Where and when: Marvel Stadium, Friday, June 14, 7.50pm AEST
TV, radio and online: Click here for broadcast guide
What it means for Essendon: It's the first game of a big three weeks for the Bombers if they're to make a dash to the finals. They face West Coast (away) and then Greater Western Sydney after the Hawks, so need to bag a win before facing the top-four contenders.
What it means for Hawthorn: The Hawks are similarly middle-road like the Bombers, so if they're to stay in the race for the top eight, being a win ahead of their rivals would give them a handy position.
The stat: Hawthorn's had a truly up-and-down season. Alastair Clarkson's side hasn't been able to string together back-to-back wins yet, and in the past seven weeks have alternated between wins and losses. If the trend continues, it's not good news for the Bombers.
The match-up: James Sicily v Jake Stringer
Stringer is expected to return from his hamstring strain to take on the Hawks, and could a match-up against gun defender Sicily await? Sicily is ranked the second best small-medium defender in the game according to the Official AFL Player Ratings.
