The first week of the finals always separates the men from the boys. There's a different tempo to finals football. It's faster, harder and less forgiving. Unlike the regular season, there is nowhere to hide.

I can't wait to watch Richmond's Dustin Martin play a final. For a select few, the cadence of finals takes their game to an even higher level. I suspect that Melbourne's Jack Grimes might be another finals gem.

On Saturday afternoon, Luke Shuey was run down from behind on three occasions. Shuey - who finished second in the Rising Star earlier in the week - simply couldn't settle into the speed of the contest. West Coast fans shouldn't panic. His time will come.

Hawthorn's Ryan Schoenmakers had an even worse time of it against the Cats. He committed several atrocious skill errors under pressure. By the time he finally trudged from the field, he looked like a broken man. 

It needn't be the end for Schoenmakers. He should learn from his experience. He happened to come up against a player who has been through the lows of finals football and, much to his credit, appears to be coming out the other side.

My favourite performance of week one came from one of the most maligned players in the competition: Tom Hawkins.

I've spent years defending Hawkins in pubs throughout the backstreets of Fitzroy. It was nice to watch the big Tomahawk put together such a commanding performance.

Very few people are prepared to judge Hawkins for what he is, as distinct from what he was supposed to be. Football fans (and so-called experts) have a nasty habit of holding players to ransom for their own inflated expectations. 

Hawkins has been a victim of great expectations. He kicked three goals against Carlton on debut in 2007.  After the game Denis Pagan likened the burly Cat to Tony Lockett. 

Pagan's comments did Hawkins no favours. There is no scope in today's game for Tony Lockett. No club can afford a stay at home full forward or a player for whom team structures are subordinate to their indolence. Fraser Gehrig learnt this the hard way at the end of his career.

If a player aspires to be a power forward, they must possess the tank of Travis Cloke. Playing permanently at centre half forward in the modern era is a fool's game, just look at Nick Riewoldt's degenerative knee.

Hawkins has played 77 games in five seasons in an outstanding side. Any fifth year tall forward competing the way Hawkins does, week in, week out, deserves a pass mark.

His main issue has been learning to assert himself consistently on contests. He's only had 20 disposals in a match once. More worryingly, he has only taken ten marks in a match once. This is why the question marks have lingered.

Despite a strong display against Collingwood in round 24, Hawkins went into last Friday night with the shadow of Cameron Mooney looming over him. Even Mooney himself has admitted that the Tomahawk is the only player he is capable of displacing from the Cats' line-up.

Hawkins' first quarter was a pearler. He didn't kick any goals. In fact, his team went into quarter time trailing by eleven points. But Hawkins helped to keep them alive. He roamed far and wide, took strong contested marks, split packs, presented tirelessly on the lead, shot handballs out from his ankles and tackled ferociously.

In the second quarter he produced a brilliant display of strength in the forward pocket and added to his stellar half by dobbing a crucial goal from a set shot. He celebrated exuberantly and teammates flocked to him, as though he was, dare I say it, the big hairy cat.

Hawthorn moved Josh Gibson onto Hawkins in the third quarter to assuage the threat. The move left Ryan Schoenmakers to take on James Podsiadly. Hawkins' selfless work had forced the match-up which gave the Cats the upper hand in the contest.

He kicked a superb reflex goal soon afterwards which effectively ended the contest.  He out-muscled Gibson and turned around in the goal square to snap truly.  Once more he celebrated with gusto.  It looked like the Tomahawk was warming to the idea of being the main man.

He finished the game with 15 possessions and two goals.  On paper it was a serviceable game from a key forward.  In a wet Qualifying Final, it was a dam sight better.  The fact that 11 of his 15 disposals were contested attests to the bullocking nature of his performance.

None of this should come as any great surprise.  Hawkins was a member of Geelong's 2009 premiership side.  He kicked two goals in the decider and acquitted himself admirably, especially given the dour nature of the contest.

Hawkins has always had the chiselled looks to adorn membership tickets.  I don't care whether or not he does.  He's going to be a good, honest footballer.  No Tony Lockett.  I can't wait to see him play again in two weeks' time.