Eagles not scared of Hawks in AFL final

West Coast skipper Shannon Hurn is adamant his team won’t be overawed when they confront Hawthorn’s vast experience in Friday night’s qualifying final at Domain Stadium.

About a third of West Coast’s best 22 are yet to even play an AFL finals game.

In contrast, Hawthorn are gunning for their third straight premiership.

The mismatch in finals experience could play a key role in the outcome of Friday’s match.

But Hurn said his team didn’t fearing anything in the club’s first finals foray since 2012.

“It will be more exciting (than daunting),” Hurn said.

“We have had a few blokes who got to play in the 2011 and 2012 finals series. The players are prepared.

“Of course Hawthorn have been pretty good the past five or six years, so we understand what we’re going to come up against.

“But all finals games are going to be pretty tough.”

Hurn had just turned 20 when he got his first taste of finals football in 2007.

The 28-year-old has played in just two finals campaigns since, with the barren run making him realise how special it is to feature in September.

When Hurn was appointed Eagles captain last December, he knew exactly what type of leader he wanted to be – a premiership-winning one.

“I wasn’t really joking about that. It certainly is within reach,” Hurn said.

“You have a few years where you go through pre-seasons and it doesn’t quite work. This year we’ve been able to put ourselves in a great opportunity.

“We just want to make the most of it and play to win.”

If West Coast can beat the Hawks on Friday night, they will be in the box seat to make the grand final.

A loss would likely see them end up playing Fremantle in a blockbuster preliminary final in Perth.

TOP EAGLES PLAYERS YET TO FEATURE IN A FINALS GAME

*Dom Sheed – 20 years old, 30 games

*Mark Hutchings – 24 years old, 35 games

*Brad Sheppard – 24 years old, 81 games

*Elliot Yeo – 21 years old, 61 games

*Callum Sinclair – 25 years old, 26 games

*Jackson Nelson – 19 years old, 11 games

*Jeremy McGovern – 23 years old, 30 games

*Jamie Cripps – 23 years old, 72 games

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