Alastair Clarkson: We're still not hungry enough

PREMIERS Hawthorn "got what we deserved" for its lack of intensity and hunger when upset by Port Adelaide by 30 points yesterday at the MCG. Coach Alastair Clarkson didn't make any excuses for the club's third loss in the opening four rounds, saying the players didn't work hard enough and, in such circumstances, "you are likely to lose".

"We need to rectify this. We are now 1-3 and we need to work hard to get back. There are a lot of good sides in the competition this season.

"We are a very good side when we are intense and hungry, but ordinary at best when that intensity is below par," he said.

"Early in the game we weren't tough or hard enough. We had the intensity and hunger against North Melbourne last week, but today it was missing and we got what we deserved."

The Hawks now tackle the West Coast Eagles at Launceston in a crunch match.

The team is without a number of premiership players and may also lose defender Brent Guerra, who suffered a corked thigh in the opening half and left the field later with a tightened hamstring.

"It is not severe but we didn't want to risk him, especially as he is an important defender and we are running out of numbers in that department," Clarkson said.

He was particularly disappointed that, after the lacklustre start in which the Hawks trailed by 14 points at the first change, all the hard work to draw level by three-quarter time ended up providing no reward.

"To be level at the last change, it begs the question what we could have done if we had been more intense from the start. But there are no excuses. They took the game from us. We must keep turning over players who can apply themselves.

"We will bounce back. We have had a couple of performances over the past two or three weeks that have been sub-standard. Today the lack of pressure from the midfield made it difficult for the defenders and there were times that their forwards simply could not be stopped by any defender."

Clarkson disclosed that inspirational skipper Sam Mitchell suffered a corked calf in the opening half and was "a little bit lame" and couldn't provide the usual run through the midfield.

While the Hawks season start is poor, Port Adelaide has flown from the blocks with a 3-1 scoreline, having beaten Essendon, Melbourne and the Hawks and failing only in a shock defeat at the hands of the West Coast.

Coach Mark Williams revealed that the Power's game plan was well orchestrated, thanks to strategy analyst Nick Russell, who sat in the Hawks' coaching box last season but transferred to Port this season.

"We understood their game plan, and our players stuck to it and executed the plan well.

"I think it is one of our most significant away wins. It doesn't get a lot better than this," Williams said.

"If you look at the competition, well, anyone who let's their guard down for a minute is going to get his bum kicked.

"They were not going to give us the game, we had to win it," he said.

And with 14 scoring shots to four in the final term, Port Adelaide certainly showed its resolve and fitness.

"We played our first three games in 30C-plus heat, so we changed our training this week and that really helped us run out the game," he said.

"Now we must concentrate on St Kilda (Friday night in Adelaide). This win will give us a lot of confidence. We have players competing for places in the team."

Williams paid tribute to former skipper Warren Tredrea, whose six match-winning goals yesterday took his club tally to 500, the first such milestone for the club.

"He is really enjoying the freedom from the captaincy, although to hear him talk in the rooms or wherever he certainly still commands respect and attention.

"He is closer to the end than the start of his career and he is playing without the burden of captaincy. He is no shrinking violet and his will to win and be great has not dwindled."

AFL.com