Hawks have nothing to fear against Tigers

HAWTHORN vice-captain Liam Shiels has declared the Hawks can beat anyone in September and said they would study their Round 3 loss to Richmond in preparation for next week’s qualifying final.

Shiels said the Hawks – entering the finals on a six-game winning run – were loaded with confidence as they plot to end the Tigers’ 21-game winning streak at the MCG.

“I’ve been saying all year that our best footy can match it with anyone,” Shiels said.

“Over the last month and a bit we’ve been able to perform a lot more consistently quarter to quarter than at the start of the year. Obviously Richmond are the best side in the competition at the minute.

“We played them early on in the year and they gave us a touch-up, so we might go back to that tape and look where they got us and reassess from there.”

Veterans Shaun Burgoyne and Jarryd Roughead have earnt a golden shot at becoming the most decorated players of the modern era with the Hawks booking their seventh top-four finish in eight seasons.

Burgoyne, 35, and Roughead, 31, are chasing a fifth premiership – a feat achieved by just 21 players in VFL-AFL history.

Grant Birchall, 30, is also hunting a fifth flag, although knee problems have sidelined him since Round 15 last year.

“Halfway through the year (a premiership) looked pretty far away,” Shiels said.

“But we keep pushing for consistency quarter to quarter, and as I’ve said a couple of times in this interview, our best footy can match anyone in the competition.”

Hawthorn have used just five top-30 picks in the past nine drafts but master coach Alastair Clarkson has refreshed his line-up.

Only nine Hawks from Saturday night’s nine-point win against Sydney played in the club’s last final two years ago, while five Hawks ran onto the SCG with fewer than 20 games’ experience.

“The good thing about a young group is they bring that excitement, so that’s all we ask of them,” Shiels said.

“To bring that energy and excitement, and they’ve been doing that over the last month.

“This year I like (the pre-finals bye).

“I don’t know if I’m a fan of it, but the body needs a little bit of a rest and I think there’s a few boys that have played almost every game this year.”

Shiels was best-afield against the Swans with 26 disposals, seven clearances and nine inside 50s.

The charge into the top four has Clarkson well positioned to win his first AFL ‘coach of the year’ award.