THE HAWKS have named an unchanged line-up for the round 19 match against theBrisbane Lions at the MCG on Saturday.
After a comprehensive 63-point win against Essendon at the ‘G last Sunday,the Hawks will be brimming with confidence against the Lions, who in turn are primedafter winning five games on the trot.
The Hawthorn match committee has selected veteranBen Dixon, whippetBen McGlynn, winger Clinton Young and ruckman Simon Taylor on the interchangebench.
XavierEllis, Danny Jacobs and Travis Tuck have been named emergencies for the excitingcontest.
Hawthorn, with 11 wins and perched in third position on the AFL ladder,can ill-afford to drop this week’s match against the eighth-placed Lions.
But it’s going to be a tough ask if recent records are any indication. TheLions have won 12 of their 18 matches against the brown and gold for a winningpercentage of 66 per cent.
Brisbanehas won 10 of its past 11 meetings with the Hawks, including the season-opener atthe Gabba. The visitors were held to just two goals in the opening threequarters before a final-quarter surge saw them cause a late scare.
Against the Bombers, Hawthorn had nine individual goalscorers in the 17.7 haul, and will need to maintain their work rate to overcomethe Lions’ stingy defence.
The Lions have conceded a total of 18 goals in the pastthree weeks. They limited Carltonto six goals in round 16, Collingwood to seven goals in round 17 and the Kangaroos to five goals in round 18.
It’s the Hawks’ last home and away game at the MCG this season, with a ‘home’game against Port Adelaide in Launceston next week and round 21 and round 22away games against Western Bulldogs at Telstra Dome and Sydney at the SCG.
The Team
B: Birchall, Gilham, Guerra
HB: Brown, Croad, Smith
C:Lewis, Mitchell, Ladson
HF: Bateman, Boyle, Crawford
F:Franklin, Roughead, Vandenberg
FOLL: Campbell, Hodge, Sewell
I/C: Dixon, McGlynn, Young, Taylor
EMG: Ellis, Jacobs, Tuck
