A TRADEMARK of Sydney teams in recent years has been their ability to work hard both offensively and defensively, and that’s what the Hawks are ready for on Friday night.
The Hawks take on the Swans in the final round of the home and away season and will secure the minor premiership for the second year running if victorious, but it won’t come easy.
The Swans will most likely go into Friday night’s clash as underdogs, with key midfielder Daniel Hannebery unlikely to play and Sam Reid, Adam Goodes and Rhyce Shaw all missing from their best 22.
Clouds remain over Lewis Jetta and Lewis Roberts-Thomson and their availability, so the Hawks could be facing an understrength Sydney team.
But that doesn’t mean the 22 players wearing red and white on Friday night will be any less determined to work hard, such has been the culture at Sydney for a long period.
Vice-Captain Jordan Lewis says the Hawks will be dissecting a hard working Sydney team who are the best in the league at working both ways – just as hard defensively as it does when attacking.
“Collingwood had some really good in and under midfielders, but also had some diversity with their outside runners and really made Sydney work,” he reflected about Sydney’s recent loss to Collingwood at ANZ Stadium.
“We’ll be going into the game with that sort of strategy, to work hard because we know they’ll be making us do the same – we have to make them work both ways because that’s what they’ll be doing to us.”
Captain Luke Hodge agrees, citing their ability to hit the score board as a danger.
“Their mids are very good at hitting the scoreboard so that’s something we’ll have to nullify if we’re to get a win against them,” he told hawthornfc.com.au
It’s easy to get caught up in the players who aren’t there, but the focus of Hawthorn is placed solely on those who will be running out to compete at ANZ Stadium.
While Hannebery is a likely out with a knee injury, Josh Kennedy, Ryan O’Keefe, Kieran Jack and Jarryd McVeigh will play and do what they’ve done all year, dominate the clearances, tackle with ferocity and work hard on the offensive end.
The Swans are the number one clearance team in the competition with an average of 42.6 per game and the quartet are each ranked in the top six at the club (Hannebery is ranked fourth).
Hawthorn, meanwhile are ranked ninth for clearances, so winning that battle against the Swans is crucial.
The Hawks won that battle in Round 7, and went on to win by 37 points.
“Their strength is obviously in stoppages, so no doubt we’ll be looking to win that contest and get the ball played in our half,” Lewis said.
The Swans are also ranked number one in the league for contested possessions, with Kennedy, O’Keefe and Jack the top three at the club.
Skipper Luke Hodge says work starts in the clinches against Sydney.
“Their midfield has been outstanding all year, they’ve been very consistent,” he told hawthornfc.com.au
“They win the contested ball and they work hard forward, so you’ve just got to make sure that if you do lose the contested footy, you need to work defensively and shut them out.”
