191 days.

That’s how long separates Hawthorn’s final game of the home and away season in 2017 and their opening game of this year’s JLT Series.

Both encounters against the Western Bulldogs.

Numerous similarities lie between the Dogs and the Hawks.

In the final game of their seasons last year, both sides bid farewell to club legends.

For the Hawks, it was the departures of two premiership heroes in Luke Hodge and Josh Gibson.

As the Bulldogs saw 604 games worth of experience leave their squad with the retirements of Bob Murphy and Matthew Boyd.

The ensuing off-season saw the Bulldogs offload premiership hero and All Australian forward Jake Stringer to Essendon, while Luke Hodge’s shock retirement backflip saw the 33-year old head north to Brisbane.

Such moves signalled that change that was afoot for both clubs.

With both sides having missed finals in 2017, in a year of premiership defence for the Dogs and for the first time since 2009 for the brown and gold, the changes brought a sense of mystery that respective supporters potentially hadn’t given much thought to.

As both clubs look ahead to what the future holds, the comparisons remain.

The Dogs will look to navigate their way through a premiership hangover, the same challenge that confronted the Hawks after their disappointing 2009 season.

But there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Saturday afternoon’s clash between the two teams beckons the start of a new campaign.

Rising stars of the competition, Marcus Bontempelli and Ryan Burton, are primed to lead their clubs into the future.

In one summer, the figureheads of the Hawthorn backline have changed hands.

For so many years, Hodge and Gibson have rallied the troops from the defensive end, anchoring an era that brought four premierships.

This JLT Series, we will see the likes of James Sicily, Blake Hardwick and Burton take the next step as they claim a heightened role within the fold.

The leadership void that emerges from a three-time premiership captain’s exit will allow the likes of Liam Shiels, Jack Gunston and Isaac Smith take another step again.

Then there are the likes of Tim O’Brien, Daniel Howe and Jarman Impey, who have graduated their AFL football apprenticeship, and now have the experience to become stars of the competition.

Footy is just about back and we can’t wait to see what season 2018 has in store!