HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson isn't ready to discuss the Hawks' top-four hopes despite his side climbing into that rarified air with another thrilling victory over Geelong on Saturday.
The latest nail-biter between the competition heavyweights ended 11 points in Hawthorn's favour – and Clarkson's men weren't safe until Jaeger O'Meara's final-minute sealer.
The Hawks have won four straight games and round out the home and away season against St Kilda and Sydney.
HAWKS HANG ON Full match coverage and stats
"We've just got to keep winning to see where it finishes up for us. Every side's really in that bracket," Clarkson said.
"The Tiges could probably afford to slip one here or there in the run home, but everyone else that's running from second through 10th or 11th needs to keep doing their best to win games of footy.
"That was a real slog today … it was a finals-type game, finals-type pressure (and) both sides applied terrific pressure on the ball carrier and made it difficult to move the ball fluently.
"But that's what you expect and that's why we were so pleased our guys got the exposure to that and that we came out on top in the end, and they get in the rooms and feel the excitement and buzz that a win like that can do for them as a young group."
WATCH The last two minutes
Hawthorn took a 26-point buffer into the final term, but had to withstand a furious Cats fightback that was aided by a free kick against Ricky Henderson for a deliberate rushed behind.
Henderson gathered the ball near the goal line and effectively walked the ball over under no pressure, although a case could be made that it wasn't on purpose.
Daniel Menzel snapped a goal from the resultant free kick and it was the second of three straight to Geelong that saw it slice the margin to six points.
WORPEDO FIRES PAST CATS CAPTAIN Five talking points
"It's frustrating, because we're on the bad end of it, but the call was probably the right call," Clarkson said.
"He had enough time and he's probably just pulled back about two metres – I think it was thereabouts – he took possession probably a metre or two metres inside the goal line.
"(I was) spewing at the time, because it cost a goal and gave them a sniff, but in terms of the adjudication, I can understand why it was paid and if that was Geelong down the other end, I'd expect it to be paid, so I can't really complain about that."
WATCH Alastair Clarkson's full post-match media conference
Captain Jarryd Roughead was a late withdrawal for the Cats clash after aggravating an ankle injury in last week's win over Essendon, but Clarkson was hopeful he would miss just one game.
It was the first match Roughead missed since returning in round one last year after a year off battling cancer.
"He's had a grumbling ankle for a little while and it's something he's just got to manage," the coach said.
"Out of the Freo game (in round 19) on a six-day break and the travel, we probably should have given him a rest then, but you're so keen on winning every game and he doesn't want to miss.
"Outside of that 12 months (out) he's missed two years ago, he's played every game last year and this year until today. He's a real warrior for us and captain of the club.
"He doesn't want to be sitting in the stands, so we'll just wait and see, though."
