With the Hawks ready to take on Port Adelaide on Saturday night, hawthornfc.com.au looks at the five key players who could impact the result.

1. Jack Gunston (Hawthorn)
With Jarryd Roughead out suspended, the task of leading the forward line will be thrown to Gunston who has shown in the past that he is up for the challenge.

When Lance Franklin was out for an extended period in 2012, Gunston went on a goal-kicking streak, booting bags of four goals on three occasions and three goals twice.

When Franklin missed against the Power in Adelaide last year, Gunston also stepped up and booted five goals.

Athletic for his size at 193cm, Gunston is a dangerous prospect for opposition teams because he can just as easily kick goals on the run by working hard into the midfield then pushing hard forward. He can then also be used as the stay at home full forwad and lead out from the goal square – and when you’ve got elite ball users like Matt Suckling and Shaun Burgoyne delivering it, he’s hard to stop.

Hawthorn’s best player in the finals series last year, Gunston will be asked again to step up but he’s shown he can do it on the biggest stages and under the highest intensity that will no doubt be on show on Saturday night.

2. Chad Wingard (Port Adelaide)
It’s hard to believe that a player in just his third season of football has already been named All Australian, won a club best and fairest and be a team’s clear match-winner but that’s what Wingard is for the Power.

He is super quick, has silkiy skills, is good in the air and his goal sense rivals the best in the competition.

Wingard kicked five goals against Fremantle to lead the Power to victory in their last game before the bye, he was the spark that helped Port Adelaide overcome the dour contest Freo had turned that game into.

Wingard has kicked 18 goals this year – Port Adelaide’s second-best goal kicker this season behind Jay Schulz.

He has also taken the second-most marks inside 50 this season for his team, also with 18.

The task of stopping him will be crucial in Hawthorn’s ability to defeat the current league leaders and it could be a challenge for Taylor Duryea who has played as a small defender this year.

Wingard will undoubtedly spend time close to goal, so Duryea seems like the logical match-up. He’s hard at it and isn’t afraid to get on the counterattack to use his good skills too, so he can make Wingard accountable.

3. Isaac Smith (Hawthorn)
Port Adelaide are known for their speed through the midfield, so Hawthorn’s ability to generate their own run and not get caught in the Power’s defensive pressure will be critical.

That’s where Smith comes in.

A line breaker for the Hawks who is never afraid to take the game or his opposition on, Smith was best on ground and earned three Brownlow votes against the Power last year.

In that game he had an equal team-high 26 disposals, nine tackles and kicked three goals.

He has received more attention from opposition clubs this year because he’s developed into one of the game’s best wingman and compounding that is his ability to run all day because of his elite engine.

That capability will also come in handy against the Power, whose fitness across the board is arguably the best in the league.

This year, Smith has taken more running bounces than any other Hawk, with 25, is ranked fourth at the Hawks for uncontested possessions and rebound 50s.

He has also been a goal kicker, with seven for the year.

4. Bradley Hill (Hawthorn)
If we’re going to highlight Smith then we also need to highlight Hill as one of Hawthorn’s key players on Saturday night because he is just as dangerous as his fellow wingman.

Hill has been outstanding this season and last year showed he can perform under the highest pressure in the finals series last year.

The young wingman’s rise this season has transformed him into one of Hawthorn’s best offensive weapons and his stats this season reflect that.

He is averaging 23.9 disposals in eight games this year – ranked fourth at the club – ranked first for inside 50s, second for uncontested possessions and fourth for running bounces.

Hill's ability to spread into space and receive the ball from inside workhorses like Brad Sewell will be crucial in Hawthorn's ability to generate run and carry, something they struggled with in the loss to Sydney in Round 8.

5. Matthew Broadbent (Port Adelaide)
While most of the plaudits go to the likes of Wingard, Travis Boak, Ollie Wines and Brad Ebert at Port Adelaide, it has been the improvement of the lesser names that has been a factor in their rise this year.

Playing across half-back, Broadbent isn’t dissimilar to Matt Suckling at the Hawks, with his run and carry off half back so important to the Power’s game style.

He’s hard at it and not afraid to get his hands dirty but he’s also good as an outside playmaker that can push forward and kick goals.

He averages 18.5 disposals per game this year and is ranked equal first with fellow half-back Jasper Pittard for rebound 50s. He is ranked second for running bounces and in the top five for one percenters so his game is selfless, too.

Broadbent can also push up into the midfield and add to the Power’s midfield rotations, where he can be an equally dangerous stoppage player.