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This is a huge game in the context of the top four AFL ladder positions, with the Collingwood Magpies taking on the Hawthorn Hawks in Friday night footy. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7.40pm (AEST).
The Hawks are on a roll, winning their last four games. They have now moved into fourth position and want to continue to climb the ladder. In Round 23 last year the Hawks defeated the Magpies by 65 points. Has much changed since then?
As a team stacked full of talent, the Hawks appear to have too much depth for the Pies to cover. They will want to put last week’s poor taste injection jibe by Sam Mitchell behind them and focus on good news and winning football matches.
Brian Lake announced he wants to play on next year which all goes well for their defence. Despite losing James Frawley through injury, their defence has been as strong as ever with consistent performances from Josh Gibson and Taylor Duryea.
At the other end Jack Gunston and Luke Breust are an elusive pair and in charge of kicking a winning score in the absence of Jarryd Roughead who is out indefinitely after being diagnosed with skin cancer mid-week. The Hawks showed last year they can cover absent members of their best line-up and do get Cyril Rioli back.
The Pies were not disgraced in the west last week and we will find out how well they are really going playing the top sides in consecutive rounds. They do catch the Hawks on a six-day break but this is offset by having to travel to and from Perth.
Can they match the unsociable Hawks pressure? This will be the big question Nathan Buckley is seeking an answer to.
hey have included two debutants, in Darcy Moore and Brayden Maynard, a big ask to come up against the Hawks first up.
Tyson Goldsack is out injured and while they don’t have the same depth of talent as the Hawks, the Pies boast some of the very best players in the league.
Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury lead the way with big disposal numbers every game and are responsible for supplying their forwards with plenty of opportunities. Travis Cloke and Jamie Elliott have benefitted most from this supply and it will be a great match up against the Hawks’ defence which could decide the game.
Prediction
The Hawks are improving as each week goes by and they should put the Pies back in their place with a 42-point win.
Will the Pies stand up to the Hawks and announce themselves as contenders or will the Hawks continue their rise up the premiership ladder?
Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7.40pm (AEST) on Friday night.
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