After Hawthorn’s 48-point victory over the Lions in Tasmania on Saturday, hawthornfc.com.au takes a look at the five main points to take out of the game.

1 .A new goal kicking midfielder
When Liam Shiels first arrived at Hawthorn, he was a free-wheeling midfielder who had no trouble finding the footy. In the last two years, his role in the side has changed becoming Coach Alastair Clarkson’s go-to man to shut down the opposition’s premier midfielder. When he has been given the licence to worry about his own game he has excelled and now, at 22 years of age, he looks ready to take the next step.

Shiels has great endurance, is hard at it and is damaging on the outside because of his skills but recently, he has shown he can get on the end of the ball and finish in front goal.

In a brilliant burst during the third term of Saturday’s win over Brisbane, Shiels kicked two goals and that could have been three had he converted his set shot from 50 metres.

He finished the game with 21 disposals, eight tackles, four clearances and two goals.

If released from his defensive jobs, he could be the Hawks’ next midfield gun, providing great support to the stars like Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis, Luke Hodge and of late, Isaac Smith who occupy most of the opposition’s attention.

2. No forward worries
Following the departure of Lance Franklin many wondered how Hawthorn’s forward line would function without the star forward but if Saturday’s performance is any indication, the Hawks are just as dangerous inside 50 as they were with Franklin.

Jarryd Roughead’s pre-season form had been outstanding and he continued that good form on Saturday by booting five goals in the victory over the Lions.

Hawthorn’s strength though is that it doesn’t rely on any one player to kick the goals and that was proven the case again on Saturday with small forward Luke Breust also kicking five.

The Hawks actually had 10 individual goal kickers, with Jack Gunston, Smith and Shiels kicking two while Tim O’Brien, Matt Suckling, Ben McEvoy, Mitchell and Lewis each kicked one.

3. Winning undermanned
Hawthorn’s defence was hit by injury and suspension with Brian Lake, Ben Stratton missing and Ryan Schoenamakers still unavailable through injury so they turned to former Demon Kyle Cheney to fill a key defensive post. Cheney worked with Josh Gibson, Shaun Burgoyne and Hodge as well s youngsters Taylor Duryea and Derick Wanganeen to hold the Brisbane forwards.

Clarkson and defensive coach Luke Beveridge would be relatively happy with the performance of the backline, particularly when Brisbane was pressing early in the first and second quarters.

While Jonathan Brown and Trent West got off the leash at times to end up kicking four and three goals each, the Hawks defence was resolute and as desperate as ever to restrict its opposition scores.

4. Matt Suckling’s return
The Hawks superboot has waited over a year to pull on the brown and gold again after rupturing his ACL and his first game back was a successful one.

Playing in his usual role across half back, Suckling showed he hasn’t lost any of the skill in his left foot, drilling a number of brilliant passes to release teammates into space.

He looks fit and his return was impressive, winning 18 disposals (14 of which were kicks) at 88.9 per cent efficiency. He also floated forward and kicked a goal.

He will only get better as he works his way into the season but it was the start he and the Hawks were hoping for.

5. The McEvoy trade looks like a good one
Much has been said about Ben McEvoy’s move to Hawthorn, so there was plenty of interest in the ruckman and his first game for the Hawks – he didn’t disappoint. An elite runner, McEvoy covered the ground well, working both back into defence and into the forward line, where he took a contested mark and goaled in the opening term.

Up against gun Brisbane ruckman Matthew Leuenberger who dominated the ruck in the Round 14 meeting between the two teams last year with 34 hit outs, McEvoy broke even with the Lions big man, winning 22 hit outs to 23.

It meant the Hawk midfielders had more opportunity to win the ball at the stoppages and they capitalised, winning 41 clearances to 39. The story in the midfield proved critical in the final term as the Hawks piled on eight goals to run out convincing winners on the back of their dominance in the midfield.

McEvoy also took six big marks, five of which were contested and gathered 13 disposals (11 contested), laid three tackles