Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell has conceded that he'll have some "tough decisions" to make at selection in his side's run home amid a hopeful push for a September spot.
The Hawks currently sit in fourth on the ladder after their most recent win - a 24-point victory over Carlton on Thursday night.
The victory is Hawthorn's second in a row ahead of their final month of the home and away season, with three of their final four games coming against the trio of clubs sitting above them on the ladder in Collingwood, Adelaide and Brisbane.
The Hawks will carry an in-form forward line into their crucial upcoming clashes, with Jack Gunston enjoying what could be a career-best year for the 33-year-old.
Second-year tall Calsher Dear was a key piece in the win over the Blues with his aerial presence, while Mitch Lewis enjoyed his second game back from an ACL, hitting the scoreboard with two goals at the MCG.
The trio combined as required, but with Mabior Chol in line for a likely return next week following his recent groin injury, Mitchell will likely need to settle on three of the four talls each week.
A similar situation is breaking out in his engine room, with Will Day returning to face Carlton after his lengthy layoff with a foot injury.
The Hawks utilised Day alongside Jai Newcombe, James Worpel, Conor Nash and Josh Ward this week, which is often one midfield more than usual for Mitchell.
The Hawthorn coach has admitted that selection is becoming a puzzle thanks to the health and form of his senior players.
"We're going to have to make some tough decisions going forward," he said after the win over the Blues.
"Obviously the mix of the team is always debated. What the conditions are, what the size of the ground is. We play at Adelaide next week, so a slightly skinnier ground. Whether we make a change...
"We played five midfielders tonight, sometimes we only play four. There's a bit of a mix to the team that's going to take a bit of nuance, and making sure we just pick the team.
"You look at the best teams, there's pretty good players not playing in most of those sides, and we'd like to think we're one of them."
The aforementioned Chol has been a shining light this year in the absence of both Dear and Lewis, due to their own injury concerns for large periods of 2025.
With a matchup to come against Adelaide on their home deck next week, Mitchell will weigh up if Chol will be the right fit for the Crows, or keep the contingent of tall targets that got the job done on Thursday.
"I wouldn't say that we know (what our best mix is)," Mitchell said.
"They're all potent forwards, and on their day they can be fantastic for us. The challenge is picking the team that beats the side we're playing. There'll be a little bit of that.
"I thought Finn Maginness' role last week on (Zak) Butters was absolutely vital, and was really important to winning that game. So that was a specific matchup.
"So whether 'Mabs' is a good matchup for a certain defender, 'Gunners' had a good tussle with (Jacob) Weiteting tonight. There's a bit of a mix to the team we're going to continue to play with."
The Hawks' "destiny is in our hands", with games to come against Collingwood, Melbourne and Brisbane following next week's trip to South Australia.
It's a position Mitchell is looking to thrive from, with the Hawks coach noting there are doubters over his club's prospects for the final few weeks of the season.
"We play the sides in front of us, so our destiny is in our hands," he said.
"We go into Round 21 fourth on the ladder and play the teams in front of us. You guys (the media) don't think we're going to make the finals, and time will tell.
"But we're certainly looking up, making sure we can get the job done against Adelaide next week, then that well and truly puts the ball in our court.
That's what every team wants. You get to this time of the year and you don't want to be relying on other games. You want to have it in your own hands, and that's what we have. So it's a good spot to be."
The Hawks have an eight-day turnaround into their affair with Adelaide next Friday night, with the Crows set to have a six-day break as they prepare for a Showdown this Saturday against Port Adelaide.
