Hawk: We’re still alive
HAWTHORN forward Jack Gunston has not given up hope of playing finals this season.
Four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson last week took September off the agenda, but the “underdog” Hawks responded in style, upsetting Adelaide in front of a shell-shocked home crowd.
“As a football player you always want to play finals and until you’re mathematically ruled out, players are going to want to play finals,” Gunston said ahead of Sunday’s mustwin game with Collingwood at the MCG.
“We’re not far off it, but we took the approach of just worrying about Adelaide last week and we have to do the same this week.
“Collingwood are playing some great footy and they’ve got such an awesome midfield that we need to shut down.”
The Magpies clawed their way back from 43 points down, just six weeks ago, to stun the Hawks at the MCG. The victory went a long way to silenc- ing the wolves at under-siege coach Nathan Buckley’s door.
But consecutive losses, including a lacklustre return from the bye, has Buckley’s Magpies back in the gun. Both clubs must win on Sunday to keep faint finals hopes alive.
“They’re [Collingwood] probably a little bit unpredict- able at times like us, they play some really good footy and really fast counterattack footy,” Gunston said.
Young Hawk Daniel Howe could get the job on Scott Pendlebury — playing his 250th — Adam Treloar or Steele Sidebottom after shutting down Adelaide ball magnet Rory Sloane last week.
Emerging Hawks Ryan Burton and Blaike Hardwick have been consistent during a roller-coaster season.
Gunston yesterday said doing the “little things” would be crucial in the run home. “It’s just playing for each other,” he said. “It’s the little things, whether it’s blocks, shepherds, picking each other off the ground, it’s those little things that you probably don’t notice watching but they build camaraderie and chemistry.
“We’ve been a quality side for many years and we’ve had great consistency, and I guess there was a number of reasons throughout this season that we’ve wavered in form — dropping away in last quarters of games hasn’t helped.”