Off the back of impressive wins over Essendon and the Sydney Swans that have propelled them back into top four contention, the Magpies will try to keep their momentum going against top-of-the-ladder Hawthorn – a team they have struggled to contain over the past two seasons. The Hawks have been flat for the past fortnight – with a loss to Richmond and an uninspiring 46-point victory over lowly St Kilda – but will be up for this game as they seek to shore up their hold on a home qualifying final. We can expect a September-like atmosphere as 75,000-plus fans pack the MCG and players from both teams go all out to win.

 

WHERE AND WHEN: MCG, Friday August 16, 7.50pm

 

 

R3, 2013, Hawthorn 22.13 (145) d Collingwood 13.12 (90) at the MCG

QF, 2012, Hawthorn 20.15 (135) d Collingwood 15.7 (97) at the MCG

R17, 2012, Hawthorn 21.12 (138) d Collingwood 13.13 (91) at the MCG

R1, 2012, Hawthorn 20.17 (137) d Collingwood 16.19 (115) at the MCG

PF, 2011, Collingwood 10.8 (68) d Hawthorn 9.11 (65) at the MCG

 

1. When these two teams met earlier this season, Collingwood had the better of the early going – leading by 22 points during the second quarter – before Hawthorn found top gear and raced away to a 55-point win. Luke Hodge was the star for the victors, gathering 31 disposals and booting two goals, while Lance Franklin kicked four and Jarryd Roughead three. Travis Cloke kicked five goals for the Magpies, with Dane Swan collecting 33 disposals. 

 

2. The Hawks have not lost to Collingwood since having their hearts broken in the 2011 preliminary final. In every one of the four clashes since, they have piled on at least 20 goals, as the Magpies have struggled to contain Alastair Clarkson's multi-pronged forward line. Collingwood's three-point preliminary final triumph was one of only three wins against Hawthorn from 12 attempts since the start of 2007.

 

3. Franklin is set to return to the Hawthorn line-up this week, having missed last Friday night's win over the Saints with hamstring tightness. The four-time All Australian and No.1 ranked forward in the Official AFL Player Ratings has feasted on Collingwood throughout his career, booting 50 goals from 12 matches at a rate of 4.17 per game. He has polled 12 Brownlow Medal votes from 10 home and away matches against the Magpies.

 

4. With Franklin and Roughead at one end and Travis Cloke at the other, neither team should have trouble finding a target up forward. The Hawks are ranked No.1 for marks inside 50 this season, averaging 15 per game, while the Magpies are second with 14.2 a game. It means a big job for each team's key defenders, with Brian Lake new to the Hawthorn line-up since last time these teams met, and Lachie Keeffe back from his knee injury and performing solidly for Nathan Buckley's team.

 

5. The centre square battle will also be key. Hawks vice-captain Jordan Lewis this week described Collingwood's on-ball brigade as one of the AFL's "premium" midfields, and with good reason. Dane Swan, Scott Pendlebury, Dayne Beams and Luke Ball all gathered more than 30 disposals against the Swans last Saturday night, continually driving the ball their team's way. Countering that strength will be a focus for the Hawks, who have lost the contested possession count in each of the past two weeks.

 

6. Beams has been key to the Magpies' recent resurgence, averaging 31 disposals and 6.2 clearances in his five games since returning from a 15-week quad injury. Only Swan and Gary Ablett have averaged more disposals than Beams per game in 2013, and he's ranked equal-fifth for clearances.