Hawks supporter Byron Sweerts previews the clash between Hawthorn and Sydney.
Currently sitting fourth on the AFL ladder, Hawthorn must overcome the Sydney Swans at the SCG on Sunday to retain their top four position and the double chance.
Coming off a blistering 84-point win against the Western Bulldogs last week, the Hawks will be fired up to obliterate Sydney in similar fashion and maintain their momentum leading into the first week of finals football.
Even though Sydney cannot improve on seventh position where they are currently situated regardless of a win, they will be keen to demonstrate to the competition that they still have what it takes to make it to the final week in September.
Disappointed after their 25-point loss to Collingwood last week, Paul Roos and Sydney will have all cylinders firing to ensure they can manufacture a timely win in front of a sellout home crowd.
The last time the Hawks and the Swans met was in Round 11 at the MCG earlier this year and it was the Swans who took the four points in a closely fought 9-point victory.
Lance Franklin’s 6 goals wasn’t enough to negate the impact of Brett Kirk and Barry Hall who were sensational for the Swans with 25 possessions and 4 goals, respectively. Playing his first game for the Swans, ex-Hawk Peter ‘Spida’ Everitt was also instrumental in his side’s win.
Both teams play an uncompromising style of football and are prepared to put their bodies on the line to win the football and protect the ball carrier at all cost.
It should be a gruelling battle with the in form quartet of Hodge, Sewell, Mitchell and Lewis going head to head in the centre of the ground against Sydney’s tough midfielders in Kirk, Jude Bolton, Crouch and O’Keefe.
Buchanan, suspended for rough conduct for cannoning into Collingwood’s Martin Clarke, is a vital loss to the Sydney midfield.
The Hawks have named three inclusions in their extended squad of 25 in McGlynn, Tuck and Murphy. Reliable defender Leo Barry and Roberts-Thomson provide valuable defensive inclusions for the Swans and there is speculation that Hall may be rested for week one of finals football.
Franklin will be eager to make amends for his frustrating inaccuracy last week against the Bulldogs with 2 goals and 11 behinds. To his credit though, any player who has 13 scoring shots in one game has to strike immense fear into any opposition side and Sydney will be hoping to minimise his scoring opportunities.
Sydney will be relying on another massive game from their dual Brownlow Medallist in Adam Goodes. He amassed an impressive 33 possessions to be a standout for the Swans last week, but there were not enough contributors to get them over the line in the end. Expect the Hawks to have a strategy to reduce Goodes’ effectiveness around the ground.
My prediction is that the Mighty Hawks will roll into the finals with an emphatic 15-point win with Franklin kicking a bag to completely bamboozle Sydney’s defence.
Good luck to Trent Croad who plays his 200th game on Sunday.
Bryon
Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and notnecessarily those of the Hawthorn Football Club. hawthornfc.com.auwould like to acknowledge the contribution of supporters to theOfficial Club website. If you would like to sign up to write forhawthornfc.com.au click here for more details.
Currently sitting fourth on the AFL ladder, Hawthorn must overcome the Sydney Swans at the SCG on Sunday to retain their top four position and the double chance.
Coming off a blistering 84-point win against the Western Bulldogs last week, the Hawks will be fired up to obliterate Sydney in similar fashion and maintain their momentum leading into the first week of finals football.
Even though Sydney cannot improve on seventh position where they are currently situated regardless of a win, they will be keen to demonstrate to the competition that they still have what it takes to make it to the final week in September.
Disappointed after their 25-point loss to Collingwood last week, Paul Roos and Sydney will have all cylinders firing to ensure they can manufacture a timely win in front of a sellout home crowd.
The last time the Hawks and the Swans met was in Round 11 at the MCG earlier this year and it was the Swans who took the four points in a closely fought 9-point victory.
Lance Franklin’s 6 goals wasn’t enough to negate the impact of Brett Kirk and Barry Hall who were sensational for the Swans with 25 possessions and 4 goals, respectively. Playing his first game for the Swans, ex-Hawk Peter ‘Spida’ Everitt was also instrumental in his side’s win.
Both teams play an uncompromising style of football and are prepared to put their bodies on the line to win the football and protect the ball carrier at all cost.
It should be a gruelling battle with the in form quartet of Hodge, Sewell, Mitchell and Lewis going head to head in the centre of the ground against Sydney’s tough midfielders in Kirk, Jude Bolton, Crouch and O’Keefe.
Buchanan, suspended for rough conduct for cannoning into Collingwood’s Martin Clarke, is a vital loss to the Sydney midfield.
The Hawks have named three inclusions in their extended squad of 25 in McGlynn, Tuck and Murphy. Reliable defender Leo Barry and Roberts-Thomson provide valuable defensive inclusions for the Swans and there is speculation that Hall may be rested for week one of finals football.
Franklin will be eager to make amends for his frustrating inaccuracy last week against the Bulldogs with 2 goals and 11 behinds. To his credit though, any player who has 13 scoring shots in one game has to strike immense fear into any opposition side and Sydney will be hoping to minimise his scoring opportunities.
Sydney will be relying on another massive game from their dual Brownlow Medallist in Adam Goodes. He amassed an impressive 33 possessions to be a standout for the Swans last week, but there were not enough contributors to get them over the line in the end. Expect the Hawks to have a strategy to reduce Goodes’ effectiveness around the ground.
My prediction is that the Mighty Hawks will roll into the finals with an emphatic 15-point win with Franklin kicking a bag to completely bamboozle Sydney’s defence.
Good luck to Trent Croad who plays his 200th game on Sunday.
Bryon
Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and notnecessarily those of the Hawthorn Football Club. hawthornfc.com.auwould like to acknowledge the contribution of supporters to theOfficial Club website. If you would like to sign up to write forhawthornfc.com.au click here for more details.
