Hawthorn Coach Alastair Clarkson was left to rue another slow start as his side was unable to overcome the effects of a dominant opening term for Fremantle on Sunday.

The Hawks generated a number of scoring opportunities in the early moments of the game but were unable to convert their chances, leading to a telling momentum swing for the home side. 

The Dockers held a 34-point buffer at the first break, with the deficit ultimately proving too great for the Hawks to reel in. 

"I thought we had five or six good chances to score early in the game," Clarkson said post-match.

“But then the dam wall opened, and we lost our spirit. 

“We’ll address it.

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“We have just got to continue to work on our game, give our players opportunities, particularly our younger ones and see where it takes us over the long term.

"To give a team a five or six-goal headstart proved too much to peg back, particularly when you're on the road.

"There was encouraging things over the course of the game for our side - the fact that we did get ourselves back into the contest to give ourselves a chance."

Watch Clarkson's full press conference below