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Hawthorn’s inconsistent start to the season continued when they went down to Adelaide by 27 points at AAMI Stadium last Sunday. The reigning premiers have recorded just two successive wins on two occasions and find themselves in ninth place on the AFL ladder with a 5-5 win-loss record.
Sydney is yet to win away from home in 2009 after being thumped to the tune of 40 points by the Western Bulldogs at Manuka Oval in Canberra. The Swans also have won five of their first ten matches but are in the top eight thanks to their superior percentage.
VENUE and TIME: MCG, Sunday 7 June, 2.10pm (AEST)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 144: Hawthorn 78, Sydney 64, Drawn 2
LAST TIME: Sydney 22.11 (143) d Hawthorn 15.15 (105) at ANZ Stadium, Round 2, 2009
RECENT HISTORY: Sydney has won seven of its past eight against Hawthorn with three of those wins coming at the MCG.
MEDICAL ROOM: The Hawks welcome back vice-captain Luke Hodge who has been sidelined since round seven with an abdominal strain but Garry Moss (knee), Trent Croad (foot), Stephen Gilham (knee), Rick Ladson (knee), Cameron Stokes (hamstring), Clinton Young (quad) and Brendan White cross (hamstring) are unavailable. For the Swans, Luke Ablett will miss after suffering a shoulder injury in the loss to the Bulldogs. Brett Meredith (fractured forearm) and Henry Playfair (hamstring) remain on the sidelines while veteran defender Leo Barry is close to returning from a calf strain.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Brad Sewell vs. Adam Goodes
Goodes continued his brilliant run of form with 30 possessions, two goals and nine inside 50’s against the Bulldogs.
The last time these two sides met in round two Goodes starred with 24 touches and four goals to help lift his side to a 38-point win.
The dual Brownlow medallist is Sydney’s most damaging player in the middle as he is capable of breaking the game wide open with his run and carry and ability to kick goals.
Sewell is Hawthorn’s number one stopper in the midfield and will go head-to-head with Goodes in what shapes as being a pivotal match-up in determining the outcome of this match.
The Hawks will need Sewell to hurt Goodes going the other way.
Craig Bolton vs. Lance Franklin
Franklin has booted 36 goals in 2009 but he hasn’t been able to take a game by the scruff of his neck like he did last season.
Last year’s Coleman medallist booted four goals the last time these two sides met at the MCG in round 15 last year to help lift the Hawks to a 31-point win.
Bolton is one of the in-form defenders in the competition and will line-up on the Hawthorn star in what will be yet another crucial match-up.
Hawthorn was one of the most efficient sides last season but their use of the football has been well below par this season, especially in the first half of the loss to the Crows.
If Franklin is going to have any chance of having an impact he will need his midfield to be cleaner with their use of the football going forward.
Brett Kirk vs. Sam Mitchell
Mitchell played a key role in getting the Hawks back into the contest against Adelaide last weekend, winning his fair share of the contested football in the third term.
The Hawthorn skipper is an integral part of his side’s midfield with his ability to win the football at the stoppages and use it cleanly to find his teammates in space.
In the round two clash this year Kirk did a superb blanketing job on Mitchell, restricting him to just 13 touches.
Expect Kirk to go head-to-head with Mitchell in the middle once again.
Like Mitchell, Kirk is highly effective at winning the football in close and he is also renowned for his tackling pressure.
Mitchell will need his teammates to block for him at the stoppages if he is going to have any chance of breaking Kirk’s tag.
Robert Campbell vs. Barry Hall
Hall continued his good start to the season with six goals against the Bulldogs, taking his season tally to 23 goals from eight games.
The Swans veteran booted four goals the last time these two sides met and will need to be contained if the Hawks are going to secure a vital win.
With Croad and Gilham still out of the side you would expect Campbell to be given first crack at Hall as he has the body to match him in the one-on-one contests.
While Campbell is able to match Hall in the one-on-one duels he may be exposed on the lead so if the Swans can get the football quickly inside 50 the former Saints could have a day out.
VERDICT: While Sydney hasn’t won away from home so far this season they also haven’t lost two games in a row. We believe the win-loss sequence will continue on Sunday with the Swans blue-collar midfield possessing the ability to shut-down Hawthorn’s prime movers in the middle. Swans by 13 points.
HAWTHORN v SYDNEY SWANS
Hawthorn
B: Brent Guerra, Thomas Murphy, Campbell Brown
HB: Xavier Ellis, Luke Hodge, Grant Birchall
C: Beau Muston, Sam Mitchell, Liam Shiels
HF: Chance Bateman, Lance Franklin, Ben McGlynn
F: Cyril Rioli, Jarryd Roughead, Michael Osborne
Foll: Simon Taylor, Brad Sewell, Jordan Lewis
I/C: Robert Campbell, Stuart Dew, Brent Renouf, Mark Williams
Emg: Jarryd Morton, Travis Tuck, Ryan Schoenmakers
In: Hodge, Renouf
Out: Jarryd Morton, Brendan Whitecross (hamstring)
Sydney Swans
B: Craig Bolton, Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Martin Mattner
HB: Rhyce Shaw, Ted Richards, Jared Crouch
C: Adam Goodes, Brett Kirk, Amon Buchanan
HF: Paul Bevan, Ryan O’Keefe, Kieren Jack
F: Heath Grundy, Barry Hall, Michael O’Loughlin
Foll: Darren Jolly, Jarrad McVeigh, Jude Bolton
I/C: Craig Bird, Nick Malceski, Jarred Moore, Jesse White
Emg: Ed Barlow, Mike Pyke, Kristin Thornton
In: Bird
Out: Luke Ablett (shoulder)
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