HAWTHORN has been bolstered by the return of defender Ben Stratton for Friday night’s blockbuster against Sydney at ANZ Stadium.
Stratton headlines three inclusions for the Hawks, as Alastair Clarkson moves to strengthen his backline ahead of the battle against a four-pronged Sydney attack likely to feature Lance Franklin, Kurt Tippett, Adam Goodes and Sam Reid.
Fellow defender Kyle Cheney has been recalled following two impressive performances in the VFL after being omitted following Hawthorn’s loss to Geelong in Round 5.
Young midfielder Will Langford, who missed last week’s 145-point win over St Kilda is the other inclusion after overcoming a back issue.
Langford has been an important player for the Hawks so far this season, playing defensive roles on some of the game’s elite midfielders.
So far this season, he has curtailed the influence of Gary Ablett and Joel Selwood and will likely be used in that role again against the Swans tomorrow night.
The Hawks will, however, be without gun defender Brian Lake after it was confirmed he’ll miss 3-4 weeks with a calf injury and four-time best and fairest winner Sam Mitchell, also with injury.
Young defender Angus Litherland has been omitted.
Round 8
Sydney v Hawthorn
Friday 9 May
ANZ Stadium, 7.50pm
B: Cheney Gibson Schoenmakers
HB: Hodge Stratton Suckling
C: Birchall Burgoyne Hill
HF: Rioli Gunston Smith
F: Breust Roughead Hale
Foll: McEvoy Lewis Hallahan
I/C: Hartung Puopolo Duryea Langford
Emerg: Ceglar Wanganeen Simpkin
In: K.Cheney , B.Stratton , W.Langford
Out: B.Lake (Calf) , S.Mitchell (Hamstring) , A.Litherland (Omitted)
