3. Jordan Lewis

[philhawk]

According to the My Man Thread (http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=291068), it looks like amos will be one of the posters responsible for looking after Chief for us this season.

Take it away, amos!

[amos]

Expect many an article about our uncompromising hard nut, Jordan Lewis, in 2007. Chief is set to make his mark. His early pre season form has been outstanding and he is training the house down. Personally, I'm expecting a breakout year in the 2005 Luke Hodge variety.

[amos]

Article 1 - 15th January 2007;

Lewis looking strong
12:00:00 AM Mon 15 January, 2007 | Back
Exclusive to AFL BigPond Network
Entering his third AFL pre-season Jordan Lewis is fitter, trimmer and looking forward to 2007.

Lewis has been a stand out on the track during the Club’s pre-season training regime, recording personal best running times as he prepares for the rigors of a midfield role.

“Andrew Russell (fitness coach) developed a pre-season program for me with a focus on getting quicker and building my endurance,” Lewis said.

“Because I haven’t had any injuries or niggles I have been able to maintain my fitness since we started training in November.”

Since returning from the Christmas break Lewis has knocked 10 seconds off his previous 2km time trail and is the fittest he has been since being drafted by the Club at the end of 2004.

“This has been the first pre-season where I have been fit enough to keep up with the running and workload where previously I had been just trying finish each session,” Lewis said.

If all goes to plan, Lewis is set to reach the 50 game milestone in Round 11 this year.

“It’s been an exciting journey so far and I think 2007 is going to be the best year yet since I’ve been at the Club,” he said.

“We have a group of young guys who have started to play regular footy with each other and we are maturing together as a group.”

Lewis who continued to improve last season in the midfield hopes the preparation he is putting into his body now will assist during the year.

“I’m hoping the hard work that I’m putting in at training and the way my body is feeling now will hold me in good stead later in the year in spending longer time in the midfield,” he said.

Link http://hawthornfc.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/4742/Default.aspx?newsId=36907

[amos]

Article 2 - November 20th, 2004

amos' official "Blast from the past article"

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2004/11/20/21zlewis.jpgJORDAN LEWIS
WARRNAMBOOL

Jordan Lewis is ready for a pre-season. He hopes. Last week, the 18-year-old dragged his girlfriend out on a 50-kilometre bike ride and in the past month, he has joined an exclusive club, learning how to box in "The Shed", the garage gym frequented by ‘Bool boys Jonathan Brown, Matt Maguire and Brent Moloney when they return home.

Lewis was born in Warrnambool, where his mother's family has long lived and where his father moved at 16 for football. He grew up with two sisters who, until recently, proved tough to talk into backyard kick-to-kick.

"I'd be out there by myself kicking it around," Lewis said. "But I get my younger sister out there sometimes and she's getting better. She played school footy the other day and kicked two goals, so I must have taught her a few things."

Lewis phoned home from a cousin's house as a nine-year-old one night, and asked his mum if he could fill in for his cousin's team. She said no, but he played anyway. "I didn't get too many kicks," he said. "The only thing I remember is being petrified of the big kids."

Having ditched a potential basketball career (he played in the same under-16 state squad as Jarryd Roughead and Andrew McQualter), Lewis joined the Geelong Falcons, where he has spent the last two years in the top age team. Mick Turner, the Falcons' regional manager, describes him as a cross between Cameron Ling and Dean Solomon.

It has been a long two years. Required in Geelong each Wednesday night for training, the Warrnambool regulars would leave school early, jump on a bus (driven some weeks by Mr Lewis) and drive there, gathering teammates along the way. Lewis got his own driver's licence this year, and spent the night before games in Geelong, and noticed a difference in his football. "You just had so much more energy," he said. "You weren't getting out of the car and spending the whole first quarter getting into it."

He trained with Warrnambool through the season, but notched only one senior game — the grand final, which the club lost to Terang by four goals. It reminded him what he'll miss, living away from home.

"There were about 15,000 people down there and the noise was amazing," he said. "I had jelly legs for the first half, but it was a great day.

"I had a few people say to me, 'Don't play. Something might happen and you'll get hurt.' But I'm glad I did. They've been good to me and I just wanted to give something back."

link; http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/articles/2004/11/19/1100838227733.html

[amos]

Chief gives the baa baa the 'Don't mess with me'.

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,5288338,00.jpg

[donsman4eva]

Lewis is becoming an absolute gun. Good on him.

