HAWTHORN has been boosted by the inclusion of three premiership players for Saturday night’s blockbuster against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.
Captain Luke Hodge (hamstring), Liam Shiels (shoulder) and Brad Sewell (hamstring) have all been included in the side after overcoming respective injuries and will provide valuable experience to a team that will be missing a number of experienced players.
The trio are joined by ruckman Jonathon Ceglar as the four inclusions, as Cyril Rioli (hamstring), Josh Gibson (pectoral), Jarryd Roughead (suspension) and Kyle Cheney (omitted) won’t make the trip to Adelaide.
Hodge was a late withdrawal with hamstring soreness in the Round 8 loss to Sydney, while Shiels hasn’t played since hurting his shoulder against the Suns in Round 4.
Shiels has been a big improver for the Hawks this season and with the inclusion of Will Langford, has been released to play a more free-wheeling midfield role.
Before suffering the injury, Shiels averaged 22.2 disposals in the opening four rounds and kicked four goals – he was becoming one of the Hawks’ most damaging midfielders.
Sewell will make his long awaited return and play his first game of the 2014 season after finally overcoming the hamstring issues that have kept him out of the side for the first nine weeks.
The veteran midfielder first injured his hamstring on the eve of Round 1, in a practice match against Melbourne before returning via the VFL, where he experienced soreness in the same hamstring.
He missed a month with the issue before resuming via the VFL last weekend, where he was among Box Hill’s best with 22 disposals and nine tackles in the 29-point win over Richmond’s VFL side.
The dual premiership midfielder will add much needed experienced and clearance-winning ability to a Hawthorn side that will be missing Sam Mitchell.
Ceglar has earned himself a senior recall following a number of impressive performances in the VFL, including a 26 hit out and 15 disposal game against the Tigers last week.
His most impressive performance came, however, against Geelong’s VFL team in Round 3 of the VFL where he had 46 hit outs, 21 disposals and kicked a goal in Box Hill’s win.
Round 10
Port Adelaide v Hawthorn
Saturday 24 May
Adelaide Oval, 7.40pm
B: Suckling Schoenmakers Duryea
HB: Langford Stratton Birchall
C: Lewis Hodge Shiels
HF: Smith Gunston Hill
F: Puopolo Hale Breust
Foll: McEvoy Sewell Burgoyne
I/C: Hallahan Ceglar Hartung Simpkin
Emerg: Cheney Woodward O'Brien
In: L.Hodge , B.Sewell , L.Shiels , J.Ceglar
Out: J.Roughead (Suspension) , J.Gibson (Shoulder) , C.Rioli (Hamstring) , K.Cheney (Omitted)
