Hawks can learn from St Kilda

HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson says his team must strive to emulate St Kilda in the wake of the Hawks 17-point loss to the Saints at Telstra Dome.

Clarkson rated the Saints a premiership contender despite entering last night's match in 11^th place on the ladder.

"St Kilda should be in positions to be wining premierships. That's the quality of their list," the Hawk coach said.

"Their top 20 players are as good as any top 20 players in the competition.

"We need to ensure over the next few weeks, and next year, that the quality of our list becomes as strong, if not stronger, than the St Kilda list and those of the other sides that we consider to be in the top bracket." 

Clarkson said his side would learn valuable lessons from a match in which he blamed missed opportunities for the loss.

The Hawks kicked 3.7 from set shots inside 50 in the opening three quarters and gave away goals with silly mistakes inside their defensive 50.

He said all the indicators showed the team's intensity was at a required level.

"We played some okay footy tonight," Clarkson said.

"It was a tough contest and we missed some crucial opportunities and St Kilda capitalised on theirs.

"Are we disappointed we lost? Yes. Are we shattered about it? No. They are a very, very good side St Kilda and have been for five years.

"We knew we were coming up against a formidable foe and they should be a lot higher than 11^th on the ladder."

Clarkson did rue an off the ball free kick against Lance Franklin in the second term that denied teammate Stephen Gilham a relatively easy set shot for goal.

Minutes later the Saints goaled to ensure a two-goal swing from which the Hawks never recovered. Eight points was as close as the side got for the rest of the night.

He said he didn't consider dragging Franklin for the indiscretion because it was wrong to "penalise the team".

Franklin ended the night with 5.5 but three of his goals came in the final 15 minutes after the side faced a 34-point deficit.

The Hawk coach said his message post-game was the same as the one he conveyed to waiting media.

"We'll learn an enormous amount from it. It was a tough contest and we are a young side that is making really good progress but we are going to have some hiccups along the way against some really experienced opposition like St Kilda," he said.

"You just hope that along the journey the experience these guys are getting will enable them to play at an intense level and be able to perform under the fierce pressure and do it consistently.

"When we can do that really well we'll be a really formidable side."

At 10-6 and still right in the hunt for an all-important top four berth, the Hawks face the resurgent Kangaroos at Aurora Stadium next Sunday in a game that will have enormous ramifications for both clubs.

He said he could see much of the Hawks in how the Roos have attacked 2007.

"They've got guys who are having a crack and performing their role within the team and that's all you can ask," he said.

Hawthorn came through the game unscathed on the injury front.