High-octane Hawks believe they can go all the way
Hawthorn aren’t in the AFL finals to make up the numbers – they can go all the way.
That’s the belief of key defender Sam Frost, who is happy to enjoy the ride and watch his dazzling young teammates take on all before them.
Hawthorn sealed a semi-final clash with Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval with a barnstorming 37-point elimination-final blitzing of the Western Bulldogs at the MCG on Friday night.
It is just the latest brilliant chapter in an extraordinary resurgence from 0-5.
“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, there’s a lot of footy to come,” Frost told AAP.
“But the belief in the group is that we can go all the way. We’re not here to make up the numbers.
“We had a lot of tight games we had to win late in the year just to get to this point. So now we’re here, we’re going to go as far as we can.”
There is also redemption on the line.
Back in round 10, Hawthorn led by 41 points against the Power but conceded the final six goals to lose by a point.
Sam Mitchell’s Hawks won their next five games after that heartbreak, and 11 of their next 13 to complete an extraordinary charge into the finals.
“We went away from what we’re good at and it was a good learning curve for us in how to finish off a game and not try to save the game too early,” Frost said.
“A few teams have probably learned that lesson this year. You see in the way big leads get chewed up late in the game.
“We reviewed that and we learned a lot. So we’re looking forward to hopefully getting in the same position at three-quarter time and not making the same mistake.”
Port will also seek a response to their humiliating 84-point qualifying final loss to Geelong – with a parochial crowd at their backs.
The prize for the winner is a preliminary final date with minor premiers Sydney at the SCG – the final stepping stone before the season decider.
“That’ll be super challenging,” Frost said of the Port Adelaide test.
“They’re obviously a great team and had a tough loss so they’ll be looking to bounce back.
“But if we can get it done, of course it’ll be an unreal redemption story for us and we look forward to that challenge.
“As much as last time we didn’t get over the line in the hostile environment – the swagger of this group, they love hostility.
“It feeds their energy and they want to play to the crowd a bit. So not worried about that one bit.”
Frost, 31, isn’t surprised by how quickly Hawthorn have turned things around.
“We had a strong pathway we wanted to take and I think we’re just reaping the rewards of that now,” he said.
“Yeah it’s probably sooner than any of us would have guessed but we always believed in the path we were taking and we believed in what Sam wanted us to do.
“I’m not surprised with the group we’ve got and the coaches we’ve got – but it’s probably just earlier than we thought.”
WEEK TWO FINALS SCHEDULE (All times AEST):
Friday, September 13
Second semi-final
Port Adelaide v Hawthorn, Adelaide Oval, 7.40pm
Saturday, September 14
First semi-final
Greater Western Sydney v Brisbane Lions, Engie Stadium, 7.30pm
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