[amos]

Expect many an article about our uncompromising hard nut, Jordan Lewis, in 2007. Chief is set to make his mark. His early pre season form has been outstanding and he is training the house down. Personally, I'm expecting a breakout year in the 2005 Luke Hodge variety.Nice get, amos :D

[hawkstars]

Without doubt a gun. Good on you Lewis and show these guys how to do it.

[Cheeseman]

Lets put 2007 in perspective for young Jordan. :thumbsu:


http://finalsiren.com/PlayerCompare.asp?SeasonID=2007&SelectedPlayers=1546,386,&Compare=Go

[Badga]

Playing his 50th game this weekend:thumbsu: Hopefully he continues his great form and has a blinder against the swans!

[MinerBoy]

Playing his 50th game this weekend:thumbsu: Hopefully he continues his great form and has a blinder against the swans!

Yep, all the best JL. Have been a favourite since the moment you made your debut.

[philhawk]

http://hawthornfc.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/4742/Default.aspx?newsId=44598

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/6899/jordanlewisluu7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


Jordan Lewis (http://hawthornfc.com.au/portals/0/images/players/hawks/Jordan_Lewis_L.jpg)
Fast Facts

Jumper No: 3

Height: 186

Weight: 87

DOB: 1986-04-24

Recruited From: Geelong Falcons

Time flies for Hawk on the move

7:14 PM Tue 5 June, 2007 | Back

By Catherine Murphy

for hawthornfc.com.au

HAWTHORN’S Jordan Lewis says it feels like it’s taken no time to reach his 50-game milestone, which he’ll mark this weekend against Sydney at the SCG.

“It’s flown. We’ve been very lucky in our draft. Myself, Buddy (Lance Franklin) and Roughy (Jarryd Roughead) to get games early…it’s come up pretty quickly,” he says.

The 21-year-old from Warrnambool made his debut in round three, 2005 and received a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination in his debut season.

“We probably didn’t play that well early on but ‘Clarko’ stuck with us and gave us more games and it’s paying dividends now.”

Lewis says that of all of his teammates, he is closest to the players who joined him on his first day at Hawthorn.

“[Roughead and Franklin] are probably my two best mates at the club. Because you get drafted together and you don’t really know anyone, you get close to the guys that you get drafted with,” Lewis says.

Lewis’ midfield coach Todd Viney has been at the club since he joined and he believes that the former Melbourne player, who was known for his even temperament on the field, has been a good influence on him.

“I just try to suck every little bit of information that I can out of him. He lets us put our input in and then he gives us advice,” Lewis says of the former Demons skipper.

“Off the ground, I’ve an even temperament but on the ground I can be a little fiery at times. I try to control that.

“I think it’s just the competitive side of everyone that comes out when you step across that white line. Everyone wants to win and I think everyone will do a little bit extra to win.”

Lewis says Viney pulls no punches when it comes to assessing his performance.

“He’s pretty straight down the line, so he’ll tell you whether you’ve had a good or a bad game which is what you want from a coach. You don’t want a coach that tells you lies. He’s always been honest which has been really good for me,” Lewis says.

The rugged on-baller insists that at home, he is domestically superior to his housemate Campbell Brown, but that the two of them have different specialties when it comes to kitchen fare.

“My favourite to cook is honey soy chicken stir fry. He’s more the steak and veggies kind of guy. The night before a match, we’ll always have a spaghetti bolognese though,” Lewis says.

Just as before every game, the pair will have their usual pasta dish this Friday night before playing Sydney.

Lewis believes that having already beaten the premiers, the game against the Swans will be a real litmus test for the club.

“We’ve had a really good start to the season. We’ve had some really big challenges so far and we’ve been able to overcome them,” he said.

“We’re just taking it one week at a time. We’re solely focused on Sydney this week. We just want to get to the break and be on top of the ladder.”

Great stuff from the 'Chief'.

Hopefully he'll play another 300 good ones in the future! ;)

[DynamoUltra]

Superstar.

[xav15]

i reckon lewis always thinks he has more time than he does, so he ends up getting himself under some pressure, and also i am not a big fan of his kicking, does anyone agree?

[RustyHawk]

Added pain for Hawks
18 September 2007 Herald Sun
Bruce Matthews

THREE key Hawthorn players face late starts to the 2008 season as Saturday night's semi-final defeat at the hands of the Kangaroos continues to reverberate.



Former skipper Shane Crawford, gun midfielder Luke Hodge and versatile Jordan Lewis were handed suspensions by the AFL match review panel yesterday following incidents from the game.

