HAWTHORN coach Sam Mitchell has welcomed a high-stakes clash with Greater Western Sydney as another valuable development platform for his rapidly improving side.
The Hawks have surged into finals contention with eight wins in their past nine games, entering the final month of the season with just percentage separating them from the top eight.
But they will start as narrow outsiders against the fifth-placed Giants in Canberra on Sunday.
"When you've got a young side, you're trying to get different experiences into them and trying to learn as much as you can as quickly as you can," third-year coach Mitchell told reporters on Friday.
"Games that really matter are hugely valuable for our group and every game is keeping our season alive.
"Some of the other games maybe have or haven't gone our way, so we're still sitting outside the eight and we know we're going to have to keep winning.
"(Playing) against a team who is in front of us on the ladder obviously gives us a chance to make some more ground."
The Giants have overcome shaky mid-season form and are on a four-match winning streak.
But so tight is the ladder, only one win and seven percentage points separate them from the ninth-placed Hawks.
"They're in great form and they've won their last four all in different sorts of ways, so they're a challenging team to scout," Mitchell said.
"They've got some fantastic individual talent, but they play a really clear system and they're a really well-organised team.
"They can beat you in multiple ways, so we're going to have our work cut out."
Hawthorn is chasing key backs to bolster their squad in what again looms as a busy trade and free agency period for the club.
The Hawks have also been strongly linked to St Kilda's Josh Battle and Mitchell believes the club has created an attractive environment for prospective recruits.
"The whole football department and the administration have got a great vibrancy and really allow people to express themselves and be themselves," Mitchell said.
"The players have been able to take that on board and, for the most part, really toe the line in doing the right thing.
"(They're) being express themselves and have great joy but still bring the work ethic that's so required in this game to be competitive against the best.
"When you look at the environment that we've been able to create as an organisation, I'm glad people are recognising that from the outside and wanting to be a part of it."
