THE INFLUENCE of talismanic West Coast ruckman Nic Naitanui won't be the decisive factor in Friday night's blockbuster, Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson says.
The Eagles' top-four hopes have been given a shot in the arm since Naitanui's stellar return from injury.
Naitanui helped West Coast win the all-important supply battle against Fremantle two games ago, before stealing victory with a freakish left-footed snap after roving his own tap in the dying seconds against the Giants last Saturday.
But Clarkson played down the spring-heeled ruckman's importance as the Hawks flew west to defend their one-game buffer on top of the ladder.
"He's a good player but him playing well doesn't necessarily mean that West Coast win every time," Clarkson said at Melbourne Airport on Thursday.
"It's not just about Nic Nat, it's about his 21 mates as well, so we've got to come up with good ball movement strategies and defensive strategies against their ball movement that allows us the chance to win the game.
"If we do that particularly well, whether Nic Nat plays well or not, that's not going to be the sole influence on the game.
"He's a really good player and he's been influential in the two games he's had since his return, but we've got to worry about the ball control at ground level."
Hawthorn learnt some valuable lessons from playing two finals in Perth last season and brought the boundaries in at their Waverley training base this week to replicate the narrow Domain Stadium.
The ground is 175m long and 122m wide, 15m longer and 19m thinner than the MCG.
With West Coast trying to stay in the top-four hunt – and with Eagles fans unlikely to have forgotten last year's Grand Final defeat – the Hawks can expect a hostile environment.
"Good sides get it done on the road and we're hoping to do that, but they're a pretty formidable side on their home deck," Clarkson said.
"It's a different-shaped oval and they play that ground particularly well – and Fremantle do too.
"Whether it's got anything to do with the past or not, West Coast on their home deck on a Friday night in front of 40,000 screaming fans is a hard ask."
Emerging forward James Sicily travelled after serving his one-game suspension for striking last round, while last week's debutant Ryan Burton and defender Angus Litherland were also on the plane.
Clarkson said skipper Luke Hodge was fully fit, while Taylor Duryea and Billy Hartung flew west after copping leg injuries last week.
Star small forward Cyril Rioli is an injury concern for the reigning premiers with a sore thumb, although he declared himself fit on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Clarkson hoped speedy wingman Bradley Hill, who is weighing up a trade to Fremantle to play with his brother Stephen, had his mind solely on playing well this weekend.
"He's over there to play a game of footy," Clarkson said. "So I'd expect that's where his focus will be."
