WHERE AND WHEN: Aurora Stadium, Sunday April 29, 1.10pm
LAST TIME: Hawthorn 19.8 (122) d Sydney Swans 13.8 (86), semi final, 2011 at the MCG
TV and RADIO: Click here for broadcast guide
MATCH DAY INFORMATION: Click here for all the match day information on Sunday's game
Touted as a top four team, Hawthorn has had a difficult fixture to start the season, but must start stringing wins together or risk losing touch with the competition's pacesetters. The Sydney Swans are one of those, having gone unbeaten over the first month. A fierce battle in Tasmania awaits.
THE FOUR POINTS
SYDNEY SWANS
1. Can the Swans continue their hot start to the season, or will the Hawks bring them back to earth? There's no doubt it has been an impressive run, stringing together wins over Greater Western Sydney, Fremantle, Port Adelaide and North Melbourne. But few would argue Hawthorn in Launceston isn't another step up, and will give perhaps the biggest test yet of the Swans' standing.
2. How close is coach John Longmire to his best 22? Adam Goodes slots straight back in from suspension, while Shane Mumford is also an automatic selection when he recovers from his back issue. Nick Smith and Lewis Roberts-Thomson will also fancy their chances of returning when they recover from an inner ear infection and a cheekbone injury respectively. But who makes way and how will the Swans look later in the season?
3. Will the Swans use Goodes' milestone as further motivation to get past the Hawks? Interrupted one week by his suspension, the dual Brownlow medallist will break Michael O'Loughlin's all-time Swans games record at the unfamiliar confines of Aurora Stadium. But Goodes, who is genuinely driven by team factors and not individual accolades, will be much keener to reverse the result of last year's semi-final between the sides, won comfortably by the Hawks.
4. What sort of impact will Gary Rohan's awful broken leg have on the squad? Rohan may not have been putting up huge numbers, but his pace and skills were adding a new dimension to the workmanlike Swans. Without him, they lose an X-factor. Lewis Jetta, their surprise leading goalkicker, has taken a major step forward this year. Mitch Morton also kicked seven goals for the reserves last weekend and could push for a Swans debut in the coming weeks.
HAWTHORN
1. Hawthorn makes its first trip of the season to its Launceston fortress, Aurora Stadium, where it is unbeaten in its past seven matches. The Hawks' recent history against the Swans is also strong, having gotten over the line in four of their past six against John Longmire's men, including two six-goal-plus wins in 2011.
2. Hawks defender Josh Gibson was critical to his team's success in last year's semi-final against the Swans, notching an AFL record 21 spoils. The 28-year-old has been in fine touch this season, taking a career-high 15 marks against Adelaide in round three. His ability to impact aerial contests in defence will be important against Swans young gun Sam Reid.
3. Sam Mitchell has raised his tackling to a new level this season. The three-time club best and fairest winner had another nine against West Coast on Saturday night, taking his 2012 tally to 31 at an average of 7.8 per game. That's well up on his career tackle average of 3.8 per game and ranks him third in the AFL. At the top of the tackle ladder is the man who may be assigned to cling closely to Mitchell on Sunday - Craig Bird. He's laid 34 so far.
4. Lance Franklin booted just one goal from seven scoring shots against the Eagles in round four. But the good news for Hawks fans is the dual Coleman medallist has been more accurate in front of the big sticks at Aurora Stadium than at any other ground. His 70 goals from 21 games in Launceston have come at 67 per cent accuracy. Franklin bagged hauls of four and six goals against the Swans in 2011.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL
