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[VIDEO] Hawthorn Hawks vs Collingwood Magpies highlights: 2015 NAB Challenge scores, blog

Roar Guru
26th February, 2015
Venue: Aurora Stadium
Bounce: 7.10pm (AEDT)
TV: Live, Fox Sports

Hawthorn squad
2. Jarryd Roughead, 3. Jordan Lewis, 5. Sam Mitchell, 6. Josh Gibson, 7. Ben McEvoy, 8. Taylor Duryea, 10. Bradley Hill, 12. James Frawley, 18. Jonathon Ceglar, 19. Jack Gunston, 21. James Sicily, 22. Luke Breust, 24. Benjamin Stratton, 26. Liam Shiels, 28. Paul Puopolo, 29. Will Langford, 30. Kaiden Brand, 31. Angus Litherland, 32. Jonathan Simpkin, 35. Sam Grimley, 37. Jed Anderson, 38. Dallas Willsmore, 39. Alex Woodward, 40. Billy Hartung, 41. Daniel Howe, 42. Teia Miles, 43. Marc Pittonet, 44. Jared Hardisty, 45. Jermaine Miller-Lewis

Collingwood squad
1. Alex Fasolo, 2. Sam Dwyer, 4. Brodie Grundy, 5. Jamie Elliott, 6. Tyson Goldsack,
7. Ben Kennedy, 8. Tom Langdon, 9. Jesse White, 13. Taylor Adams, 16. Nathan Brown, 18. Travis Varcoe,
19. Levi Greenwood, 21. Nathan Freeman, 22. Steele Sidebottom, 23. Lachlan Keeffe, 24. Josh Thomas, 25. Jack Crisp, 26. Marley Williams, 27. Tony Armstrong, 28. Ben Sinclair, 29. Tim Broomhead, 31. Jackson Ramsay, 33. Patrick Karnezis, 34. Alan Toovey, 35. Jordan De Goey, 38. Matthew Goodyear, 43. Adam Oxley, 44. Corey Gault, 45. Jack Frost
The Hawks take on the Magpies in the first game of the NAB Challenge. (Slattery Images)
Roar Guru
26th February, 2015
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13166 Reads

After a long off-season, footy is back with a Thursday night blockbuster in Tasmania. Aurora Stadium hosts the first NAB Challenge match, with defending champions Hawthorn Hawks taking on Collingwood Magpies. Join The Roar for all the live action from 7:00pm (AEST).

Launceston is a second home for the Hawks, who have been playing several home games a year in the Apple Isle for many years. With the team riding high on the back of successive premierships, and a strong local involvement, there’ll be plenty of brown and gold in the crowd.

But it’ll be far from exclusive. Collingwood have supporters everywhere, and this is a rare opportunity for Tasmanian Magpie fans to see their team live.

There’s been no resting on their laurels for Alistair Clarkson’s men. Aggressive at trade time, the Hawks landed the services of experienced defender James Frawley through free agency, Jono O’Rourke was traded in from GWS Giants and Daniel Howe, Teia Miles and Marc Pittonet joined the Hawks in the draft.

Brad Sewell hung up the boots after last season, but he’s the only major loss for a team that looks a strong chance of pulling off the first premiership three-peat since the Brisbane Lions over a decade ago.

For Collingwood, the challenge this year will be to bounce back and return to finals action after missing out last year.

Always active during the trade period, the Magpies were worked hard at the trade table when Dayne Beams requested a move to Queensland, while the outspoken Heritier Lumumba was off-loaded to Melbourne.

But the Magpies bolstered their list, bringing in Levi Greenwood from North Melbourne, Travis Varcoe from Geelong and Jack Crisp from Brisbane. The trading also landed the Magpies the fifth pick in the draft, which was used to secure the services of Jordan de Gooy. Brayden Maynard and Matthew Goodyear also joined the Magpies in the draft.

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With only three pre-season games for each club, game time is a balancing act between giving players time to press a claim for senior selection, while fine-tuning the strongest possible team for the premiership season opening. Expect to see plenty of rotations, and some new faces for each club.

In pre-season games, we’re watching out for new recruits to see what they’ve got to offer. We’re also getting used to the sight of some players in new jumpers, and seeing if the exciting young talent picked up in last year’s draft can impress.

Although some players who can expect to be regulars in the senior team when the premiership season starts will be rested, there’s still likely to be plenty of quality players on the park. For Hawthorn, that means premiership superstars strutting their stuff on the Tasmanian stage.

Who wins and loses may not be of utmost importance, but psychologically there could be a boost, something that can be imposed when the two sides meet again later in the year.

But for supporters of both sides, and the many neutrals who will tune in and follow this blog, it’s great to have the footy back!

Join us here on The Roar from 7pm and leave your thoughts, observations and cyber-barracking in the comments as we celebrate the first match of 2015.

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