Sitting fourth on the AFL ladder at 7-4, the Hawks are keen to return to the winners’ list against Carlton at Telstra Dome this Friday night after their narrow nine point loss to the Swans.
“The challenge for us is to get back to where we were before the Sydney game,” football operations manager Mark Evans said.
“Carlton are a good, strong side and have been kicking high scores. We are expecting that type of football tomorrow night.
“It’s going to be an intriguing contest, there will be some pretty good match-ups.”
Luke Hodge will captain the Hawks in his 100th AFL match. The talented midfielder/defender trained strongly with teammates in bitterly cold conditions at Waverley Park on Thursday.
Trent Croad and Tim Boyle were two notable absentees from training, but have been selected in the starting 18 at centre-half back and in a forward pocket respectively.
Michael Osborne, Joel Smith, Simon Taylor and Clinton Young have been named on the interchange, while Xavier Ellis, exciting key-position prospect Mitch Thorp and Tom Murphy are emergencies.
Thorp has been starring in the VFL with Box Hill Hawks.
Croad, who matched up on Swans forward Barry Hall last week, cramped late in the match and was forced from the ground.
The normally reliable Croad has had a few injury setbacks this season, missing matches with a stress-related foot injury.
He will play an important role for the Hawks and is expected to have the task on
Brendan Fevola.
Captain Richard Vandenberg did light jogging up and down the hills at Waverley.
Vandenberg had “tight-rope” surgery on his shoulder last week – a procedure where the joint is double-wired.
“His joint is very stable,” Evans said. “It allows him to progress in his recovery and can train and jog with little effect.”
Mark Williams will have to wait at least another week before throwing away his crutches after suffering a serious knee injury earlier this season.
The Hawks are still hopeful he will play senior football again in 2007.
“That’s the plan, it’s a step by step approach,” Evans said of the sharpshooter’s return.
“He has a slow healing injury, his coming up for two months on crutches.
“We won’t know how his knee responds until he begins walking on it. The first step is for him to begin walking, and an assessment will be made on how he responds. If it responds, he’ll progress to running.”
The David Parkin Medal will be presented to the Most Valuable Player after the game and the recipient, as selected by Parkin, must display the following qualities – leadership, presence, team values, performance in a team role and influence on the outcome of the game.
David Parkin is a Life Member of both clubs and his contribution has been outstanding. He played 211 matches for Hawthorn and was captain of the 1971 premiership team. He coached the Hawks in 94 games and led the brown and gold to the 1978 premiership.
He coached a club-record 355 games as Carlton coach and led the Blues to three premierships and was named coach of Carlton’s Team of the Century.
HAWTHORN
B: Brent Guerra, Stephen Gilham, Campbell Brown
HB: Grant Birchall, Trent Croad, Rick Ladson
C: Chance Bateman, Brad Sewell, Jordan Lewis
HF: Sam Mitchell, Lance Franklin, Shane Crawford
F: Danny Jacobs, Jarryd Roughead, Tim Boyle
FOLL: Robert Campbell, Ben McGlynn, Luke Hodge
I/C: Michael Osborne, Joel Smith, Simon Taylor, Clinton Young
EMG: Xavier Ellis, Mitch Thorp, Tom Murphy
No change
