Hawks Aim To Out-muscle Swans

Sun Herald

Sunday July 13, 2008

By Sam Lienert

HAWTHORN believe today's top-four match with Sydney will test their strength and maturity, qualities that have allowed the Swans to dominate in their recent clashes.

Sydney have won their past six clashes, including a nine-point win at the MCG and a 72-point thrashing at the SCG last year.

But Hawks assistant coach Todd Viney hopes his club has now developed the muscle and tenacity necessary to combat Sydney's renowned one-on-one strength.

"The last four years we've been rebuilding the team slowly, blooding a lot of young players over the journey," Viney said.

"At this stage I reckon we've matured a lot as a team; a lot of the guys that played the Swans over the last three or four years have strong bodies now, which you've got to have to play against Sydney.

"They play such a physical, disciplined game that you really do need to be physically mature and experienced to handle it."

Viney said last year's round 11 clash at the MCG, when the Hawks led early before being ground down, was an example of the physical edge the Swans have held.

"By the end of the game they'd really put the screws on us and physically we couldn't keep working as hard as we had in the first half," he said.

The Hawks hope that having the weekend off last week will enable them to attack the run home with renewed intensity. The break came at the ideal time, with Chance Bateman, Brad Sewell and Simon Taylor all back from injury, and Shane Crawford keeping his spot despite a knee problem.

"We've got guys that have put their hands up, particularly Crawford, he definitely wouldn't have played last week," Viney said. "Sewell definitely wouldn't have played last week."

Sydney's only change is the return of dual Brownlow winner Adam Goodes from suspension, replacing Barry Hall - outed for his swipe at Magpie Shane Wakelin.

"One thing with Barry playing, you do know they're going to go through him quite a bit and when he doesn't play they become a bit more unpredictable," Viney said.

© 2008 Sun Herald

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