Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson has taken a glass half-full approach to the AFL draw with St Kilda by praising his side's fightback this season.

Although disappointed with the costly interchange infringement which swung Friday night's game and to have also conceded a goal in the last minute, Clarkson said the Hawks' effort proved they could match it with the best sides.

Hawthorn's 13.9 (87) to 14.3 (87) at Etihad Stadium came soon after close games against the Western Bulldogs, which the Hawks won by three points in round 14, and a two-point defeat to Geelong in round 15.

The loss to Geelong is the only match Hawthorn have lost in 10 rounds, after they began the season with a win but then six straight defeats.

"We were in a pretty deep, dark hole early in the season," Clarkson said.

"But to the credit of the players they've pulled themselves out of that and right at the moment they've got enormous belief in themselves and the direction that we're going.

"We've played against some really good football sides in the last three weeks and we've been very, very competitive.

"We just weren't quite good enough to ram home the advantage when we had it, yet we were good enough to stop St Kilda from getting their natural flow-on that they like to get.

"We take some great positives out of the game."

Among the pleasing aspects Lance Franklin booted five goals after missing the win over the Brisbane Lions with an ankle injury, while the star-studded midfield again performed well.

Clarkson admitted the Hawks were disappointed St Kilda were able to score the goal that levelled the scores, when Saints ruckman Ben McEvoy grabbed the ball out of a stoppage and rolled through the equaliser.

"When there's about 30 players around the ball, yeah, that's frustrating," he said.

"But we could go through the game and find numerous instances of where we could have done things better."

The draw leaves Hawthorn a game-and-a-half outside the top four and means they must beat Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium next weekend to be any chance of earning the double chance.

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