HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson wrapped up his review of the Hawks' qualifying final loss to Geelong with a reminder: we're still only one win from a preliminary final.

It was easy to forget, in the immediate aftermath of a seventh straight loss to the Cats, and with the extent of Lance Franklin's knee injury not yet known, that all was not lost.

The sun rose on Saturday, doctors delivered good news on Franklin's knee, and the focus turned towards atonement.

"It was a pretty flat mood after the game on Friday night," midfielder Liam Shiels told hawthorn.com.au in the lead-up to this week's semi-final against the Sydney Swans.

"But after we reviewed the game on Monday, 'Clarko' just said, 'put that behind us now. If we win this week then we're back in the same position as them'."

The review turned up a few things the Hawks would have to fix. Chief among them, said Shiels, was the need to recapture a sense of ferociousness.

"We were disappointed with our contested ball and our hunt around the contest," the 20 year-old said.

"At stages we were up to the level, but Geelong are such a big bodied team and such a mature side, they play that way for four quarters straight, and I guess we only played that way in patches.

"Sydney are similar to Geelong: they've got big bodies around the contest. So we're looking at getting in first, winning the footy, and then just playing the way we have all year."

Shiels was one of seven Hawks playing in his first final last week.

Despite the understandable nerves he acquitted himself well, collecting 24 touches, including three clearances, and laying an equal team-high eight tackles.

The 2008 draftee has no doubt that he and his fellow finals rookies will be better for the experience.

"A few of us young blokes have spoken about that it's good that the first one's out of the way, and we'll all be a little bit more comfortable this weekend," he said.

"It was definitely a step up from a regular season game. It's pretty quick.

"You need to stick with your first option normally, your decision-making needs to be spot on.

"It's a really fast and high-tempo game."

And another reminder: poor teams don't go through a home and away season with only four losses, meaning Hawthorn will enter Friday night with confidence.

"After winning 18 games throughout the season, and with the amount of talent we've got in the group, we'd be very disappointed if we went out this week," Shiels said.

"We've got great belief in our game plan and our structures, and we know that if we stick to that, and win the contested footy, we'll go a long way towards winning."

Mark Macgugan writes for hawthornfc.com.au and covers Hawks news for afl.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @mmacgugan