Hawthorn had not been beaten in itsprevious five matches in Tasmania,but the Roos’ tackling and pressure proved the difference this time around.
“It’s been a good hunting ground for usdown here over the past five or six years, but the Kangaroos are a really good sideand they showed that today,” Hodge told hawthornfc.com.auafter the game.
“They do put a lot of pressure on the ball-carriergenerally and, as you saw today, they were very good at that here.
“It’s a big ground and I think it usually worksfor us because we’re a hard-running side and we’re a pretty fit side, but itdidn’t quite work out for us today.”
Hodge lamented a series of spurnedopportunities which saw his side kick eight consecutive points, with fourothers out of bounds on the full, in the second and third quarters.
“We couldn’t convert our shots on goal. Wedidn’t kick as straight as we could have in the first half,” he said.
“That just hurts you when you find yourselfdown by eight goals and trying to get a run on late.”
Key players Sam Mitchell (calf tightness)and Lance Franklin (ill) were late withdrawals from the side, but Hodge saidtheir absence didn’t alter the plan of attack going into the match.
“We had the same plan going into the game.We weren’t going to change it at all,” he said.
“If we lose someone we’ll just bringsomeone else in to do the same role and it was just unfortunate that it didn’twork out today.”
But, taking the lead of his coach, Hodgeremained confident in his side’s ability to play good football and was able totake some positives from the performance.
“I think if you look at the last half weplayed a lot better football,” he said. “I think it was good to see Beau Dowlercome up and kick a couple of goals, so we’ve got a few little things we cantake out of the game. It wasn’t a total loss all up.
“We’ve said all year that we’re just goingto try and be competitive in every game and so far we’ve done that in most ofthem. But we’ve got another five to go and the aim remains the same.”
