The Tigers are on the rise, pushing 2011 finalists Geelong (10 points), West Coast (10 points) and Essendon (19 points) to the final siren so far this season.
Sewell says that improvement stems from the midfield, with the Tigers boasting a number of quality players including Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin.
“Their midfield balance at the moment is as good as what’s going around,” Sewell said.
“Their mix of inside, outside midfielders, their skill level is really high and then they’ve got the ability to push forward and hit the scoreboard is very good as well.
“It’s going to be a great challenge for us."
The Hawks midfielder believes that despite the Tigers boasting one of the best midfields in the league, it will take more than stopping them for the Hawks to get the four points.
“They’ve been building and improving consistently across the board,” Sewell said.
“We know their midfield is much heralded, (but) any forward line with Jack Riewoldt and their resting midfielders or (Robin) Nahas and their small forwards, whoever they might be, they’re a dangerous proposition.
“It (also) appears their defence is really sound, pretty settled and solid at the moment.”
The Hawks arguably played their best game for the season against the Dockers last Saturday, but the Hawks are still striving for a solid four-quarter effort.
“We let ourselves down for a period in the third quarter and a bit in the last quarter (last week),” Sewell said.
“the challenge for us is to ensure that we don’t drop off in our concentration and that our play stays at a high level throughout the four quarters.”
Sewell is predicting a tough, bruising encounter against the Tigers, as their midfield features a number of hard bodied players including Dustin Martin and Brett Deledio.
“They’ve got some hard inside midfielders in there, so it’s going to be a combative game,” he said.
“There’s going to be a lot of tackles no doubt, it’s going to be really hardly fought.
David Hale and Jarryd Roughead have another tough battle in the ruck after nullifying Mark Jamar and Aaron Sandilands in consecutive weeks.
Sewell praised the output of Richmond ruckman Ivan Maric - particularly the physicality he brings to the Tigers’ team.
“He’s been a huge positive for Richmond, he’s added so much to that side, obviously in the ruck division but also around the ground he’s been competing well,” he said.
“He’s certainly not afraid of getting his hands dirty and getting in there and roughing a few guys up.
“Our boys are going to have to play well to get on top of him.”
Kate Salemme is a member of Hawthorn Football Club’s Digital media team reporting exclusively for hawthornfc.com.au from the Ricoh Centre.
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