HAWTHORN has made four changes for Saturday night’s blockbuster against Geelong at the MCG, with star forward Jarryd Roughead headlining the inclusions.
Last year’s Coleman Medal winner will return from suspension, while ruckman Jonathon Ceglar has won back his spot in the side and defender Matt Spangher and midfielder Brad Sewell will return from injury.
Ceglar’s inclusion means fellow ruckman Ben McEvoy has been omitted, while Ryan Schoenmakers, Taylor Duryea and Tim O’Brien have also been excluded from the side that lost to Fremantle on Sunday.
Veteran midfielder Sewell is a handy inclusion for the Hawks, with his hard-nosed attack on the footy and clearance-winning ability a valuable asset to the side, particularly in a game expected to be played like a final.
Since injuring his hamstring in Round 16, Sewell returned two weeks ago via the VFL where he starred for Box Hill.
He was tagged in his first game back against Frankston, where he picked up 14 disposals in just three quarters of footy before being named in the best in the win over Bendigo last week with 25 disposals.
Saturday night’s blockbuster will be just Sewell’s eighth of the season after missing the opening nine rounds with injury. He returned in Round 10 and re-captured the form that made him a valuable player in Hawthorn’s 2013 triumph.
Ceglar’s outstanding VFL form has been rewarded by Coach Alastair Clarkson, who it appears could no longer ignore his performances in the second-tier competition.
Since being dropped from the AFL side in Round 19, Ceglar has averaged 35 hit outs, 17 disposals and 1.6 goals in the VFL, having twice booted two goals in best on ground performances in the ruck.
Spangher, meanwhile returns after being a late withdrawal last Sunday.
Superboot Matt Suckling has been named despite being subbed out of Sunday’s loss with a sore ankle, while Brian Lake has also been picked to play his second match since serving a four-match suspension.
Duryea, Schoenmakers and youngster Billy Hartung are the named emergencies.
Round 22
Hawthorn v Geelong
Saturday 23 August
MCG, 7.40pm
B: Lake Gibson Suckling
HB: Burgoyne Stratton Birchall
C: Hill Mitchell Smith
HF: Hodge Roughead Gunston
F: Puopolo Hale Breust
Foll: Ceglar Lewis Shiels
Int: Spangher Langford Sewell Simpkin
Emerg: Duryea Schoenmakers Hartung
OUT: B.McEvoy (omitted), R.Schoenmakers