Crawford must sit out the first three games of next season for striking Kangaroo Daniel Harris, Hodge was offered one match for striking tagger Brady Rawlings and Lewis copped two matches for striking forward Brent Harvey.

The Kangaroos can prepare uninterrupted for Saturday's preliminary final against Port Adelaide after Harvey and Rawlings were cleared over other incidents.

However the Roos were fined $10,000 for causing a scuffle with Geelong players during the warm-up before the qualifying final at the MCG.

While the Hawks can compete in the pre-season competition and practice matches, all suspensions must be served in the home-and-away season and the penalties can't be reduced by early guilty pleas.

The club will decide this morning whether to challenge the penalties at the AFL Tribunal tonight. While Hodge and Lewis have nothing to lose, Crawford does risk an extra game if he fails to convince a three-man jury to either amend or dismiss the striking charge.

Crawford's swinging left arm to Harris' head in the third quarter was assessed as reckless conduct with high impact, classified as a level-four offence, drawing 325 demerit points and a three-game sanction.

However a one-game suspension for striking Fremantle's Peter Bell in the NAB Challenge in early March increased Crawford's points by 10 per cent. And the 1999 Brownlow medallist had 96.87 carry-over points from the Bell penalty and for accepting a reprimand for striking Docker Ryley Dunn in the same practice match.

It resulted in 454.37 demerit points and a four-game penalty, reduced by one match by the 25 per cent discount for pleading guilty.

[RustyHawk]

Lunch is on me, Buddy
1:16 PM Tue 11 September, 2007 | Back

By Ben Broad

Exclusive to AFL BigPond Network

News
TOUGH Hawthorn midfielder Jordan Lewis has admitted he thought he might have blown his side’s chances of stealing victory against Adelaide after spraying two shots at goal in Saturday’s frantic final term.

The Hawks won a dramatic elimination final at Telstra Dome after seven-goal hero Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin slotted the matchwinner with less than 10 seconds left on the clock.

But Lewis, the hard-edged onballer with the ability to play forward and kick a goal, had two earlier chances to put the Hawks in front.

Much to the dismay of Hawk fans, Lewis’s two shots on goal in the last quarter both failed to register even a behind. When the final siren rang, the Hawk no.3 was arguably the most relieved man at Telstra Dome, and on Tuesday he said he had already repaid the star of the day.

“I thought, ‘Geez, that [missed] goal could have cost us the game’,” Lewis said.

“Luckily enough we had a few more shots at goal after that and then obviously the last shot of the day sealed the game.

“So I took Buddy out for lunch this week to thank him.”

One of Lewis’s attempts was a difficult banana kick which slewed across the face of goal but it was his second shot – a far easier shot from in the goal square – that looked set to break Hawthorn hearts before Franklin stepped up.

“There’s not too much to say about that,” Lewis said.

“I tried to snap it through and actually hit the middle of the ball.

“I proved everyone wrong by kicking it out on the full. But I’ve been out on the track this week and practised a few snaps, so we should be right this week.”

The Hawks face a confidence-sapped Kangaroos at the MCG on Saturday night in another elimination clash.

A win there would set up a preliminary final showdown with Port Adelaide the following week, and while Hawthorn is abiding by the ‘one week at a time’ mentality, Lewis said his side was eager to atone for its round 20 fadeout to the Power.

“You know we can’t even bring into our minds about Port Adelaide yet, but if we do happen to get the chance against them over there I think we’ll play some good football and it’d be a good chance to redeem ourselves,” he said.

[RustyHawk]

Jordan Lewis's season 2007 was rewarded with a 4th in the Hawks Best and Fairest for 2007.

Sewell claims first Peter Crimmins Medal
11:01 PM Sat 6 October, 2007 | Back


for hawthornfc.com.au

News
DANGEROUS midfielder Brad Sewell claimed his first Peter Crimmins Medal after a nail-biting finish in front of a 1300 strong crowd at Crown’s Palladium on Saturday night.

In the count to decide the 2007 Hawthorn club champion, Sewell (173 votes) and eventual runner-up Campbell Brown (172 votes) went into the semi final against the Kangaroos on equal votes.

However, Sewell scored the winning votes after his solid performance to narrowly defeat Brown. 2005 Peter Crimmins Medallist Luke Hodge topped off another consistent year finishing in third position.

After four seasons and 64 games, Sewell’s achievement crowns another sensational year for the 23-year-old, who played every game for the second consecutive season.

