With the Hawks ready to take on Sydney tonight, hawthornfc.com.au looks at the five key players who could impact the result.

1. Jordan Lewis (Hawthorn)
With gun midfielder Sam Mitchell out with injury, Lewis’ ability to win the ball around the stoppages and be the midfielder leader is crucial.

Lewis is actually ranked number one at Hawthorn for clearances and centre clearances, averaging 4.9 and 2.1 per game respectively.

But, given the absence of Mitchell, who usually cops the brunt of the attention in the midfield, particularly around the stoppages because he’s so good at reading the ball, Lewis might find that attention coming his way tonight.

Historically, the Swans are an outstanding clearance team but have struggled in that area this season (ranked 12^th in the AFL), so Hawthorn’s ability to get the ball going their way first is critical to give their forwards the best chance to score.

Lewis had a season-high 10 cleareances against Fremantle in Round 3, eight against Geelong in Round 5 and seven against the Lions in Round 1.

His clearance work has been very underrated this season, but he is a very important player to the Hawks.
 

2. Ben McGlynn (Sydney)
The former Hawk has played a variety of tagging roles this season, often tasked with shutting down the opposition’s most dynamic player.

Having recently quelled the influence of Crow Patrick Dangerfield and Roo Brent Harvey, Hawthorn playmakers like Cyril Rioli, Issac Smith or Bradley Hill could find themselves in his company tonight.

But as well as his unyielding defensive efforts – he leads the Swans with an average of 6.9 tackles per game this season - McGlynn has a habit of sneaking forward and hurting the opposition going the other way.

McGlynn has recorded eight marks inside 50 this season to lead the club in this area, while also going forward to kick seven goals to rank third at the club for goals scored in 2014.

He offeres more to Sydney than just his defensive pressure and ability to get under the skin of the opposition, he is a genuinely dangerous forward capable of kicking multiple goals.
 

3. Bradley Hill (Hawthorn)
Despite being in just his third year of footy, Hill’s improvement so far this season has been remarkable – he has come on in more than leaps and bounds. He is now a genuine future star of the game.

Every team needs a player who can break the lines and provide spark, especially against Sydney because they play such a defensive and tight game and Hill, along with Isaac Smith on the wing is that player.

He has an elite tank, so he can run all day and that poses a difficult prospect for the opposition because they need to find a player who can go with him both for pace and endurance.

Hill is so good because he can work hard back, then break quickly for a releasing kick or handball through the midfield and then keep pushing hard forward all in the same breath.

He has continued on his good form of last season with a strong start to 2014. He is ranked fifth at the club for average disposals (24.7 per game), second for inside 50s (4.1 per game) and sixth for rebound 50s.

He has also kicked five goals in seven games.

While most teams are paying more attention to Smith, Hill seems to be the one stepping up to be that damaging wingman and will soon be getting more attention of his own, that’s how good his form has been this year.

He is also using the ball a lot better than in the past, poise has come with his maturity.
 

4. Ted Richards (Sydney)
After years of famous duels with now teammate Lance Franklin, Richards faces an unfamiliar match-up on Friday night.

Jarryd Roughead looms as his likely suitor, with the reigning Coleman medallist kicking 4.3 in the in last year’s Qualifying Final against the Swans.

The Bloods’ defensive general will also need to be mindful of Hawk talls Jack Gunston, David Hale and Ben McEvoy, with the rejuvenated Ryan Schoenmakers also a threat when swung forward.

But, Richards’ value isn’t just his defensive work – he too is an offensive weapon for the Swans.

Richards is ranked third at his club for rebound 50s, averaging 3.6 per game and is also ranked second for marks, averaging 5.1 per game.

While some of those marks might come when his team are switching play to generate run on the open side of the ground, Richards too, reads the ball well off opposition boot.

He is also ranked number one at the Swans for one percenters, which encompasses his great spoiling ability – he averages 7.9 per game.


5. David Hale (Hawthorn)
In terms of goals, Hale has had a quiet-ish start to the season but has returned to form in the last two weeks with two goals against both Richmond and St Kilda.

When the big forward/ruckman is taking marks inside 50, Hawthorn look like a much better team because it means they have a three-pronged attack with he, Jarryd Roughead and Jack Gunston plus Luke Breust and Cyril Rioli.

Sydney are masters at zoning off their opponents to ensure not one of their backman is caught in one-on-one situations deep in defence, so Hale’s ability to take marks early will force the likes of Heath Grundy and Dane Rampe to be accountable rather than zoning off and dropping into the hole in front of Roughead or Gunston.

He has taken just nine marks inside 50 so far this season, six of which have come in the last two weeks. He needs to take some within scoring range tonight.

Hale kicked three goals against the Swans in Round 7 last year, one in Round 23 and two in the Qualifying Final and has actually kicked 23 goals against the Swans in his career – his second-best return (24 his best) against all opposition, so he enjoys playing them.