Tim O’Brien and Blake Hardwick will play their first senior games of 2017 in the Hawks blockbuster clash with the Cats on Monday.
The Hawks have finalized their team, making three changes to their side that suffered a disappointing defeat at the hands of the Gold Coast Suns last weekend.
Brendan Whitecross (omitted), Jaeger O’Meara (knock to knee) and Teia Miles (omitted) all come out of the Hawks line up, replaced by O’Brien, Hardwick and Billy Hartung.
Hartung returns to the side for his second game of the season after being omitted following the Hawks Round 1 loss to Essendon.
Hawthorn will be without boom recruit Jaeger O’Meara who sustained a knock to the knee in last week’s clash against Gold Coast.
GM- Football Operations Jason Burt said the Hawks’ medical staff are taking a cautious approach with the midfielder.
“Jaeger copped a knock to the knee in Sunday’s game. We were hopeful he’d get up for Monday’s clash but unfortunately he’s still not 100 per cent,” says Burt.
“Given Jaeger hasn’t played much footy in the past two years, we’re taking a cautious approach with this one.
“We’re hoping it will be a short recovery and that he will be ready to go for Round 5.”
James Sicily, Daniel Howe and Brendan Whitecross have been named as the Hawks’ emergencies.
ROUND 4 TEAM
Hawthorn vs Geelong
MCG
Monday 17 April, 3.20pm
B: Shaun Burgoyne, James Frawley, Ben Stratton
HB: Ryan Burton, Kaiden Brand, Josh Gibson
C: Isaac Smith, Tom Mitchell, Liam Shiels
HF: Luke Breust, Jack Gunston, Bily Hartung
F: Ty Vickery, Jarryd Roughead, Paul Puopolo
R: Ben McEvoy, Luke Hodge, Cyril Rioli
INT: Tim O'Brien, Will Langford, Blake Hardwick, Ricky Henderson
Emergencies: James Sicily, Daniel Howe, Brendan Whitecross
