Hawks aim to replicate winning AFL formula
Jul 1, 2017 - 3:20 AM Hawthorn will try to duplicate last round's defensive AFL plan to stifle Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday afternoon.Coach Alastair Clarkson said the Hawks have worked this week to deploy the backline set-up and pressure that stunned premiership fancies Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval 10 days ago.
"We were really pleased with our performance against Adelaide, they've been a quality side for the best part of the last three years and they average about 20 goals on that ground," Clarkson said.
"So for us to keep them to 12 was a super effort."
However, the 16th-placed Hawks (5-8) will need to record a string of wins to make a charge at finals football.
"As much you want to gloat on a victory like that, you have to move on pretty quickly and we've got another tough opponent who beat us six weeks ago," Clarkson said.
"We started that (Collingwood) game particularly well and then fell away in the second part. We need to correct a few things in that regard.
"They made a conscious effort in the second half to move the ball quicker and we weren't ready for that."
Clarkson said the Hawks had identified the lack of intensity, particularly in the back half, that allowed the Pies to overturn a 34-point half-time deficit with nine goals to one in the second half to win by 18 points at the MCG.
"We take a lot of confidence from the game against Adelaide because they (Magpies) can also move the ball quickly through the middle of the ground," Clarkson said.
"If you don't deny some of that space and movement of the ball, they will get it into their forward quickly.
"Especially with (Jamie) Elliott back in their side, he's a very dangerous player.
"He had kicked 20 goals in eight games, so we have to make sure they don't get easy supply into that forward line."
Clarkson said the return of premiership defender Ben Stratton after six weeks out with a knee injury is a key component of the Hawks' shutdown strategy.
"Stratts has been one of the underrated and unheralded defenders in the competition for a long period of time," four-times premiership-winning coach Clarkson said.
"He's highly regarded at our footy club and he and (Grant) Birchall missed a fair bit of footy this season and both are unbelievably significant to our success over the past six to eight years."
Source: AAP
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