Shaun Burgoyne

The build-up to this week’s game has been all about Shaun Burgoyne. A true ornament of the game, Burgoyne will play his 350^th game against the Crows this weekend. The 35-year old is still one of the Hawks’ most important players, averaging 17.3 disposals, four marks, 3.1 tackles and 2.6 clearances per game. Burgoyne was awarded two Brownlow votes for his outstanding 26-possession, two-goal outing last time these two sides met.

Read: Burgoyne through the ages 

Ben Stratton

Eddie Betts wouldn’t like playing against the Hawks given that playing against the Hawks means having Ben Stratton firmly entrenched in his back pocket. In his six games as a Crow against Hawthorn, Betts, who has averaged over 2.5 goals per game since moving to South Australia, has managed a total of just nine goals. Stratton has been largely to blame for this and his efforts against the three-time All Australian forward this Saturday night will again need to be on point.

Ryan Burton

Two of Ryan Burton’s most influential games of his break-out 2017 season came against Adelaide. In Round 2, Burton earned his Rising Star nomination for restricting Crows captain Taylor Walker’s influence on the game. While later in the year, in Round 14, Burton kicked two important goals to help secure the Hawks an unlikely win away from home. If the 21-year old can emulate these performances, where he averaged 23.5 disposals, seven marks, six one-percenters and a goal, it will go a long way towards helping the Hawks over the line.

Rory Laird

Rory Laird is averaging the third-most disposals of any player in the competition this season, averaging 32.9 touches per game. The reigning All Australian defender is having another outstanding year, averaging the fifth-most rebound 50s while operating at a 77.1% disposal efficiency, which is higher than any other player averaging more than 30 disposals. Laird has proved largely unstoppable this year with the Crows consistently wanting the ball in his hands in order to launch their attacking forays. He is certainly one to watch.

Bryce Gibbs

Bryce Gibbs is averaging a career-high 26.9 disposals in his first year as a Crow. Gibbs has taken his contested possession game to a new high, averaging just shy of 12 contested disposals to rank inside the competition’s top 20 in the statistic. The former Blue’s six clearances per game is also a career-high and sits him just outside the league’s top ten. In the absence of Rory Sloane and Brad Crouch, Gibbs has stepped up his game in 2018.