In his own words, Hawthorn have to do it the hard way but Jarryd Roughead insists the Hawks haven’t suffered a dent in confidence after their AFL qualifying final loss to West Coast.
The Hawks have been forced to play their first semi-final since 2011 as a result of their error-strewn performance, but Roughead says it’s not through want of trying.
The Coleman Medal winner says it’s not effort that is the problem but execution – something his side have vowed to put right against Adelaide on Friday night.
“I don’t want to have to be dealing with Mad Monday next week,” he said.
“Every year there’s the hunger in the group to win because some blokes haven’t won one.
“We’ve only lost two finals in the past four years, we definitely know how to win in September (and) we give ourselves every chance Friday night.”
The semi-final is a rematch of the 2012 preliminary final, the closest the Crows have come to a grand final since their last flag in 1998.
Crows ruckman Sam Jacobs talked about the pain of losing that match on Sunday but Roughead suggested a loss three years ago was too far away to drive the whole side on Friday.
“There’s only 11 players left in that side, the two sides are both very different,” he said.
“For those 11 players left it might be motivation for them, but the other guys, they’ve got to try and get them up also.
“It’s going to be interesting how they come out and play but they’ve already came out on the `G and won.”
The Hawks have 16 players from that day who could contend – if Jack Gunston proves his fitness.
The vital forward was helped from the ground in the late stages of the loss and emerged on the bench with ice strapped to his knee and ankle.
Roughead said he had no knowledge of how the club’s leading goalkicker this year was tracking but said the former Crow’s absence wouldn’t be decisive.
“We haven’t relied on one bloke all year, we’ve got five or six blokes who have kicked over 20 goals this year,” he said.
“If Gunners doesn’t play, someone will come in and play the role.”