AFL premiership favourites Hawthorn are wary of being caught napping in next week’s preliminary final after what forward Luke Breust says was the un-finals-like nature of their win over Sydney.

After a tight first half against the Swans, the Hawks waltzed to a 54-point victory in last Friday night’s qualifying final.

They had 98 more uncontested possessions than their opponents and a whopping 72 more uncontested marks.

“It didn’t really feel like a final,” Breust admits.

“We had so many uncontested marks.

“You normally expect finals footy to be pretty congested and a lot of contested footy.

“It was a hard one on the weekend, I think we sort of just swept it under the carpet.

“We know that the preliminary final is going to be a lot different.”

Breust said coming off that comfortable victory and having this weekend off posed a potential danger for the Hawks, as they prepare to face the winner of Friday night’s cut-throat Geelong-Port Adelaide semi-final a week later.

“We fell into the trap last year against Adelaide that we weren’t prepared,” he said.

“This year we’ll be doing everything we can to prepare for a pretty fierce contest and be ready for that the following week.”

The Hawks were firm favourites heading into last year’s preliminary final but beat the Crows by just five points.

Breust said the Hawks would have an intense training session this Friday, in lieu of a game this weekend, and from then on would replicate their normal schedule as though they had played a Friday night match.

“We’re keeping it pretty simple and very similar to last year and just wait and see who we play the following week,” he said.

Lance Franklin will return from suspension for the preliminary final while Cyril Rioli will also be back after two games out with an ankle injury.