Will Hawthorn’s runners be up and about?

Isaac Smith was dominant against Fremantle last week, and his spike in performance has been an important part of the Hawks getting back into some good form.

Billy Hartung was exceptional against the Tigers a couple of weeks ago, and if he, Smith and Bradley Hill can use the wide open spaces of the MCG to good advantage, the Hawks give themselves every chance of getting quick entries going inside forward 50.

Will we see another bag of goals from Gunston?

Jack Gunston has now put together a good three weeks of goal kicking, with 12 majors in total against GWS, Richmond and Fremantle.

The Swans struggled to keep Richmond’s tall forwards at bay last week with Ben Griffiths kicking five as well as setting up the match-winning goal by Sam Lloyd, and the Hawks will look for Gunston to again perform well at the MCG.

Are the Hawks turning the corner?

After a somewhat slow start to the season, the Hawks look as though they are starting to hit their straps with big wins over Richmond and Fremantle in the last two weeks.

They are starting to kick bigger scores having broken the 100-point barrier in both games, and also starting to win or breakeven with their opposition in key statistical areas, which is a good sign heading into a huge game against the Swans.

Can they manage to break the 100-barrier against the Swans, who are ranked number three for scores against in 2016?

How will the Swans perform second-time round?

Despite having lost to the Tigers in dramatic fashion last week, the Swans will be glad that they got to spend some time on the MCG before this week’s game against the Hawks.

As an interstate team they don’t get to play at the home of football all that often, and playing on such a big ground in front of a big crowd will hold them in good stead for what could be to come later in the year. How will they perform in their second trip to the ‘G?

Is the recent record between these sides a factor?

Since the 2012 Grand Final, the Hawks have won six of the eight games between both sides, and would certainly like to make it seven wins from nine tonight.

But the Swans have some form against the Hawks at the MCG, winning a close game by four points in Round 8 last season. One thing is for certain that both sides enjoy the challenge of playing one another and recent form probably doesn’t mean much.