Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell admits a "heavy focus" will be placed on clearance work following another demolition at the hands of Melbourne.
The Hawks were outworked at the contest, losing the clearance count 23-35.
However, it was what the Demons midfield was able to do with those stoppage wins that will disappoint Mitchell and his coaches.
Hawthorn conceded "nine goals from clearance and five from centre bounce", which was ultimately the deciding factor in the 55-point loss.
"They just slaughtered the Hawthorn Football Club."
Matthew Lloyd on the Hawks stoppage issue that the Demons dominated all day. #9AFLSFS | Nine & 9Now ๐ฅ๏ธ pic.twitter.com/DseWyE7Uly
— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) March 23, 2024
โThat's (centre bounces) going to be a heavy focus for us," Mitchell said post-game.
"I imagine there'll be some changes, whether that's personnel or system or both, I'd suspect there's going to be something different in the next time that we play.
โTo be minus 18 after two rounds is disastrous and last year we were really strong in that area.
โTwo weeks in a row we've given up enormous amount of field position through centre bounce and clearance work so that puts you behind the eight ball.โ
In 2023, Hawthorn was ranked third for centre bounce clearances (12.6) in the AFL, slightly trailing Brisbane and Port Adelaide.
This year, Mitchell's engine room sits miserably in last place, producing an average of only seven clearances in the opening two weeks.
The absence of reigning Peter Crimmins Medallist Will Day has had a profound impact on the midfield whilst the inexperience of Jai Newcombe (22), James Worpel (25), Cam Mackenzie (20), Josh Ward (20) and Finn Maginness (23) will require patience.
To negate Melbourne's midfield prowess, Mitchell went in with a clear direction of playing a 'keepings-off' style against the Demons, reflected by an "excessive" 53-mark tally in the opening term for a solitary behind.
โThey blew us away early,โ Mitchell said.
โWe controlled the ball in the back half and then we had plenty of chances to go inside 50, we just didn't take them.
โI think some of the coaching of that, we have to have an assessment. We need to look at the plan, look at why we couldn't execute a part of it.
โCertainly the idea to take some more uncontested marks was obvious. Taking some more territory and actually looking for chances to penetrate the front half was where we fell down and fell down badly.
"We knew we needed to not cough up the ball in the back half so we decided to possess the ball a bit more, and 50 marks is a bit excessive in the first quarter.โ
Pending performances in the VFL, Mitchell could look at bringing in some fresh faces.
Young midfielder Henry Hustwaite - who recently signed a two-year extension - has been chomping at the bit for an opportunity at AFL level.
Seamus Mitchell and Harry Morrison will be looking to put their best foot forward while ruckman Lloyd Meek could help bolster the tall stocks.
