While the Hawks mathematically remain in the finals hunt, it's been obvious since the blowout against the Gold Coast Suns in round three that their era of dominance was over.

They had won three of their past four games heading into Thursday night's clash against Port Adelaide, including an inspired effort against the Swans in Sydney, but successive back-to-back interstate matches off six-day breaks, along with a rampant Power, highlighted the Hawks' lack of run in a 51-point defeat.

That they were held to a scoreless first term and only three points in the first half - their worst half in club history - reinforced how much work Alastair Clarkson and his recruiting department have to do.

However, the method they embraced after the 2008 premiership, which would lead to a "three-peat" of flags between 2013 and 2015, appears to be the one the Hawks will again look to.

"We had a really, really young group in 2005 and, after we won it in 2008, we had [Trent] Croad's premature retirement, [Shane] Crawford retires, [Stuart] Dew retires, Mark Williams goes to Essendon," Clarkson said.

"You almost recalibrate and bring in some younger players ... who help you with your next wave and you win premierships with that group and we're probably going to have to do exactly the same now.

"[Matt] Suckling goes through free agency, Brad Hill requests to go home through free agency, Sam [Mitchell] and [Jordan] Lewis get significant opportunities to go to other clubs. It's an opportunity for the next wave of players."

The rebuild after the 2008 flag had Luke Hodge, Lance Franklin, Jarryd Roughead, Jordan Lewis, Sam Mitchell, Brad Sewell and Cyril Rioli, in or nearing their prime as the key planks, but the Hawks were clever when it came to securing established talent. The 2013 premiership, against Fremantle, had Jack Gunston (Adelaide), Brian Lake (Western Bulldogs), Shaun Burgoyne (Port Adelaide), Josh Gibson (North Melbourne), David Hale (North Melbourne) and Brent Guerra (St Kilda) as important figures.

The Hawks hope Tom Mitchell and Jaeger O'Meara, acquired in last year's trade period, become foundations of a new era, but their plans could stall somewhat this year unless they can secure a first-round draft selection.

The Hawks ceded their first-round pick this year in a trade for O'Meara, who has battled a knee problem and won't return until after the bye.

"What you are always trying to work out as a club is when your best opportunity is going to come to win silverware again," Clarkson said.

The Hawks did outscore a wasteful Power seven goals to four in the second half, leaving Hodge to declare he was "pretty proud" of the manner in which his team had fought back.

"They could have turned their toes up," he said.

The Hawks wouldn't comment on Friday when asked about their fixture intentions for next season, but Clarkson's comments post match in Adelaide were instructive.

"You don't usually get dealt that sort of blow in the course of a home-and-away fixture," he said.

"Every club puts in their request and I reckon there's not a club in the competition that would want two interstaters in a row. You've just got to deal with what you [get dealt].

"We weren't good enough tonight. It didn't have an enormous amount to do with the interstate travel."

The Hawks face the Gold Coast Suns at the MCG on Saturday week at a time when all clubs begin to ramp up recruiting plans for next season.

"This isn't how we want to play football. Yes, we have played some good quarters, some bad quarters, some good games, some bad games ... we want to play four quarters," Hodge said.