HAWTHORN'S inconsistent form hasn't shaken Bradley Hill's belief that the back-to-back premiers remain a genuine flag threat this season.

The Hawks' hunger for a history-making three-peat has been questioned after their rollercoaster 4-4 start, but Hill said motivation isn't a concern at Waverley.

"We don't think we've dropped off from last year. We've still got the same team and we think we can go all the way. We just need to start playing some consistent football," the speedy wingman told AFL.com.au.

"The intensity (at training) has still been the same. We've still got the same drive to get to the end of September."

The Hawks are red-hot favourites to win Saturday's clash against a depleted Gold Coast outfit, but even if Alastair Clarkson's men secure the four points recent history is against them earning a double chance for the finals. 

Since 2008, only four of the 25 teams who have begun a season 5-4 have climbed into the top four by the end of the home-and-away season.

Hawthorn has the chance to string together consecutive wins for the first time against the Suns and St Kilda before the bye, and then faces a critical stretch of games against Adelaide, Essendon, Collingwood, Fremantle and the Sydney Swans.

Hill said the key to getting off the 'win one week, lose the next' rollercoaster was for the Hawks to fix their slow starts. 

They have trailed at quarter-time in three of their four defeats and have only once come back from behind at the first change to win – by 62 points over Geelong in round one.

"We've been a bit up and down, we probably haven't had the best start to quarters and we've given teams a bit of a head start," Hill said.

"So we've got to start off a bit better, but I'm sure we can improve from here on and Gold Coast are going to come at us hard and we've just got to be ready for it. 

"Hopefully we can click and jell together and start getting some wins on the trot. I'm sure we can do it, we've got a good team here and we just need to play a four-quarter game and we can be on our way." 

Despite averaging 20 disposals and five inside 50s per game in a solid season to date, Hill put his hand up as one of the Hawks' inconsistent performers. 

However, his past two weeks – when he's collected 24 disposals and booted a goal against Melbourne and 26 touches in the loss to the Swans - indicates there's no premiership hangover for the ambitious West Australian.

"I thought I was a bit up and down to start the season, but that's what I'm trying to do is play some consistent football and hopefully I can keep improving each year," said Hill, who won his second flag in just his 51^st career game last year. 

"I've been lucky enough to play in Grand Finals but I want to improve for myself each year and become an alright player. 

"You don't want to just win Grand Finals and that's enough, you want to keep improving and be the best player you can be."