HAWTHORN big man Jarryd Roughead has backed coach Alastair Clarkson's decision to confiscate the players' mobile phones during their successful trip to Sydney.

The Hawks beat the Sydney Swans at the SCG for the first time in eight years and only the second time since 1994 on Sunday, and after the game Clarkson said the win had been the result of some "numbskull" ideas.

Speaking before the team's recovery session at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre on Monday, Roughead was convinced the experiment had focused the players' minds.

"Every time we did reach for our phones it was a constant reminder that we were there to do a job and there for the four points," he said.

"There was still opportunities for us to use the phones at the hotel.

"It wasn't as if we were cut off from the whole world and kept in our rooms and fed bread and water like mice.

"We still had a chance to ring everyone back home and catch up with people."

Nevertheless, Roughead believes the phone ban was most likely a one-off.

"'Clarko' had a plan and it obviously worked pretty well," he said.

"But I don't think we'll be seeing it again."

The Hawks' 46-point win over the Swans lifted them into third spot on the ladder, and their recent form certainly suggests they have the firepower to challenge top sides Collingwood and Geelong.

"We had that slip-up against Adelaide at the start of the year, but then we got some good wins on the board," said Roughead.

"We had a tough game against Geelong and slipped up against them, but in the last few weeks we've played some good footy.

"Out of the last eight quarters, we've played seven really good quarters and that's what you want at this time of the year."