HAWTHORN will play Sydney on Friday 30 August at ANZ Stadium in Round 23, the AFL confirmed on Tuesday.

The game will commence at 7.50pm.

As part of the rolling fixture for the final round of the home-and-away season, the AFL gives clubs likely to play in the finals series fixture priority in Round 23 to ensure those teams have adequate preparation for the first round of the finals series.

With Hawthorn currently on top of the AFL ladder, the fixture gives the Club the opportunity to fly back to Melbourne and adequately prepare for its first final of the 2013 AFL Finals Series.

“It was determined that the Sydney Swans and Hawthorn match should be scheduled on Friday night, given that Hawthorn is a travelling side and currently positioned on top of the ladder after round 18 of the home and away season. This will maximise the number of days’ break for the club before week one of the finals,”  the AFL said on Tuesday.