Friday’s AFL 2018 Finals Week 2 match is between Hawthorn Hawks and Melbourne Demons. The opening kick is set to commence at 19:50 local time with the game to be played at MCG. The home team Hawthorn Hawks are the favourites for the match.
View our preview and teams for the game between Hawthorn Hawks and Melbourne Demons.
When: 19:50 | Friday 14/09/2018
Where: MCG
Preview:
After their defeat to the Tigers, the Hawks need better contributions from their A grade players.
Shaun Burgoyne, Jack Gunston, Luke Breust and Isaac Smith all had poor nights against Richmond.
Hawks defender Ben Stratton is out with a hamstring injury and that’s a huge blow for Hawthorn as he would have got the job on Melbourne big man Tom McDonald.
As Alastair Clarkson said after the Richmond defeat, he doesn’t believe in tactics and will always back his system in.
So, I’d expect them to go in with the same game plan they have had all year.
No finals demons for Melbourne following their finals triumph over Geelong.
It was huge for the group.
I thought they were hungry and were also bold when they had possession of the ball.
They now look like a team that believes in themselves.
Melbourne’s game plan revolves around winning contested possession in the midfield.
They have lost this statistic only once this year and are arguably the best and toughest midfield in the competition.
KEY BATTLE: Max Gawn v Ben McEvoy
Gawn v McEvoy in the ruck should be enthralling.
Gawn will test McEvoy by pushing forward and using his aerobic capabilities.
Gawn holds the advantage.
The Verdict
Melbourne appear to be stronger all over the ground and come into the match with strong momentum.
Melbourne has a 15-9 (62.5 percent) record playing within its home state as a favourite since 2017.
Unibet Odds:
Hawthorn at $2.70
Melbourne at $1.48
Odds:
Tip: Hawthorn Hawks at $3.05
Value Bet: First Goal Scorer: Jack Gunston at $9.00
More Info:
Teams:
Hawthorn Hawks: 
B: Duryea, Frawley, Hardwick
HB: Impey, Sicily, Burton
C: Smith, Mitchell, Shiels
HF: Burgoyne, Roughead, Gunston
F: Bruest, Nash, Puopolo
FOLL: McEvoy, Howe, Worpel
I/C: Mirra, Morrison, Henderson, Schoenmakers
EMG: Ceglar, Whitecross, Brand, Cousins
IN: Duryea, Mirra, Schoenmakers
OUT: Stratton (injured), O’Meara (injured), Ceglar (omitted)
Melbourne Demons: 
B: Jetta, McDonald, Lewis
HB: Salem, Frost, Hibberd
C: Tyson, Viney, Harmes
HF: Melksham, McDonald, Brayshaw
F: Weideman, vandenBerg, Neal-Bullen
FOLL: Gawn, Jones, Oliver
I/C: Petracca, Spargo, Hannah, Fritsch
EMG: Kennedy Harris, Hunt, T. Smith, J. Smith
AFL News:
Hawthorn confront a red-hot Melbourne in Friday night’s AFL semi-final but Hawks stalwart Isaac Smith has warned against writing off the qualifying final losers.
The football world has thrown its arms around the Demons, who are contesting their first finals series in 12 seasons and chasing their first flag since 1964.
The love-in has extended to pundits and bookmakers, favouring Melbourne to march on against Alastair Clarkson’s side and into a preliminary final.
On the evidence of last weekend, it’s easy to see why.
Melbourne were effervescent against Geelong, putting together a first quarter that the Cats couldn’t recover from.
Hawthorn tried to go with Richmond but fell well short and only a go-slow last term saved them from a blowout defeat.
Smith acknowledged the Demons’ rise but suggested that was just the story of week one of the finals.
“It’s funny. The teams that win the elimination finals have always seem to have a fair bit of momentum about them,” he said.
“The teams that lose the qualifying finals seem to have none about them, so Melbourne have all the momentum.
“And we’ve got to stop that now.”
However, history favours the qualifying finals losers in semi-finals.
Over the past decade, just four of 20 elimination final winners have backed up to make a preliminary final.
Combine that with Hawthorn’s finals pedigree and you can understand Smith’s confidence.
But for the Hawks to triumph at the MCG on Friday, several key players will need to improve on their outings against the Tigers.
Luke Breust barely touched it. Paul Puopolo’s impact was slight.
James Frawley was beaten and Jack Gunston didn’t trouble the goal umpire.
A particularly harsh marker would also have Shaun Burgoyne, with 17 touches, and captain Jarryd Roughead, who kicked three goals but was a touch off in major moments, as below-par.
Smith acknowledged the underperformance without mentioning names.
“There were a lot of people down on the weekend,” he said,
“The guys you might be referring to, I don’t think I’ve seen them put two bad performances together. I’d expect them to play pretty well Friday.”
The Hawks must make at least one change against Melbourne, given Ben Stratton’s hamstring injury.
Two-time flag winner Taylor Duryea and David Mirra were held back from the VFL side on the weekend and could be inclusions, along with late withdrawal Ryan Schoenmakers.
“A massive strength of Clarko’s coaching … is as soon as one bloke goes down, we don’t necessary need to change the system,” Smith said.
“I’m sure one of them will be able to slot in and do something.”
