Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson says the midfield is the key. Picture: Wayne Ludbey. Source: Herald Sun
SEIZE the midfield. That's the crucial element to winning today's game at the MCG according to Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson.
Clarkson said, with both the Hawks and Collingwood possessing power forwards like Lance Franklin and Travis Cloke, the feed inside the forward 50 is vital.
"Most of these games are won in the midfield. Both sides have got very talented forward lines and whoever wins that midfield supply is probably going to win this game," Clarkson said.
"All we focus on is how we structure up in our front half. It's not all about Buddy, it's how all those guys can work together and whether we can get the supply to him.
"That was the most pleasing thing against West Coast, we were able to spread the goalkicking load and, if we can do that, we can really challenge most defences in the competition."
Clarkson said it would be foolish to place too much emphasis on Hawthorn's 3-0 record against the Magpies last season.
"The sides are a little bit different to this time last year," he said. "We performed OK against Collingwood, but if you look at the year before, they knocked us off, too."
Taylor Duryea will make his debut and the Hawks are banking on the 21-year-old providing the rebound out of defence missing since Matt Suckling's knee injury.
"Yes, he's a similar type of player," Clarkson said. "He's a six-footer and he will play mainly across half-back. But he's also capable of playing forward as well.
"We'll determine that as the game goes on and the season goes on.
"Taylor has been around our footy club, I think this is his fourth year now, and quite often with a lot of young players it takes them two or three years to adjust to rigours and demands of AFL footy.
"He had a couple of injury concerns in the first couple of years (ankle surgery in late 2011), but he has been able to put together some really solid footy over the last 12 months and he gets his opportunity in a big game."
Clarkson said tall defender Brian Lake was "pretty close" to his first game for the Hawks, but it was decided he needed another VFL game.
"We were just a bit stiff in Round 1 that he had that corked thigh and we just thought it was too big an ask to come in for his first game of the season and play on someone like Travis Cloke or Quinten Lynch, " he said.
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