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Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson says there is no easy fix to his club's worrying slump in form following a third straight AFL loss.
Alastair Clarkson says his out of form Hawthorn side need to "roll their sleeves up" but that there is no easy fix to their woes following a third straight AFL loss.
The Hawks dipped to 3-4 after a 43-point defeat by Melbourne at Giants Stadium in Sydney on Sunday.
They were dominated in the contest areas, and for the third match in succession scored fewer than 50 points.
Four-time premiership-winning coach Clarkson pointed out the Hawks had recovered from worse starts to a season, most notably in 2010 when they made the finals despite being 1-6.
"There's no easy fix to this, there's no magic recipe. It's just hard work and the wheel will turn," said Clarkson, whose 14th-placed club are four points off eighth spot.
"Confidence and winning form is only just around the corner, sometimes within a quarter. So that's what we'll keep searching for.
"As long as there's a silver lining and a blue sky for us we'll continue to search for it.
"We know it's going to take a 'roll the sleeves up' type of mentality to get ourselves back on track."
The struggling Hawks lost a key forward early in a game for a third straight time at Giants Stadium, with Tim O'Brien in doubt for next Saturday's clash with Sydney at the SCG after hurting an ankle.
Conversely, Melbourne will reflect on a productive time at GWS' home venue, where they have got their season back on track with successive victories over the Suns and Hawks
They are 12th on 3-3 with a game in hand over most clubs and a win outside the eight heading into next Sunday's clash with Brisbane at Metricon Stadium.
"Without question we are enjoying being away," Demons coach Simon Goodwin said.
'We've embraced the Hub lifestyle. It's given a great chance for our players and coaches to be together more often than what we were back in Victoria.
"We've had chances to work really hard on our game to really connect at a deeper level."
