New recruit Josh Gibson will play his highly-anticipated first game in Hawks colours, while 2009 draftees Ben Stratton, Wayde Skipper and Jarrod Kayler-Thomson will also make their Pre-season Cup debuts for the Hawks.
Other youngsters Matthew Suckling, who made his debut in Round 1, 2009, Shane Savage, who has played three senior games for the Club, Jordan Lisle and rookies Luke Breust and Will Sierakowski will have the opportunity to see all the hard work they put in over summer come into fruition.
Both Captain Sam Mitchell and Vice-captain Luke Hodge will make the trip down to Aurora Stadium, along with Jarryd Roughead, Jordan Lewis, Brad Sewell and other senior players who have come off the back of impressive pre-seasons.
Hawks fans will be delighted to see the return of hard-running defender Rick Ladson, who hasn’t taken the field since Round 15, 2009 due to injury. Rookie-listed West Australian Garry Moss, who earned an AFL Rising Star nomination last year, will also return after an injury forced hiatus that saw him manage only nine games last season.
Another key-member of the Hawks defence, Xavier Ellis, will return on Saturday night to further bolster the backline along with regulars Grant Birchall, Brent Guerra and Campbell Brown. Promising youngster Ryan Schoenmakers has benefited from his second pre-season at the Club, and with the guidance and on-field support of the sure-headed Stephen Gilham and athletic Tom Murphy, will make up an exciting defensive unit.
Jarryd Morton will pull on the number 19 guernsey for the first time, having previously worn number 35, and will be ably supported by Hawks utilities Beau Dowler and Beau Muston who are looking extremely fit.
