HAWTHORN’S first premiership coach says Alastair Clarkson has proven his critics wrong by guiding his team to the grand final.

John Kennedy said Clarkson had answered the criticism he received early in his coaching career.

“That’s the name of the game, criticism. You’ve got to put up with that. You’re in there to win. Your score goes on the board every week and if you don’t get the results you get criticised,” Kennedy said.

“Some of it is justified. You’ve got to keep listening because now and then somebody says something that’s true.”

Kennedy said Clarkson had done well to construct a list that would make it to the grand final.

“I think the building has been pretty impressive. If it turns out alright on Saturday, well that will mean all the work is justified,” he said.

“It’s a very skilful, determined side. It seems to have all the attributes necessary. Those of us who followed it closely this year would be happy with the way the team approached every match. There were one or two days where we didn’t play well. The effort was there and that is all you can ask.”

But Kennedy, who coached Hawthorn premierships in 1961, 1971 and 1976, fell short of tipping another flag this week.

 “We hope for the best and I guess it’s the same for Geelong. We’ll see how it turns out,” he said.

Graham Arthur, who captained the first Hawthorn flag in 1961, said today’s players could expect a slightly different preparation.

“It was pretty much a blur. I can remember the build-up to the game, it was enormous, something we hadn’t experienced before. In those days we had the novelty of television interviews. It was full-on and we had a great build-up. When we got to win the game there was the anti-climax after. Everybody felt as flat as a tack,” he said.

“It’s much more intense now. I think it’s all relative to some degree. The three television stations in ‘61 were buzzing around and pretty active. The numbers have grown of course and the players are probably under more pressure.”