HAWTHORN has swung the axe for its Easter Monday clash against Geelong, while the Cats have recalled young ruckman Toby Conway and boosted their midfield with five changes.

Jack Gunston, Finn Maginness and Ned Reeves, who all played in the VFL on Saturday, have been omitted for the Hawks, with Lloyd Meek, Harry Morrison and Henry Hustwaite coming into the side.

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Conway will play just his second AFL game in place of veteran Rhys Stanley (managed) as Geelong eyes a five-day break ahead of Saturday night's Gather Round match against the Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval.

Zach Tuohy has also been rested while captain Patrick Dangerfield had already been ruled out due to a hamstring injury. Mitch Knevitt, who played only a handful of minutes as the sub last week, and Shaun Mannagh have been omitted.

Gun midfielders Mitch Duncan (personal reasons), Tanner Bruhn (foot) and Tom Atkins (adductor) are all back after missing last week's win over Adelaide, while Jack Bowes is in for his first game of the season.

Scott said on Sunday there was "no issue" with Stanley, instead pointing to the need for players to be managed through the season.

"There will be very few players who will play for us every week this year," he said. "We've got a short break into Gather Round, which doesn't scare us."

The match will be the 350th in the career of Cats forward Tom Hawkins, with the 35-year-old just the second man to the Cats after Joel Selwood.

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MONDAY, APRIL 1

Hawthorn v Geelong at the MCG, 3.20pm AEDT

HAWTHORN

In: L.Meek, H.Morrison, H.Hustwaite
Out: F.Maginness (omitted), N.Reeves (omitted), J.Gunston (omitted)

Last week's sub: Jack Gunston 

GEELONG

In: T.Conway, M.Duncan, T.Atkins, T.Bruhn, J.Bowes
Out: P.Dangerfield (hamstring), R.Stanley (managed), M.Knevitt (omitted), Z.Tuohy (managed), S.Mannagh (omitted)

Last week's sub: Mitch Knevitt