Hawthorn skipper Ben Stratton has played down his teammates' heated on-field confrontation with star recruit Chad Wingard, saying he was pleased to see their passion.
Eyebrows were raised when premiership veterans Jarryd Roughead, Luke Breust and Paul Puopolo laid into former Port Adelaide forward Wingard during the halftime break of Saturday's narrow AFL loss to Melbourne at the MCG.
Television cameras captured Wingard pleading his case while a demonstrative Roughead gave the two-time All-Australian a verbal spray.
Wingard had already been facing external scrutiny, having delivered several quiet performances after booting three goals on debut for the Hawks in round three.
While the incident received plenty of attention, Stratton was happy to endorse the forthright feedback.
'"I love that," he said on Tuesday.
"It just means they've got passion and they want their teammate to get better. A new guy coming in, they want him to improve and embrace the way we go about it so I think that just shows passion.
"Those sort of conversations happen 50 times a game. It just so happened the cameras were on this one."
Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd repeated a criticism that has followed Wingard throughout his career when he suggested the 25-year-old needed to focus more on playing his role for the team than on producing individual highlights.
Stratton conceded Wingard, along with fellow recruit Tom Scully, was still adapting to the Hawks' game style.
"Certainly around the club, he's settled in perfectly," Stratton said.
"It's just on the field he's got to learn how we play, and the same with Sculls.
"We've seen glimpses of their brilliance, which is awesome. Especially Chaddy in that Kangaroos game, he just lit it up and pretty much changed the game for us.
"Those guys are not far off but that's the same as the whole side."
Veteran key defender James Frawley (hamstring) will look to prove his fitness ahead of Sunday's clash with Greater Western Sydney at the MCG.
Frawley could face the imposing task of lining up on Coleman Medal leader Jeremy Cameron, who has booted 30 goals in a stunning start to the season.
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