HAWTHORN needs to learn from its close call with a fast-finishing Port Adelaide before next Saturday's Grand Final against the Sydney Swans, forward Luke Breust says.
The Hawks looked to have a match-winning lead against the Power, when Jack Gunston goaled to put them 28 points up at the 11-minute mark of the final quarter of Saturday's second preliminary final.
But in an eight-minute burst from the 19-minute mark of the term, the Power piled on four unanswered goals to get back to within four points.
Andrew Moore had a chance to put them in front at the 30-minute mark but his kick from a tight angle narrowly missed.
The Hawks hung on from there for a three-point win, thanks to some heroics from skipper Luke Hodge and full-back Brian Lake.
But Breust told AFL.com.au after Saturday's game the Hawks would not sweep their late-match lapse under the carpet.
"'Clarko' (Alastair Clarkson) said we'll review those last seven or eight minutes and see where we went wrong and then outside of that move on to the Grand Final next week," Breust said.
"But we definitely need to learn from that and obviously if a situation like that presents itself next week we need to be better."
Breust said the Hawks had known Port was a fast-finishing team, but had been powerless to stop the late burst.
He sensed the Power had really been lifted by Jared Polec's goal from outside the 50m arc that brought them back to within 10 points at the 24-minute mark.
"Polec's one from outside 50 was a great goal – those sort of ones can really change the momentum and are huge spirit lifters for the opposition," Breust said.
Breust said it had been a huge relief when Hawks skipper Luke Hodge pulled off a stunning smother when Brad Ebert looked set to put Port back into attack with just over a minute left in the game.
And it had been an even bigger relief when the siren had sounded with the ball locked in Port's half-forward line.
Despite the Hawks' scare, Breust said Saturday's three-point win was the perfect preparation for a Grand Final.
He should know. Before the past two Grand Finals, Breust has been involved in five-point wins over Adelaide in 2012 and Geelong last year.
Next Saturday's game will be Breust's third Grand Final in a row, but he'll never take playing in a premiership decider for granted.
"You pinch yourself every year. To be back there with a chance to win it again, I do pinch myself," he says.
"I'm just lucky to be at a good club and a successful club."
