With the Hawks ready to take on Geelong in the Round 1 blockbuster, hawthornfc.com.au looks at the five key players who could impact the result.
1. Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn)
He might be 32 years of age but the champion Hawk still runs around the football field like he’s 25.
Mitchell has showed no signs over the pre-season that he’s slowing down, with 27 and 33-disposal efforts against the Pies and Saints his most impressive.
Despite Hawthorn’s poor results against Geelong in recent years, Mitchell has had no trouble finding the footy, averaging 27 disposals and five clearances against Brad Scott’s team.
In the three meetings between the two sides last year – two of which were won by Hawthorn – Mitchell was exceptional in each by twice picking up 36 disposals (Round 5 and the Qualifying Final) and 28 touches in Round 22.
Despite missing eight weeks with injury last year, Mitchell, with teammate Jordan Lewis were Hawthorn’s prime movers and were ranked one and two for average disposals and clearances per game.
The triple premiership Hawk looms as a key player for his side again on Easter Monday.
2. Joel Selwood (Geelong)
The Geelong skipper might be the obvious player to pull out as a potential game changer but the reality is he’s just that good.
Selwood rarely plays a bad game and when he’s facing Hawthorn, the chances of him putting in a poor performance are even lower.
Time and time again the 26-year-old is the difference between the two sides as his desperation to win the ball and lead by example galvanises his team.
He averages 28 disposals per game against the Hawks along with six tackles and five clearances.
Selwood is by far Geelong’s most dangerous midfielder because he can do it all – win clearances, tackle, kick goals and set them up.
The stats back it up too, given he was ranked number one at the club for total disposals (25.6 average), contested possessions (12.9), clearances (6.4), centre clearances (2.8), tackles (6.0) and inside 50s (3.5).
Remarkably, he was also Geelong’s third-best goal kicker for the year with 24 and even ranked third for goal assists with 20.
Joel Selwood.
3. Bradley Hill (Hawthorn)
Hill surprised many in his third season by becoming one of the league’s dominant young players.
With his elite endurance and ball-winning ability, Hill has now also added precision to his game by working hard on his foot skills.
He’s one of Alastair Clarkson’s most dangerous attacking weapons and his teammates love giving him the footy to generate run and to set up scoring opportunities.
Last year Hill was ranked second at the Hawks for average forward 50 entries (3.9) and direct goal assists, while he was also ranked third for running bounces behind Isaac Smith and Matthew Suckling.
What separates him from other wingmen though is his ability to slice through the midfield with run and ball use, kick goals and perform well on the big stage.
Of the top-10 disposal getters at Hawthorn in 2014, Hill (ranked 10 with 20.4) was ranked fifth overall for disposal efficiency (74.2).
He also booted 10 goals for the season.
Despite being just 21 years of age, Hill isn’t over-awed by an occasion and expect him to put in another great performance on Easter Monday.
Bradley Hill in action.
4. Steven Motlop (Geelong)
He battled injury early last year but when the exciting Cat returned to full fitness he was a genuine match-winner for Geelong.
Motlop has electrifying pace and isn’t afraid to use it to take on his opposition and when you combine that with his freakish skills, that’s one dangerous player to watch whenever you’re facing the Cats.
His match-winning capabilities were on show in the second of two narrow victories over Carlton, where he picked up 18 disposals and kicked three goals in the six-point win.
The 24-year-old averaged 19.5 disposals in 2014 and booted 17 goals for the season and looks set to improve on that effort in 2015.
He has already impressed so far in the pre-season by averaging 19.6 disposals and four inside 50s to kick-off the year.
Steven Motlop celebrates a goal.
5. Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn)
In our match preview we highlighted the importance of Geelong’s two-pronged forward set-up that has already proved dangerous so it’s only fair to highlight Hawthorn’s biggest asset forward of centre.
Roughead is now one of the best forwards in the game and is some of theAFL captains pick to win this year’s Coleman Medal.
The big Hawk booted 75 goals last year and was held goalless in only one of his 23 matches.
If the Hawks are to win on Easter Monday, Alastair Clarkson needs his big forward to stand up and kick goals and make himself a dangerous option whenever his team goes forward.
One of the two occasions Roughead was held goalless came against Geelong and unsurprisingly, it was the Round 5 loss.
When the Hawks have beat the Cats twice last year, Roughead kicked three and two goals in each of the games.
If Roughead plays well and occupies one of Harry Taylor and Tom Lonergan and restricts them from taking marks off opposition kicks, zoning off to go third-man up in contests and rebound from defence, then the Hawks are in good shape to begin 2015 win a win.