Shifted from a small defender’s role to the midfield, Sewell averaged 21 possessions per game – the biggest return coming in round 21 against the Western Bulldogs when he picked up 39.

He laid the most tackles of any Hawk with 104 for the season and had his fair share of clearances. He also managed to curb the influence of a number of the big names in the AFL including Chris Judd, Shannon Grant, Paul Chapman and Adam Goodes.

In other awards, Stephen Gilham was named the Most Improved after stepping up as a key defender and playing every game since his elevation from the rookie list in round 19, 2006. Gilham’s willingness to keep learning and working hard won him the honour.

Sewell also picked up the club’s award for the best player in the finals, while Brent Guerra was rewarded for his hard working year at half-back securing the Most Consistent award.

Xavier Ellis was named the best first year player for his impressive debut season.

In his second year at the club, Ellis made his debut in round one and played a total of 13 games for the season, switching between the wing and half-back.

The contribution of retiring trio Richie Vandenberg, Ben Dixon and Joel Smith was acknowledged during a fitting tribute to the popular players.

Vandenberg was also awarded Best Clubman, an acknowledgment of how his peers regard him.

The Peter Crimmins Medal - an Olympic-sized gold medal depicting a sculptured image of the former Hawthorn champion - was presented to Sewell by Crimmins’ wife Gwen who attended the awards with son Sam and daughter Amber.

Crimmins was vice-captain of the 1971 premiership team and captain for two years from 1974. He fell ill with cancer on the eve of the 1974 finals series, missing September action that year.

However, the ‘little fellow’ made a return from treatment to play at the start of the 1975 season. In round six that year Crimmins had to return for intensive treatment and never played senior football again.

Club awards
Best Clubman - Richie Vandenberg
Most Improved - Stephen Gilham
Best First Year Player - Xavier Ellis
Most Consistent - Brent Guerra
Leading Goalkicker - Lance Franklin
Most Votes in the Brownlow - Sam Mitchell

Peter Crimmins Medal voting – top ten
Brad Sewell - 173
Campbell Brown - 172
Luke Hodge - 161
Jordan Lewis - 154
Sam Mitchell - 137
Lance Franklin - 136
Brent Guerra - 136
Shane Crawford - 126
Trent Croad - 121
Rick Ladson - 116

Peter Crimmins Medal voting procedure
Votes for the 2007 Peter Crimmins Medal were awarded by the match committee, consisting of senior coach Alastair Clarkson and assistants Todd Viney, Damien Hardwick and Ross Smith after each home-and-away and finals match.

A maximum of 16 votes could be accumulated by a player after the four coaches’ voting cards were submitted using the following grading system:

- three votes to the best player or players

- two votes for a good game

- one vote to players who beat their opponents

On rare occasions a player or players may receive four votes for an exceptional game.

There is no restriction on the number of players who receive votes in a match.

[RustyHawk]

Hawks trio have more than a few points to prove
Len Johnson | October 5, 2007

HAWTHORN will start 2008 without three of its best players — Luke Hodge, Jordan Lewis and Shane Crawford — after all were suspended for offences in its elimination final loss to the Kangaroos in the second week of the finals.

That situation is bad enough, but the demerit points system in use since the AFL Tribunal system was reviewed means that Hodge, Grant Birchall and Campbell Brown also carry over enough points to put them in jeopardy of an extra game on any sanction they incur next year.

The Hawks on-field discipline — at least in terms of number of players reported — fell away late in 2007.

Coming into round 20, Hawthorn was second on the ladder. Losses to Port Adelaide and Sydney in the last three rounds cost the club a double chance.

Six Hawthorn players were reported on seven charges from round 18 until the end of the Hawks' season.

Hawthorn football operations manager Mark Evans said yesterday the figures were skewed by the elimination final and he did not believe they reflected a breakdown in on-field discipline.

"It is always a concern when you have players suspended, but take out the last game and the other offences are pretty minor." (Of the seven charges from round 18 on, four were for striking, one attempted striking, one contact with an umpire and one wrestling).

AFL Tribunal statistics for 2007 show that Fremantle had the worst record overall but the Hawks had the worst in the last quarter of the season. In addition, Crawford was the most reported player in the competition.

The 1999 Brownlow medallist was booked four times in total, twice on striking charges in a pre-season game against Fremantle, on abusive language in a practice game against Essendon and then against the Kangaroos in the elimination final.

Crawford got a reprimand on the first pre-season charge, missed the first home-and-away game after copping a week on the second, was fined $1800 on the abusive language count and was outed for three matches for striking the Kangaroos Daniel Harris in the elimination final. He is carrying 40.78 demerit points.

