HAWTHORN resisted the temptation to rest during its week off, instead putting its players through a grinding training session last Friday that it hopes will prepare the team for the intensity of a preliminary final.
Boasting a healthy list and with game-breakers Lance Franklin (suspension) and Cyril Rioli (hamstring) set to return for Friday night's clash against Geelong, the Hawks were able to lift their training load rather than ease off.
Captain Luke Hodge said last Friday's session had "everything but the physicality of a game" and the Hawks were ready to play off for a spot in this year's Grand Final.
"Teams make the mistake when they come off a bye or a rest, they've had an easy training load and they're not ready for the physicality or the intensity of a game," Hodge said on Monday.
"We made sure on Friday that it's not going to be the case this week … we had a great training block.
"It’s the numbers and the freshness of the guys that were able to get through a full training session. We had 22-23 blokes on the track.
"We know that we've got to bring the intensity on Friday night. It’s a prelim final and both teams will be going hard at it."
On Monday, there was no sign of the players out on the track, although Shane Savage - who starred in the VFL at the weekend - emerged to go through some light handball work.
Rioli, who hasn't played since round 22, completed a block of running ahead of last Friday's session and has worked individually with the club's physio staff.
Hodge said there were no concerns about the 24-year's fitness ahead of Friday night.
"'Junior' will train this week … he ran on Friday and pulled up pretty well from that," he said.
"We're pretty keen for him to train on Tuesday.
"He'd done some other things with our phyios and they said he pulled up great from that. He should be ready this week.
"I know that whenever 'Junior' comes back in he's fairly exciting and his energy levels are [high] getting through games."
Friday's night's match will be the first preliminary final between Hawthorn and Geelong in 152 meetings, which includes three Grand Finals.
Hodge said the Kennett Curse - which has resulted in the Hawks losing a record 11 straight matches against Geelong since the 2008 Grand Final - had not been discussed among the players.
"Whatever happened in the past is in the past … we're focused on Friday," he said.
"We'll sit down on Tuesday and go through the best way [to beat them].
"We're probably not going to let anything slip early in the week.
"Both teams are going to be hard at it and we can't wait."
