In an open letter on the club’s website, Kennett said the Hawks were “outplayed and outcoached” in the first half against the Swans, and questioned if the side was good enough to make the eight.
Clarkson said while he was surprised the frank assessment came from the club’s president, it was justified and helped the Hawks rebound in the wet against the Demons.
“What it did do was really channel our energies and focus quite clearly on what we needed to do to play good footy, and that’s be tough and hard at the footy and the opposition when they’ve got it,” he said after the 21-point win.
“I thought we got that today and as a result of that, it led us to having a victory.
“I don’t think what he had to say was out of line in a sense because we were woeful last week and deserved to cop a whack from wherever it came from.”
Clarkson agreed it was a special win after the Hawks threatened to slide out of finals contention following their draw and a pair of losses since round 17.
“We had our backs to the wall pretty firmly because our performances on the road the past two weeks have been dreadful,” he said.
“It was really important as a footy club we took stock of that. We understood our desperation at the contest and the opposition just wasn’t anywhere the level we pride ourselves on.”
He said the Hawks’ increased endeavour was the main reason they were able to outlast the Demons despite being wasteful in attack in the first half.
He also praised the players’ ability to withstand alternating periods of driving rain and sunshine.
“It was difficult because at different stages, it did dry out a bit and the ball was able to move pretty quickly, then you’d get a little bit of a downpour and you’d have to change your mindset altogether,” he said.
“It made it tough for both sides and to win a game in those sorts of circumstances was great for our club.”
Clarkson said “anything could happen” in September if the eighth-placed Hawks were good enough to hold on to their place in the top half of the ladder.
“Melbourne was in pretty good form and we accounted for a side today that had everything to play for, just like we did,” he said.
“You just take each week as it comes. You get to the finals if you’re fortunate enough to get there and you see who your opponent is that week and have a genuine crack at it."
