HAWTHORN will go into Saturday’s season opener with an undersized backline, but defensive coach Luke Beveridge isn’t fazed by the prospect.

The Hawks will be without first choice defenders Brian Lake (suspension), Ben Stratton (injury) and Ryan Schoenmakers (injury), with best and fairest winner Josh Gibson and former Demon Kyle Cheney to occupy the key defensive posts in Saturday’s season opener against Brisbane.

Gibson at 189cm and Cheney at 187cm give away size to their Brisbane opponents Jonathan Brown (195cm), Michael Close (196cm) and resting ruckmen Matthew Leuenberger (203cm) and Trent West (199cm).

Debutant Derick Wanganeen and Taylor Duryea, who’ll be playing his 19^th senior game will play alongside Gibson and Cheney, bringing a fresh look to the Hawks defence.

“We’ll go in height challenged against the Lions forward line, but it’s been like that during the NAB series and it happened like that a bit last year but we were able to manage it and help each other out,” he told hawthornfc.com.au

“We play to a system and the great thing is the young guys played Box Hill last year to an almost identical system, so they’ve been able to come in over pre-season and play their roles.

“There’s a good mix of experience and youth and knowing what we need to do to execute will hold us in good stead.

“We’ve got full confidence in the boys who are playing – they’ve earned their spots and they’ll play well.”

Such is the confidence Beveridge has in his defenders, though, he says it’s not about size or experience but rather their ability to work as a team rather than as individuals.

“It’s how they work for and with each other,” he said.

“At times they’ll be competing one-on-one in the air and at ground level, but we like to pride ourselves on being really good assist players – we tend to outnumber pretty well.

“Nothing changes in Round 1, they’ve been terrific.”

Senior Coach Alastair Clarkson isn’t worried either, viewing his undersized defence as one that can hurt the Lions forwards with their agility and run.

"We haven't been tall down back for a long period of time and we've still been able to win a great majority of games that we've played over the last three or four years," he said at Melbourne Airport on Friday.

"They're obviously taller than us down back, but they're not as agile as us in that part of the ground either."

Beveridge, who coached the Hawks in the opening game of Hawthorn’s NAB Challenge series against Brisbane in February says the side’s preparation has been as good as it could be.

The players and coaches are ready for the step-up in intensity Round 1 brings.

“They’ve had really good training periods, they’re really well conditioned and we think we’ve had enough practice match time,” he said.

“Although we started a bit after some other clubs, we feel like we’ve had adequate preparation.

“We’re confident in their ability to run out the game in the extra intensity of Round 1.”