SUMMARY
Hawthorn and Geelong have each shown an eagerness to get their years off to a positive start, with both teams selecting strong line-ups to kick off their respective 2017 campaigns. Hawthorn have named 14 of their premiership players in the side that will travel down to Tasmania, while Geelong have included reigning Brownlow Medallist Patrick Dangerfield, as well as fellow big names Tom Hawkins, Harry Taylor and Andrew Mackie. This clash marks just the second time these premiership contenders have met in Tasmania, the other occasion in 2007 when the Hawks edged the Cats by four points in a round four match-up.
WHERE AND WHEN: University of Tasmania Stadium (formerly Aurora Stadium), Friday, February 17, 7.40pm EDT
TV AND RADIO:
TV: Live on Fox Footy
Radio: SEN, K-Rock and AFL Nation
WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME
Qualifying Final: Geelong 12.13 (85) d Hawthorn 12.11 (83) at MCG
A tough and brutal affair between two of footy's greatest rivals, two star-studded midfields clashed in a September epic that lasted beyond the final siren. A chance to put the Hawks through to the preliminary final was lost when Isaac Smith's after-the-siren shot at goal skewed right.
LAST FIVE TIMES
QF, 2016, Geelong 12.13 (85) d Hawthorn 12.11 (83) at MCG
R1, 2016, Geelong 18.8 (116) d Hawthorn 12.14 (86) at MCG
R20, 2015, Hawthorn 19.7 (121) d Geelong 12.13 (85) at MCG
R1, 2015, Hawthorn 17.21 (123) d Geelong 8.13 (61) at MCG
QF, 2014, Hawthorn 15.14 (104) d Geelong 10.8 (68) at MCG
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Hawthorn
1. Undoubtedly the biggest stories of the night come in the form of the two exciting comebacks of Jarryd Roughead and Jaeger O'Meara, with both stars returning after extensive periods on the sidelines. You would think that they will both be as excited as anyone else to be out there on Friday night.
2. This clash marks the beginning of a new-age at Hawthorn with the post-Mitchell and Lewis era. Look for names like Kieran Lovell, Blake Hardwick, Kade Stewart and Teia Miles to be determined to put their hands up early in this 2017 campaign and help fill the void left by the star duo.
3. Despite Jarryd Roughead's elevation to the captaincy last month, Hawthorn plans to rotate the captaincy position throughout the pre-season competition. With those appointments to be confirmed before each match, look for new vice captains Liam Shiels and Isaac Smith to be in line, as well as new leadership group inclusions Jack Gunston and Ben Stratton.
Geelong
1. Cats youngsters Nakia Cockatoo and Darcy Lang have been the cause of much excitement down the highway this pre-season, as both look to take their games to the next level. Lang and Cockatoo have already played 34 and 21 games respectively in their young careers, but expect these two first-rounder picks to truly emerge this season.
2. The Cats have named a number of off-season recruits for the pre-season opener but likely the subject of the most interest will be the performances of former Blue Zach Tuohy and former Roo Aaron Black. Tuohy was identified by the Cats as an able replacement for outgoing club legend Corey Enright, while Black was more of a surprise after Geelong threw him a late lifeline to extend his AFL career.
3. Harry Taylor has been training the bulk of his pre-season in the forward-line, signalling a potential career change for the two-time All Australian defender. At times used to good effect as a pinch-hitting forward throughout his career, Hawks defenders will have to keep a close eye on the 30-year old West Australian.
Read: Hawthorn announce 29-man squad to face the Cats
THE SIX POINTS
1. Geelong and Hawthorn have had19 meetings since the famous 2008 Grand Final, when the Hawks upset the reigning premiers. But since then the Hawks have managed only five wins, including a four-win streak from round 22 2014 to round 20 2015. Geelong is quite clearly the bogey team for the Hawks in the last decade, with the Cats the only team who hold a winning record over the Hawks in that time period.
2. The contested possession statistics were a heavily debated topic around league circles last year, especially in regards to Hawthorn's numbers. Hawthorn managed yet another successful season despite finishing dead-last in contested ball averages while Geelong finished sixth. The Cats averaged 149 per match in 2016, compared to the Hawks' 130.5.
3. Geelong lost only three of their 24 fourth quarters in 2016, by far the best record across the league.
4. Hawthorn blooded seven debutants in 2016, displaying a promising young brigade that will only grow going into this season. Meanwhile, Geelong only had two players pull on the blue-and-white hoops for the first time last year.
5. Despite neither the Hawks nor the Cats having a ruckman whose 2016 hit-outs season average placed them inside the top 15, both sides still managed to feature inside the top six teams for total clearances on the season. This exemplified the dominance of both side's midfields.
6. The Schick Hydro Top 100 Player Rater for 2016 featured 13 Cats and Hawks, with the Hawks just edging the Cats with their seven representatives. For the Hawks, the Rater included Cyril Rioli (9), Sam Mitchell (23), Shaun Burgoyne (37),Luke Breust (45), Luke Hodge (50), Jack Gunston (71) and Paul Puopolo (75) . While Geelong owned the king with Dangerfield finishing in first place, following him was Joel Selwood (12), Corey Enright (59), Tom Hawkins (66), Cam Guthrie (68) and Josh Caddy (74).
IT'S A BIG GAME FOR …
Dallas Willsmore (Hawthorn): Entering his fourth year on the Hawks list and yet to debut for the club, Willsmore will be determined to make an impression against the Cats. The tall, hard-running wingman has already impressed many this pre-season with his enthusiasm and dedication and will hope that these efforts can translate into some strong JLT Series performances.
Jackson Thurlow (Geelong): The Cats version of a comeback story comes in the form of Thurlow, as he looks to make a return after a 12-month lay-off with an ACL injury. The Tasmanian has the bonus of playing in front of family and friends for his important milestone, as he looks to flourish in the fifth year of his career.
