HAWTHORN coach Sam Mitchell says Saturday night's loss to Fremantle was a "punch to the stomach", but the Hawks have plenty of fight left in them as the finals race tightens. 

The Hawks slipped to sixth after their 13-point loss at Optus Stadium and missed a chance to move into the top four, controlling long periods of their clash against the Dockers but failing to deliver in the final term. 

Mitchell said his team had been given a lesson when the game was on the line late and could not afford to lapse through the final six rounds of the season as a result.    

"We know we're going to have to play really consistent high-level footy for the rest of the season if we want to be where we want to get to," Mitchell said on Saturday night. 

"It's a bit of a punch to the stomach, if you like. But we’ve still got plenty of fight in us for the rest of this season. 

"We're sixth on the ladder, so the ball is in our court, and we'll be back next week."

Mitchell said Saturday night's high-stakes clash had felt like a final with the pressure that both teams produced, with Fremantle laying a season-high 103 tackles and the Hawks laying 22 inside 50 in the first half. 

The pressure went to another level in the final quarter, but the physical and highly combative Dockers handled the moments better and kicked four unanswered goals in a statement win. 

"When you're playing really big games, there's this feeling that everything matters so much. And I thought the game had that vibe about it," Mitchell said. 

"For the majority of the game, the scoreline never got too far either way, and it was one of those games where every moment counted. 

"We understand that at our best, we can compete with the best, but as soon as we drop away five per cent we get a lesson, and we got one in the last quarter today."