The undefeated Hawthorn Hawks head into their Gather Round encounter against Port Adelaide on Sunday evening knowing that they need to continue to improve to be able to get the win in what looms as a blockbuster game.
The clash, the first between the teams since the infamous post-game interaction involving Power coach Ken Hinkley and Hawthorn stars Jack Ginnivan and James Sicily, will have all eyes of the AFL on it.
For Hawthorn head coach Sam Mitchell, he wants the players' focus to be on the game and not the build-up to what is anticipated to be a fiery encounter.
Despite sitting at 4-0 for the first time since 2014, Mitchell knows the improvement needed by his high-flying Hawks to continue their winning run, which has them sitting at the top of the ladder after their early-season bye.
"There's the on-field and the off-field. At the end of the day they beat us in that game," he said.
"We know we have to be really consistent team, we have to improve. We have to find ways to get better.
"We've proven that we can improve when we work really hard on things and there's going to be a fantastic public narrative about this game.
"There's going to be a hostile crowd, a huge environment and all those things are part and parcel of the game we play and we love that element of it.
"Realistically, our focus is on what happens between the sirens. Can we play a level of football that's going to be good enough to beat a side, who, despite what the narrative is, are doing some things that are pretty good.
"You know they're a very good side and a very proud team. It's going to be a big game," Mitchell added.
Mitchell, who flew to Perth during the bye round to meet with out-of-contract West Coast Eagle Captain Oscar Allen, discussed the fallout from the meeting.
"The public conversation and debate around it, I mean putting that on Oscar's plate was far from ideal and certainly not the intention," he said.
"Hopefully it stays out of the media now.
"I think anyone entering free agency, it's the nature of the game now and players meeting coaches from other clubs, and they still might stay at the club, that happens as well.
"It's the nature of the game we're in."
For the clash against the Power, the Hawks have lost star midfielder Will Day, who had started the season off in scintillating fashion.
Mitchell discussed how the Hawks will look to cover the loss, which will be felt by the team during his 3-4 month absence with a stress fracture in his navicular.
"He's in better spirits than I would have thought he would be. He had surgery, which gives you the feeling that it is getting better," Mitchell said.
"It's about finding his feet and making sure he can recover as well as he can. I'm sure he'll help me and the other coaches with making sure he can help us off the field if he can't help us on it."
With Day missing from the side to face the power, experienced midfielder James Worpel's return from injury has come at a good time for the Hawks, who are set to take on a star-studded Port midfield including Zak Butters, Connor Rozee and Jason Horne-Francis.
Speaking on Worpel, who is returning after a three-game absence through injury, Mitchell said he is "rapt with how James Worpel had been playing. He's so resilient and he's such a hard worker."
Young gun Cam Mackenzie, who has been likened to his head coach, also looks ready to take up more opportunities in the midfield in Day's absence.
"Cam is probably our most powerful athlete. On statistics, he's probably got the best acceleration and deceleration profile of anyone in our side," Mitchell said of the former top 10 pick.
"Cam Mackenzie's form has probably been to everyone else like wow he has really kicked on.
"But to everyone who has watched him it's sort of as expected. You know he is going to be a very good player for us."
This weekend's clash is of even more significance for the Hawks, with unsung Hawk Finn Maginness set to play 50 games, which will see his family being the first to have achieved three generations playing 50 games or more for the Hawks.
On Maginness, Mitchell said the impact that he has on the team and his improvement have been a testament to his hard work behind the scenes.
"It's one of those really impressive stories about resilience and persistence and optimism," the Hawks coach said.
"Just the way he has gone about his footy and his whole attitude.
"The way he has changed his whole game over long periods of time and really refined his craft and now become probably one of the most flexible players in the competition.
"I'm really proud of him and really proud that he's been able to play 50 games."
Jack Gunston looms as the matchup for star Power defender Aliir Aliir, spending time during Friday's session working on his body positioning in marking contests.
Young Hawks Henry Hustwaite and Jai Serong will likely be the travelling emergencies as they had a light training session on the track.
The Hawks will be aiming to avenge the heartache of their two losses to the Power at Adelaide Oval in 2024 as they look to continue their unbeaten streak in 2025.
