HAWTHORN'S surrender of a 17-point margin at three quarter-time of Friday night's preliminary final against Collingwood was 'pathetic', according to captain Luke Hodge.

The Hawks had a three-goal buffer over the Magpies at the final change, but their opponents clawed their way back to win by three points and progress to the grand final.

Hodge lamented his team's inability to see out the game.

"We were able to do it for three quarters, but three quarters isn't good enough for a prelim final," Hodge said.

"That's the disappointing thing. We knew we had to play four quarters of football, and to finish with what we finished with in that last quarter was pathetic."

Hawthorn kicked 9.11, with some easy shots for goal missed at crucial stages.

"The boys worked hard to try to get the score on the board and if you're kicking points with easy shots, it definitely hurts," Hodge said

"You look back and if we kicked a few of those goals we might have been in a better position."

Hodge said he had full faith that his team could take it up to the best in the competition. With a Norm Smith medal and a premiership already to his name, Hodge knows he is one of the lucky ones, and is just as aware that there is no guarantee when the Hawks will get another shot at a flag.

"They don't come along often. Some blokes don't get a chance to play in a Grand Final or in a premiership. We believe we cost ourselves one tonight," he said.

"We worked hard for three quarters to put ourselves in a good position, and to drop away was disappointing."

Hodge said he could sense his opponents lifting and rising to the challenge after dropping just two games for the season.

"What it felt out there was that Collingwood wanted it more than we did. That is the frustrating thing; we have to sit with that in our gut for the next six months until we get to play footy again," he said.

"Our focus was to go hard at the ball and go hard at the body. We were able to do that for three quarters and three quarters isn't enough in finals. To get run over like we did in such an embarrassing way, they were a lot harder in the last quarter and won the ball like we did, which is going to leave a sour taste in the mouth for the whole pre-season."