Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge has defended star team-mates Lance Franklin, Jarryd Roughead and Cyril Rioli after their quiet AFL preliminary final performances.

Hodge also was well off his best form as the Hawks fought back from 20 points down at three-quarter time to break the Kennett Curse with an epic five-point win over Geelong.

Between them, Roughead, Franklin and Rioli only kicked 1.3.

Hodge was also scratchy and not a patch on his outstanding performance across half-back in the qualifying final win over Sydney a fortnight ago.

But Hodge backed his three star team-mates to be far more dangerous in the grand final against Fremantle or Sydney.

“Considering we had a win and the guys had a quiet night, there’s no concern at all,” Hodge said.

“I’ve played a lot of footy with those three guys and that’s a rarity – especially to do it two weeks in a row.”

Hodge still felt he was able to contribute, despite clearly being down on form as well.

“Footy’s an up-and-down game,” he said.

“I was still happy with the defensive side of my game.

“I didn’t get as much offensively, but that happens.

“As long as you don’t drop your head and try to do something outside the team rules … we had a number of guys who were probably a bit quieter than they’d like to be.”

Hodge added that finally beating Geelong for the first time in 12 matches was far less important than making their second-straight grand final.

The Hawks also narrowly beat Adelaide in last year’s preliminary final before Sydney upset them in an all-time great premiership decider.

“We found out through experience that just making a grand final is not enough – if anything, it hurts more,” he said.

“Geelong … were in our road to get what we want and what we want is a chance to play in another grand final and win another premiership.

“To beat a great side like Geelong, it’s always good – it’s a great feeling.

“But we came here with a goal .. not to break this 11-game streak … to beat a side that was standing in our road to get to a grand final.”