Besides Crawford, Hodge, Grant Birchall and Campbell Brown are carrying enough demerit points to make a significant difference should they be charged by the match review panel in 2008.

Overall, the club with the worst disciplinary record in 2007 was Fremantle. The Dockers started badly, with Michael Johnson and Jeff Farmer suspended for four and six matches, respectively, in the pre-season, and continued in the same vein.

Fifteen Dockers were reported on a total of 26 charges, nine of them being punished with a suspension.

Hawthorn and Collingwood were the only other clubs with a double-figure number of players charged. Each had 10. Collingwood's figure was inflated by five players being charged out of the melee in its game against Carlton.

Steven Baker copped the year's heaviest penalty, the St Kilda tagger receiving seven games for rough conduct against Farmer in round 20. Farmer, six matches for eye gouging Daniel Pratt in the pre-season competition, and Ben Johnson, six for forceful and high contact on Daniel Bell in round 20, were next.

[RustyHawk]

Hawk on patrol
11:39 AM Fri 14 December, 2007 | Back

By Catherine Murphy

for hawthornfc.com.au

News
MOST footballers do something on the side, be it study or run a business, as an insurance policy for when their football career comes to an end.
Jordan Lewis' ‘insurance policy’ is quite unique: Last season, the talented midfielder spent one day a fortnight with different arms of the Victoria Police including its air wing, the search and rescue division and the water police.

Lewis, who was accompanied by Luke Hodge, says the highlight of his law enforcement secondment was when the pair went along for the ride when officers investigated a robbery, or at least what was supposed to be a robbery.

“It turned out to be a false alarm,” Lewis smiles.

“We didn’t get to see any gun fire or anything like that, so it was disappointing. The policeman just floored the car and was going over median strips and everything so it was a bit of an experience.”

Lewis says there wasn't any danger the public would recognise the two Hawks’ stars.

“We stayed in the back of the police car so nobody saw us. We’d probably have trouble being undercover cops, though,” he laughs.

While Luke Hodge is Lewis’ cop buddy, the two guys he was drafted with, Buddy Franklin and Jarryd Roughead, are his closest allies at the club. Although Lewis spent the majority of his time off with his family and friends in Warrnambool, he took a week out to holiday with his two teammates in Byron Bay.

“We do everything together. It helps that we’re all the same age, we do the same things," Lewis says. "We always hang out together. Because we were drafted together, we’ve stuck together.”

Contrary to popular belief, he doesn’t believe the 2004 draftees are developing ahead of time after their impressive 2007.

“We’re starting to see the benefits of playing games early in 2005 just now. Next year we’re going to improve again. It’s just about experience. It’s a matter of confidence really and getting out there and doing your thing. I think all three of us have got that now. So now we have to take it to the next level.”

While Lewis is coy about what the next level means for the team that had the youngest playing list in the competition in 2007, he acknowledges that the future is very bright.

“The sky’s the limit for us next year and anything’s achievable. With such a young group, it’s all about challenging ourselves and getting to play in a Grand Final as soon as possible so we want to better ourselves from last year so who knows where that will take us.”

[Big Ronnie]

Selection 10 has fallen to Bagda who has taken "The Warrnambool Wrestler" Jordan Lewis.

Now take him out the back Bagda and teach him how to kick from 10 metres out, my heart couldn't take seeing that again.

BR:thumbsu:

[Badga]

http://hawthornfc.com.au/portals/0/images/players/hawks/Jordan_Lewis_L.jpg


Jordan Lewis


Fast Facts

Jumper No: 3
Height: 186
Weight: 87
DOB: 1986-04-24
Recruited From: Geelong Falcons
Career Matches: 63 as at season end 2007
Career Goals: 19



2007 Home & Away Totals

Matches: 22
Goals: 12
Marks: 161
Disposals: 546
Kicks: 280




In 2007 Jordan led the Hawks for the most number of possessions and marks. In the AFL he ranked 18th for disposals per game, 13th in total handballs, 14th in total marks, 20th in marks per game and 8th in disposals per game.

