NORTH MELBOURNE will be without a key midfielder Jack Ziebell for tonight’s clash against Hawthorn at Etihad Stadium.
Ziebell is one of four outs for the Roos, with Coach Brad Scott swinging the axe after the shock loss to Brisbane last Saturday night.
Aaron Mullett, Max Warren and Brad McKenzie have all been dropped.
The Roos have regained key defender Lachlan Hansen for tonight’s game, a massive inclusion for his team, while fellow defender Scott McMahon has also been named alongside midfielders Liam Anthony and Sam Wright.
Ziebell failed a fitness test on Thursday after injuring his knee in the loss to Brisbane.
He is a big loss for the Roos, with his hardness around the ball invaluable to their ability to match it with the experienced bodies of Hawthorn.
Ziebell has averaged 19.5 disposals and 3.7 clearances this year.
Capable of playing both in defence and up forward, Hansen can play as an effective loose man, dropping the in hole in front of the opposition’s key forwards.
The former number three draft pick has taken the most marks of any North Melbourne player this year, averaging 7.1 per game and is ranked in the top 10 across the league.
He is also ranked equal second for contested marks at his club.
Hansen averages 16.1 disposals per game this year.
McMahon has been added to the side to add depth to the North Melbourne defence, with Scott looking for options to cover Hawthorn’s myriad of forward options.
He can play on both talls and smalls.
Round 16
North Melbourne v Hawthorn
Friday 4 July
Etihad Stadium, 7.50pm
NORTH MELBOURNE
B Luke McDonald, Scott D. Thompson, Scott McMahon
HB Shaun Atley, Lachlan Hansen, Michael Firrito
C Sam Gibson, Andrew Swallow, Liam Anthony
HF Brent Harvey, Aaron Black, Nick Dal Santo
F Sam Wright, Drew Petrie, Lindsay Thomas
FOLL Todd Goldstein, Ben Cunnington, Levi Greenwood
I/C Ryan Bastinac, Ben Jacobs, Leigh Adams, Ben Brown
EMG Max Warren, Mason Wood, Trent Dumont
IN Scott McMahon, Lachlan Hansen, Liam Anthony, Sam Wright
OUT Max Warren (Omitted), Jack Ziebell (Knee), Aaron Mullett (Omitted), Brad McKenzie (Omitted)
HAWTHORN
B Ryan Schoenmakers, Brian Lake, Ben Stratton
HB Shaun Burgoyne, Matt Spangher, Grant Birchall
C Isaac Smith, Jordan Lewis, Matthew Suckling
HF Paul Puopolo, Jack Gunston, Bradley Hill
F Luke Breust, Jarryd Roughead, David Hale
FOLL Jonathon Ceglar, Luke Hodge, Liam Shiels
I/C Angus Litherland, Taylor Duryea, Brad Sewell,Sam Mitchell
EMG Ben Ross, Ben McEvoy, Jonathan Simpkin
IN Sam Mitchell
OUT Cyril Rioli (Hamstring)
