With the Hawks ready to take on Collingwood on Saturday, hawthornfc.com.au looks at the five key players who could impact the result.
1. Cyril Rioli (Hawthorn)
Hawks fans blew a collective sigh of relief when Rioli was cleared by the Match Review Panel on Monday, with the dynamic forward set to take his place for the Hawks against the Pies on Saturday.
A match winner, Rioli has an outstanding record against Collingwood, causing the Magpies grief on a number of occasions but particularly more recently.
While Rioli averages just over a goal a game against the Pies, it has been more his ability to set up his teammates that has made him a dangerous weapon for the Hawks.
Rioli averages 16.7 disposals in 11 games against Collingwood – his second-best record against any team - and a massive 16 goal assists – his best record against all opposition.
His pace and evasion with ball in hand lights up any game and his defensive pressure is all class. If he fires, the Hawks are in the box seat. It’s that simple.
2. Tom Langdon (Collingwood)
He might be a first year player but Langdon plays with composure beyond his years. He has slotted in seamlessly to Collingwood’s defensive set up, and even taken on a key role as an intercept marker.
Langdon has taken the equal most marks of any Pie this year (with Cloke), averaging 6.5 per game.
At 189cm, Langdon is an athletic rebounding defender who has good skills and the Pies love to use him off half-back. He is ranked second to Heritier Lumumba for rebound 50s (3.5 average) and is actually ranked sixth overall at Collingwood for disposals.
He has filled the Nick Maxwell circa 2010 type role, cutting across the big forwards to take marks and then rebound quickly. He could find himself on a player like Luke Breust, who would certainly make him more accountable.
Langdon has taken the most marks of opposition boot than any other player in the league this season.
Tom Langdon in action for Collingwood.
3. Jordan Lewis (Hawthorn)
Hawthorn’s Vice-captain loves playing against Collingwood, with some of his best ever performances coming against the black and white.
In the past, Lewis has found himself playing forward in games against the Pies, trusted with the job of stopping running defender Heath Shaw.
But with Shaw no longer at Collingwood, Saturday’s game will hold a different task for the Hawthorn midfielder.
Lewis is Hawthorn’s number one clearance player this year, helping his team to be one of the best clearance sides in the competition, so he might have a role more familiar to him this time around.
With Collingwood boasting players like Scott Pendlebury, Dayne Beams and Dane Swan in the midfield, Lewis’ ability to win the footy around the stoppages will be crucial.
But his ability too, to push forward and kick goals, something he has made a priority since the bye in Round 9, will be important if the Hawks are to win.
He has kicked 16 goals in 14 games against the Pies, including a haul of five in the Round 17 game in 2012.
4. Jamie Elliott (Collingwood)
While most are focused on shutting down Travis Cloke, Elliott has proved just as if not more dangerous this year.
The small forward, who plays taller than his 178cm frame suggests, Elliott is his team’s leading goal scorer this year with 28 – five more than Cloke.
Elliott is dangerous both in the air and on the ground – he can take a big pack mark and then the next time kick a freak goal after roving off the contest.
He has taken the second-most marks inside 50 for Collingwood this year, with 23 (an average of 1.9 per game).
Elliott is valuable too, because he pushes up into the midfield and into defence then words hard forward to score while playing on-ball.
He has kicked a bag of five this year (against Geelong in Round 3), two hauls of four and two lots of three.
Young Hawthorn defender Taylor Duryea could find himself on the dynamic Pie or, the Hawks could opt for a taller defender like a Grant Birchall who can compete with him both in the air and on the ground.
5. Luke Hodge (Hawthorn)
The skipper is an important player for Hawthorn in every game they play but for some reason, Hodge just loves taking on the Pies.
In 14 games against Collingwood, Hodge averages 27 disposals, the most he has picked up against any side in the league aside from the two expansion clubs and has kicked 12 goals, too.
Despite a broken thumb last year, Hodge was best on ground in the Round 21 win over Collingwood with 28 disposals and eight marks. In the earlier game, in Round 3, Hodge was best on ground again with 31 disposals, six tackles and two spectacular goals.
He patrols the half backline like no other, with his presence making his teammates walk taller and with more confidence. Against a side like Collingwood, with Cloke inside 50, that is very important for the Hawks.
He will play an important role too, when he pushes up into the midfield, particularly as the third-man up at ruck contests around the ground to get the ball away from the likes of Pendlebury, Beams and Swan.
