STAR forward Jack Gunston is back for Saturday’s AFL Grand Final against West Coast Eagles.
The 23-year-old has overcome the ankle injury that kept him out of the Hawks’ semi final and preliminary final victories.
Gunston, Hawthorn’s leading goalkicker in 2015, has kicked 53 goals from 23 matches this season and will add another dimension to the team’s potent forward line.
He is the only inclusion for the match, replacing the unlucky Billy Hartung, who has been omitted.
The 20-year-old speedster had been the sub in the Hawks’ semi final and preliminary final wins, after missing selection for the qualifying final.
Hartung has been named as an emergency, alongside ruckman Jonathon Ceglar and emergency Angus Litherland.
Twenty-one Hawthorn players will enter with Grand Final experience, with first-year Hawk James Frawley making his Grand Final debut.
Only Frawley and fellow key position player Ryan Schoenmakers enter the match without a premiership medallion to their name.
The Eagles will enter the match with an unchanged side from their preliminary final win against North Melbourne.
The Hawks will be desperate to produce a different result to that qualifying final, when the Eagles triumphed by 32 points at ANZ Stadium.
Veteran Shaun Burgoyne will play his 31st AFL final, taking him to equal second, alongside Gordon Coventry, for the most finals played.
Burgoyne now sits behind only Hawthorn legend Michael Tuck, who played 39 finals throughout his career.
Grand Final - Team
Hawthorn v West Coast Eagles
MCG
Saturday 3 October, 2.30pm
B: Ben Stratton, Brian Lake, James Frawley
HB: Grant Birchall, Josh Gibson, Shaun Burgoyne
C: Bradley Hill, Sam Mitchell, Liam Shiels
HF: Cyril Rioli, Ryan Schoenmakers, Isaac Smith
F: Luke Breust, Jarryd Roughead, Paul Puopolo
Foll: Ben McEvoy, Luke Hodge, Jordan Lewis
I/C: Matt Suckling, Taylor Duryea, David Hale, Jack Gunston
Emer: Jonathon Ceglar, Angus Litherland, Billy Hartung
In: Jack Gunston
Out: Billy Hartung (omitted)
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