ASSISTANT coach Todd Viney has scoffed atclaims that Hawthorn's young playing list cannot go the distance and make thetop-four.
Viney defended claims that the young Hawkswere showing signs of battle-weariness and inability to go the distance.
"We do have a lot of young players whohave played a lot of footy already this year and I think sometimes that canplay a part but that will not be an excuse," he said on Friday.
"It has been an even year and we havedone reasonably well, but, top-four talk was always premature."
The Hawks go into this weekend's game witha squad containing 10 players aged 22 years and under.
They will be desperate to reverse theirform, looking to bounce back from a month of football where they have won justone from four games.
The team's only win against bottom-placed Richmond was sandwiched between defeats to finalsaspirants Adelaide,St Kilda and the Kangaroos.
Hawthorn's stocks have risen for thisSunday's "line in the sand" match against Essendon with the return ofkey forwards Tim Boyle and Lance Franklin, on-baller Sam Mitchell and theversatile Xavier Ellis.
Boyle returns after a month on thesidelines nursing a hamstring injury, Franklinwith the flu, Mitchell calf and Ellis, with a hip complaint.
"Boyle is in really good form, Franklin is our major goalkicker and Mitchell is our No.1 on-baller," Viney said.
"Xavier Ellis was playing some goodfooty before he injured his hip, so we have some really good inclusions."
Leading goal kicker Franklin was a late withdrawal from lastSunday's match against the Roos with the flu.
However, speculation was muted that the 20-year-oldmissed the match because of disciplinary reasons.
"That is absolute rubbish. He missed because of illness nothing else,"Viney said.
Viney also denied talk of injury concernsabout key playmaker Shane Crawford.
The former captain was forced from theground last week with a knee injury.
"Crawf is guaranteed 99 percent hewill play, so, he will train tomorrow and be right for the game," he said.
Viney, the Hawks midfield coach, was one ofa number of candidates interviewed for the vacant Melbourne senior coach role.
"At the moment my main focus is to getthe Hawks up and running and get us in to the finals," he said.
"There would be nothing better than toplay finals footy with the HFC this year, and I think if you perform well withthe Hawks then your stocks rise in the coaching stakes anyway so, I'llconcentrate on that for the time being.
