Saturday night’s feature AFL Round 7 match is between last years grand finalists the Hawthorn Hawks and Sydney Swans with the game to be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The opening bounce is set to commence at 7:40pm local time with home team Hawthorn Hawks currently holding favouritism despite Sydney beating the Hawks in the Grand Final last year. View our AFL live scores, odds and results for the game between Hawthorn Hawks and Sydney Swans.
WHERE AND WHEN: MCG, Saturday 11th May, 7:40pm
Preview:
The other highly anticipated match of the round takes place on Saturday at 7.40pm at the MCG. The Sydney Swans take on Hawthorn in a re-match of last years Grand Final, and the Hawks will be more than keen to take revenge. Both teams have had a pretty good start to the year, with one defeat each and lots of promise shown. The Swans stepped up a gear last week against Brisbane however, and Lewis Jetta and Sam Reid will want to build on their return to form. This is looking like a very close match, in what would be match of the round in any other week.
Teams:
Hawthorn Hawks:
B: Josh Gibson, Brian Lake, Luke Hodge
HB: Brent Guerra, Ben Stratton, Grant Birchall
C: Liam Shiels, Sam Mitchell, Bradley Hill
HF: Paul Puopolo, Lance Franklin, Shaun Burgoyne
F: Jack Gunston, Jarryd Roughead, Luke Breust
Foll: David Hale, Brad Sewell, Jordan Lewis
Int: Michael Osborne, Isaac Smith, Taylor Duryea, Jonathan Simpkin
Emerg: Kyle Cheney, Max Bailey, Matt Spangher
Sydney Swans:
B: Nick Malceski, Heath Grundy, Nick Smith
HB: Marty Mattner, Ted Richards, Jarrad McVeigh
C: Lewis Jetta, Ryan O’Keefe, Ben McGlynn
HF: Dan Hannebery, Sam Reid, Kieren Jack
F: Adam Goodes, Mike Pyke, Luke Parker
Foll: Shane Mumford, Josh Kennedy, Jude Bolton
Int: Tony Armstrong, Craig Bird, Jed Lamb, Dane Rampe
Emerg: Mitch Morton, Tommy Walsh, Jesse White
Don’t mention the grand final: Hawks star
Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson says he’ll leave it to his players to drive the motivation for their grand final re-match against Sydney.
But if Jordan Lewis is behind the wheel, talk of last year’s epic premiership play-off won’t be allowed.
The Hawks will take a five-match winning streak into Saturday night’s much-anticipated fixture against reigning premiers Sydney at the MCG.
“You let the players be the ones that try and drive themselves for this particular game,” Clarkson said on Saturday after an 11-point win against Adelaide.
But Lewis reckons the lost premiership opportunity won’t be used as motivation this week.
“We have got to motivate ourselves every week, whether it be the side we lost to in the grand final or not,” Lewis said.
“Every week is different and we will set little goals this week.
“I don’t think last year’s grand final will come into our calculations at all.”
Luckless Hawk ruckman Max Bailey is in doubt for the Swans clash, having been a late withdrawal against the Crows.
Clarkson said Bailey, who has overcome three knee reconstructions, was suffering swelling in a knee.
