy who's kicked over 50 goals himself in (Jarryd) Roughead, so we're really happy with the contribution that those guys are making," he said.

"(Cyril) Rioli and (Mark) Williams and (Stuart) Dew and those type of guys complement them very well down there too, because they're just so dangerous.

"It's an exciting forward line when the ball moves in there quickly, and that's a real challenge for us. "How often we can get it in there to give them the supply that they need to kick us a score."