'Taught them a lesson': Sliding Hawks must go back to the drawing board
Hawthorn had the chance to cement their credentials over the last three weeks, playing top four teams Brisbane, Gold Coast and Collingwood, but they lost all three and looked a tier below.
On Friday night they faced the ladder leading Magpies and were blown off the park by 51 points.
They now find themselves back in the pack fighting for spots in the second half of the top eight, and Matthew Lloyd believes they need to go back to the drawing board.
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The Hawks look dejected after losing to Collingwood. via Getty Images
"If I was Sam Mitchell, I would open up and say 'we were beaten system wise'. I thought Collingwood taught them a lesson," Lloyd told Nine's Sunday Footy Show.
"He might have to put his hand up and say 'we were out-worked'.
"When I say that, Collingwood's ability just to get them on the outside overlap time and time again.
"The 82 to 38 tackles, that's an effort issue. I think for system and work-rate they were done over.
"(Mitchell) says they're not a great side at the moment and they were taught a lesson by the best side in it."
Nathan Brown also outlined several instances of broken tackles laid by Hawthorn that directly resulted in Collingwood goals.
It doesn't get any easier for the Hawks, who face red-hot Western Bulldogs and Adelaide teams in the next fortnight before their bye.
