A PHILOSOPHICAL Alastair Clarkson says he hasn't given up on the season despite Hawthorn slipping to 0-3 after being shellacked by Gold Coast on Sunday night.
The four-time premiership coach said the Suns were "a bit hungrier and more desperate" than his team in the 86-point hiding.
But it hasn't doused Clarkson's willingness to scrap.
He said the only way out for the Hawks was to work hard and "crawl" their way out.
"Our goals are always to try and finish in the top four, so that's looking a little bit more difficult to do at this point in time," Clarkson said.
"It's not about that for us right at the moment, it's about trying to find a system and formula for our players to regain the manner in which they go about their footy.
"We're just a bit down at the minute, but this is a proud group of players and we'll find a way, but we just need to work hard.
"We've been a good side for a long, long period of time.
"Our season's not shot by any stretch, but we need to get going a little bit in the next few weeks.
"We're up for the fight."
The Hawks were smashed all over the field by a hungry Suns team that had been hammered in the media all week following a 102-point hiding from GWS last weekend.
The Suns won the disposals (498-343), contested possessions (180-118) and clearances (51-26) in a lopsided contest.
Despite being second to the ball for most of the four quarters, Clarkson denied leg speed was an issue.
"If you went through all the testing, our leg speed is greater than what it has been in past years," he said.
"Leg speed is more to do with quickness of decision, movement of the footy, and we haven't been able to get our hands on the ball in the manner we'd like, both from stoppage or from use of the ball in general play.
"You're always going to look pedestrian when that's the case."
Clarkson said he realised the enormity of the round four contest against Geelong, but still had confidence in his group.
"These are just events, they're not symbolic of us losing our identity as a winning side," he said.
"We'll find a way and I'll look forward to that day coming because it's pretty hard to work your way through a night like tonight."