[noosa hawk mad]

http://sportal.com.au/mediaplayer/au...nst-the-c-2081 (http://sportal.com.au/mediaplayer/audio/AFL/jordan-lewis-on-the-hawks-game-against-the-c-2081)
Jordan Lewis on the Hawks' game against the Crows (http://sportal.com.au/mediaplayer/audio/AFL/jordan-lewis-on-the-hawks-game-against-the-c-2081)
2 min 35s
Lewis on Stuart Dew's upcoming debut with the Hawks!:thumbsu:

[noosa hawk mad]

http://www.mytalk.com.au/aspx/pages/mediaplayer.aspx?t=audio&w=6984

Now playing: Hawthorn's Jordan Lewis talks to 3AW about the Hawks strong NAB Cup win over Carlton! Talks about T Clarke,Willo's Return,Rioli huge wraps on his game look out if he's behind you!

[Badga]

After 31 possessions in his first game of the season after Jordan served his 2 match suspension, he has been suspended for 1 match for a silly love tap on Pratt from the Kangaroos.

Details of Lewis' charge:
The incident was assessed as intentional conduct (three points), low impact (one point) and body contact (one point). This is a total of five activation points, resulting in a classification of a Level One offence, drawing 125 demerit points and a one-match sanction. He has an existing bad record of two matches suspended within the last three years, increasing the penalty by 20 per cent to 150 demerit points. He has also 13.75 points carried over from within the last 12 months, increasing the penalty to 163.75 demerit points and a one-match sanction. An early plea reduces the penalty by 25 per cent to 122.81 points and a one-match sanction.

So as it is he will carry over 22.81 points, if contests and is unsuccessful he'll carry over 63.75 points. Not much chance the tribunal will upgrade it to a higher charge so I would suggest the club will contest.

[RustyHawk]

Eight Hawks re-sign for two more

August 14, 2008 HAWTHORN have signed new deals with eight players, which will keep them at the AFL club for the next two years.

The eight players are Jarryd Roughead, Chance Bateman, Jordan Lewis, Robert Campbell, Mark Williams, Mitch Thorp, Brent Renouf and Jarryd Morton.

Hawks football manager Mark Evans said this week's re-signings were a great boost for the club's future.

"It's a strong message to have eight players who are such a big part of our future quest for premiership success all coming out in the one week and agreeing to terms, it's a great message of solidarity," Evans told the Nine Network's AFL Footy Show.

The Hawks are currently second on the ladder.





AAP

[noosa hawk mad]

Lewis says Hawks will be ready





By Jennifer Witham 9:01 AM Mon 18 August, 2008
http://mm.afl.com.au/Portals/0/images/AFL/AFL%20A-E/JLewis246AA.jpgJordan Lewis pauses against Richmond on Sunday


HAWTHORN midfielder Jordan Lewis believes his side's shock loss to Richmond on Sunday will teach it some valuable lessons about preparation ahead of the finals.

Lewis, 22, said the Hawks were "not ready to play" before the 29-point loss to the Tigers, and will learn from their mistakes with two home-and-away matches to come before September action kicks off.

"We've played some big games this year, and at the moment, we're so far behind what we expect of ourselves and the way we normally play," he told hawthornfc.com.au after the game at the MCG.

"We've just got to come with a mindset that it's just another final, and today we just didn't come with that mindset.

"I don't think it's hard for us to find motivation, but it's hard being at the top of the ladder when you've got sides wanting to make the eight when their backs are against the wall and they'll do anything to win.

"If you're not on your game like we weren't today, you see what happens."

The Hawks have the luxury of knowing they'll finish top three, and will play the Western Bulldogs in the first week of the finals.

However, Lewis said there are still tough assignments to come for his side given the number of opponents fighting for their lives in the 2008 season.

"It's like North Melbourne six weeks ago when their backs were against the wall and they upset us again," he said.

"If we put out performances like that in the finals, we're not going to get anywhere near them."

Lewis said the players "haven't spoken" about directing the ball to Buddy Franklin more than usual, despite the fact the spearhead is on the verge of becoming the first player since Fraser Gehrig in 2004 to kick 100 goals in a season.

"We've got a forward structure and we know where to kick it and if Buddy is in the right spot, we kick it to him," he said.

"If Roughy's [Jarryd Roughead] is in the right spot, we kick it to him.

"Whether he kicks 100 or not, it's not on our minds. He might have done it today if he could have kicked straight.

"When we take the ball forward and we see a big 6ft 5 guy presenting at us with his arms wide, you can barley miss him. You've just got to kick the ball to him if he's leading with intensity.

"We've just got to get the ball to other forwards as well. Sometimes we do become a bit too Buddy-focused, but it's not because of the 100 goals; it's just because he's a big, fast forward.

"But, I think him getting 100 goals will be a great thing for the game, and hopefully he gets it."