ALASTAIR Clarkson saw Hawthorn's issues coming.

Before the Hawks' narrow escape over Adelaide in round five, Clarkson warned his midfielders they needed to step up.

Sam Mitchell's vintage performances had just helped the Hawks clamber over the line against the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda, but it couldn't last forever.

"We like him winning the ball, but 44 touches (against the Saints) tells us he's doing too much on his own," Clarkson said.

"Not that that's his fault, but just not enough of his teammates have been stepping up enough to carry the load."

When Mitchell's stellar output inevitably dipped, the Hawks' engine room broke down in the 75-point hammering from Greater Western Sydney last Saturday.

Mitchell still had 26 touches, but his influence waned under the close checking of shutdown specialist Stephen Coniglio, and no other Hawk picked up the midfield slack.

Sam Mitchell is averaging a career-high 33.8 disposals in 2016. Picture: AFL Media

Some of the numbers make for ugly reading.

Jordan Lewis' slump continued with 15 touches, Liam Shiels (18) was below his best and outside runners Bradley Hill (14) and Isaac Smith (11) couldn't get into the game while GWS ran rampant.

Luke Hodge, since revealed to have suffered a torn lateral meniscus in the opening minutes, had 20 touches playing mainly in defence and the skipper can be excused for failing to exert himself on the contest.

But the malaise creeping into several premiership stars is concerning.

Lewis is averaging just 20 disposals – almost nine less than last season – over the last month.

The vice captain is only kicking the ball nine times a match (-6.5 from 2015) and his 'metres gained' have plummeted by 125m per game (385m last year to 260m) – the biggest difference of any Hawk.

"I could probably put my hand up for one good game this year out of six,” Lewis told Fox Footy.

"That’s not good enough from probably any player, let alone a leader of the club."

Jordan Lewis chases Heath Shaw in the Hawks' huge loss to GWS. Picture: AFL Media

After finishing top-10 in the past three club champion awards, Isaac Smith's performances have lacked his usual penetration.

The booming left-footer has booted only two goals this season, following hauls of 23 and 24 over the past two years.

Crucially, his metres gained have tumbled from 419m to 366m per game, while Hawthorn's other speedy wingman Bradley Hill is yet to hit his straps after a wrist injury.

Hill hasn't had a running bounce in two games (average 1.4 last year) and has dropped 93m in metres gained each match.

His normally precise disposals have been missing targets - one in every four is a turnover.

Shiels' turnover rate (one in every 3.18, according to Champion Data) is the worst of any Hawk and he's yet to kick a goal from four appearances, after snaring 13 last year.

Hodge (21 goals last year) has also gone goalless, although he's also missed two games and played a variety of roles.

Sam Mitchell (six goals in 2015) has been to busy putting out fires in the middle to push forward.

But with the 33-year-old's contested work dropping off against GWS, the Hawks sorely missed Will Langford's grunt.

Hawthorn was smashed in contested possessions (-39) and clearances (-18) and star defender Josh Gibson admitted the Hawks haven't been hungry enough.

In three matches, they've lost the inside 50 count to their opponents, compared to twice for all of last season.

It's put a backline adjusting to life without Brian Lake under enormous pressure, and even Grant Birchall lacked some poise in an uncharacteristic performance against the Giants.

The good news is there's still another 16 games to go before finals to get it right.

And the Hawks have been here before.

Last year, they were also sitting eighth on the ladder after six rounds but with one less win, albeit with nearly 45 more percentage points.

But the struggling and undermanned Tigers look an easier target this Friday night, even with key defender James Frawley under a cloud, and many still expect Hawthorn will get down to business when it counts later this season, including Hodge.

Luke Hodge will be out for four to six weeks with a knee injury. Picture: AFL Media

"We're 4-2. People are looking at it like it's doom and gloom, but we're ahead of where we were last year," the skipper told AFL.com.au.

"We're not playing great football, but in saying that we're still in the eight and we're getting some good games into some good young guys who have been impressive so far.

"It's happened in the past and we've been able to get through it.

"This is a minor hiccup with a long season to go."

It would be folly to write these proud Hawks off yet.