HAWTHORN will be strongly represented in the EJ Whitten Legends Game tonight, with assistant coaches Adam Yze, Damian Monkhorst and Chris Newman pulling on the boots.

Former Hawks Dermott Brereton, Brad Sewell, Brent Guerra, Nick Holland and Campell Brown will also play, with the aim to raise funds for the EJ Whitten Foundation.

Tonight’s game will be Monkhorst’s 15^th appearance in the Legends Game and he is already providing some guidance for his colleagues.

“I’m helping them out –  they’ve got to play with no courage, play very wide of their man and don’t run,” Monkhorst said.

“Yze and Newman have waxed up their legs (in preparation) - I’m just eating donuts and drinking beer.”

Yze, who played 271 games with Melbourne between 1995 and 2008, said they were feeling the pressure form their peers at Waverley.

“Our IT guys are putting us under the pump a bit – if we do stuff up they’re probably going to show it the next day at training so it’s going to be pretty hard coming in the next morning if we’ve stuffed up and somehow trying to lay low,” Yze said.

Monkhorst said the match was a real coming together of big personalities from all over the AFL landscape.

“It’s great fun, these boys will really enjoy it. All the ego’s get into the one room – you’ve got Dermott (Brereton), Jonathon Brown and all those guys with the big personalities and these two have ego’s too so they’ll fit in well.”

Newman played 268 games with Richmond between 2002 and 2015, before taking up a development coach role at Hawthorn.

Yze was keen to point out than his fellow coach had been putting in some serious preparation.

“Newy has been training for four weeks, he’s been on the treadmill,” Yze said.

“The minute he sent the email to say yes and confirm that we’re playing, everyday I’ve seen him on the treadmill.”

But Newman was quick to defend himself.

“I try and keep fit. I try and keep a certain level of fitness – this has got nothing to do with tonight’s game,” he laughed.

“Yze has been on a soup diet for the last week, so he’s got no energy for tonight – he might not see the game out.”

“I’m certainly aware I don’t fall under the category of ‘legend’ but I’m looking forward to the game. Just having a kick and a bit of fun as ‘Monkey’ said and it’s for a good cause – that’s the real winner of the day.”

The EJ Whitten Legends Game kicks off at 7.50pm AEST tonight.