Hawks to reach for 'kit bag' after Gather Round shocker

Perth Now

a day ago

Hawthorn will revisit their Gather Round shocker and address a poor recent record against Port Adelaide ahead of their must-win AFL clash.
While the Hawks will start favourites on Saturday in their Launceston home away from home, they have lost their last four games to the Power.
In a round-six game laden with storylines, Port bounced Hawthorn with 12 goals to three to halftime at Adelaide Oval.
What was billed as the highlight of Gather Round, given Port coach Ken Hinkley had taunted Jack Ginnivan after their epic semi-final last September, was a fizzer.
Sixth-placed Hawthorn are coming off a loss to Fremantle and must regroup immediately, given someone will finish ninth in the tight finals race.
"They've had the wood over us lately, they've won certainly the last three," Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell said before Thursday morning training at sodden Waverley.
"We haven't handled a couple of situations well. It's a big end to the season for every club and they're in the way of what we're trying to achieve."
Mitchell was asked if they would revisit their Gather Round failure or simply get on with business.
"A bit of both - we'll prepare the players as best we can to get the outcome we want," he said.
"There's a whole range of things in our kit bag that we can use for that. The last couple of times we've played Port is part of that.
"But whether we decide to show too much of that or not is to be determined."
Hawthorn took a four-game winning streak into last week's Fremantle clash and Mitchell was asked about the significance of the loss.
"Your (media) sky has fallen down ... last week we played some parts of really good footy and then some parts that weren't quite up to standard," he said.
"Port are more than capable of being a fantastic side, so we know we need to play our best.
"There aren't too many teams that can be too far from their best too often, and we're certainly in that boat."
A feature of the Fremantle game was the absurdly high tackle count, which the Dockers won 103-78.
Mitchell noted his team had the second-highest tackle count of the round.
"They were outstanding, fantastic, but from our tackle attempts it was one of those games," he said.
One of the highlights of Hawthorn's season remains 33-year-old forward Jack Gunston, who has kicked 39 goals in 14 games.
Mitchell explained Gunston is the embodiment of using your brains.
"Jack, he's learned ... later in his career, how to use his brain power to help his body," Mitchell said.
"He's left it all out there as far as what he produces on the field, but during the week he does an enormous amount of work, not just on himself, but on everyone else.
"That's probably given him extra 'legs'. Even when he doesn't play well, he has a significant influence on us."