HAWTHORN utility Shaun Burgoyne says the Hawks are ready to go “down to the wire” if that’s what Saturday night’s blockbuster against Port Adelaide requires.
One of the best last quarter teams in the competition, the Power have already overcome three-quarter time deficits to defeat Carlton, West Coast and Fremantle this season.
That fitness base has continued after an outstanding season in 2013, where they were the best final quarter team in the competition.
This season already, Port Adelaide has won six of their eight final quarters but have inflicted the most damage in the third term, winning eight from eight starts.
But that fitness base isn’t of concern to the Hawks, Burgoyne says, who are prepared to run all night if required.
“It’s something that we’ll be tested in this week,” Burgoyne said of the Hawks’ fitness base.
“We’re expecting that this game is going to go down to the wire and we’re going to be running all day and I’d expect everyone to be contributing.”
The Hawks have won six of eight third quarters and five last quarters so far this season but their best will be required to stick with the red-hot Power.
Hawthorn do have their own running weapons, however, in Isaac Smith, Bradley Hill and Billy Hartung.
Hartung is the current beep test record holder at the AFL Draft Combine after breaking new teammate Hill’s record set at the combine in 2011.
“Everyone talks about their running capacity, I think that’s been their major improvement because they run so hard as a team,” Burgoyne said of the Power.
“That’s going to be a challenge for us to outwork them but we have some fit players ourselves who can run with the best of them.”
The Hawks will travel to Adelaide Oval to take on the Power without star players Sam Mitchell, Cyril Rioli, Brian Lake and Josh Gibson to injury, while they’ve lost Jarryd Roughead to suspension.
But they’re not making any excuses, with Coach Alastair Clarkson already declaring his team isn’t heading into the blockbuster depleted.
"You think we're undermanned – I don't necessarily think we are," Clarkson said at the airport on Friday.
"We've got a couple of guys out but we've had to cope with that before and we'll do so again.”
Burgoyne echoed his coach’s sentiments, declaring the Club has the depth to cover for their injured and suspended stars.
The inclusion of Captain Luke Hodge and premiership midfielders Brad Sewell and Liam Shiels for Saturday night has offset some of the pain of losing their stars, while the form of youngsters like Will Langford, Mitch Hallahan and Billy Hartung has been impressive under duress.
“Unfortunately you can’t pick and choose your injuries, they come when they come, you just have to deal with it and we’ve dealt with it as best we can,” Burgoyne told hawthornfc.com.au
“These young kids coming in, they’re going to be exposed to a high level of intensity, which is great because it’s going to be valuable for their experience.”
He says he and his teammates are ready for the huge task that awaits them on Saturday night.
“We’re going over there, it’s going to be a massive task but it’s exciting to play them on their home turf,” he said.
“They’re up and about so it’s going to be a pretty ferocious game and we’re preparing ourselves for a big one.”
