Ben McEvoy
After a dominant start to the season, with Hawks’ midfield stocks depleted, Ben McEvoy has the opportunity to give the team an advantage through the centre. Not only has McEvoy impressed this season in the midfield, but the ruckman has been able to show his strength up forward, kicking four goals, in comparison to his six goals from the whole of last season. Having not played against the Cats since the second round of the 2018 season, in which he nabbed 43 hit-outs, the Hawks will be eager to see how the ruckman performs against Geelong more than 12 months on.
Read: Last time we met the Cats
James Sicily
James Sicily has had an impressive start to the 2019 season, averaging 23 disposals over the last four rounds. Like McEvoy, Sicily was also absent in the Round 21 clash against the Cats for the 2018 season, however with momentum on his side after last week’s strong individual performance, Hawks' fans will be hoping the fiery defender continues in a similar vein.
James Worpel
Last time the Hawks met the Cats in 2018, James Worpel showed his ability to compete with the seniors of the game, earning himself a Rising Star nomination in the process. Managing 23 disposals, five marks, eight tackles, 17 pressure acts and four clearances, Worpel broke out as one of the young players to watch. Now, having played all four rounds for the 2019 season, averaging 26 disposals, Worpel will be gearing up to face a fierce engine room with the likes of Tim Kelly, Joel Selwood and Patrick Dangerfield in strong form. With four of the last five games between these two sides having been decided by fewer than 11 points, it’s Worpel’s explosive onball energy that could be the different on Monday.
Patrick Dangerfield
The Cats will be eager to get back on track after their first setback of the season against GWS last week. Patrick Dangerfield, the biggest threat to the Hawks heading into Sunday’s match, has dominated in the midfield in the last two clashes, with an unstoppable display in Round 21 last season (39 disposals). Averaging 28 disposals for the season so far, Dangerfield, as always, is a strength that the Hawks will need to curtail come Monday.
Tom Hawkins
With James Frawley out nursing a hamstring injury, Tom Hawkins looms as a threat in front of goal. Despite the fact the Hawks defence kept Hawkins to one-goal games in the 2018 season, coming off a three-goal performance against GWS last week, Hawkins will be gearing up to mirror that against the Hawks on Sunday.
