Hawthorn hero Shaun Burgoyne says the Hawks must address the issue of starting slowly after being forced to retrieve a big early deficit in Saturday’s top-of-the-table AFL clash with Sydney.
Seemingly shellshocked by the ferocity of Sydney’s non-stop early pressure at the SCG, the Hawks trailed 27-1 at the first change and by 38 points in the second quarter.
Hawthorn slammed on eight of the next nine goals to get within five points by halftime and shaded the Swans by seven at the end after a second-half arm wrestle.
The returning Lance Franklin kicked four goals and helped turn things around along with Burgoyne, who contributed three majors and 26 touches.
With a finals-shaping game looming against West Coast at the MCG next Friday, Burgoyne recognised the Hawks could not afford one more tardy start against another strong side.
“It’s something we have to address in the next week or so. It’s not ideal getting off to a slow start,” Burgoyne said.
“They (Sydney) are a top-four team and a quality team and, when you are off just that one or two per cent, they are going to make you pay and that’s what happened.
“We didn’t come in that first quarter and it took us 15 minutes into the second to really get our game together and play the way we wanted to play.
“A lot of that comes to bringing intensity and your mindset so we have to address that definitely. We’ve got a big game this week.”
Hawks’ coach Alastair Clarkson drew encouragement from the fact his team was able to claw back a large early deficit, three weeks after just failing to do that against Geelong.
“Just really pleased our guys stepped up in that regard tonight because, three or four weeks ago, we weren’t able to have the composure necessary to finish a game like that and tonight we were,” Clarkson said.