Hawthorn heads to Adelaide this weekend with an opportunity to keep their top-four chances alive and to get a win against a fellow premiership contender in their Friday night blockbuster against the Crows.
Sitting in 5th position with a 13-6 record, and with a massive month of football ahead, the Hawks know they will need their best to get the win against an Adelaide side who are in tremendous form.
The Hawks are likely to bring back in tall forward Mabior Chol, who has missed the past fortnight with a groin issue.
Chol trained strongly on Wednesday, featuring in a contested marking drill and also the match simulation, showing that he is ready to return to the side where he has kicked 32 goals from 17 games.
The availability of Chol leaves coach Sam Mitchell and the coaching staff with the challenge of fitting in the tall alongside trip Jack Gunston, Calsher Dear and Mitchell Lewis, who performed well in the Hawks' Round 20 win against Carlton.
"Marbs will be available and the medical team have ticked him off, he feels fitter now, which we're pleased with," Mitchell said.
"We've got some decisions to make about how we pick the team. We've had a look at a lot of data and such. We play the three talls probably two-thirds of the time.
"It just means we have to make an assessment, whether that's the way we think we will kick the biggest score."
Lloyd Meek, who recently signed a four-year deal to stay at the Hawks, will need support to combat Riley O'Brien, and Mitchell is looking at ways they can compete in the ruck to give the midfield first look.
"We need a bit of a solution around the ruck because we've used Weds (Josh Weddle) a lot in that role, but he hasn't previously been there and then with Marbs as well.
"We used Nashy, but that probably blew him up a bit and didn't cover the ground as well as he normally does.
"We have a bit of a conundrum with the second ruck situation."
Midfielder Jai Newcombe trained solidly throughout the 90-minute session and showed no signs of a tight calf that saw him subbed out during last week's encounter.
Mitchell spoke about the decision being a positive one for Newcombe, who will help lead the Hawthorn midfield alongside Will Day against an exciting Adelaide line-up.
"Medically, we're very pleased," the Hawks coach added.
"So he freshened right up, and he did full training this week. He'll train fully today and certainly be ready to play with a bit of extra bounce."
The midfield battle will be a fascinating watch with both sides highly entertaining and destructive in attack on their day.
"It's going to be a great game and a great fixture," Mitchell said.
"Friday night over in Adelaide against the in-form team in the competition, and we feel like we're well placed.
"We're the one and two placed pressure teams in the competition. We're the one and two post clearance possession teams in the competition.
"It's a real opportunity to test ourselves out and certainly an eight-point game for us. We've got high aspirations for our season, and games like this is where it's all going to count."
The key to winning for the Hawks will be stopping the Adelaide trio of Darcy Fogarty, Taylor Walker and Riley Thilthorpe, who have dominated the competition this year.
"If you look at their tall forwards, they go to them a lot," Mitchell added.
"They're dominant aerial players, and Adelaide are the number one contestant marking team in the competition.
"Having TB (Tom Barrass), JB (Josh Battle) playing behind the ball, as well as Sicily and Scrimshaw as taller types who can compete in the air, has been really important for us.
"Making sure we can curtail their talls is going to be a significant part of the game.
"The aerial battle and the running game are both going to be vital, and making sure we have the personnel to combat them, but also set up our own game is going to be one of the real watchers of the game."
With games to come against the Magpies and Lions in the remaining clashes, the Hawks will be looking to secure the four points and prove their premiership credentials for season 2025.
The Hawks fly out to Adelaide tomorrow morning before their Captain's Run, with the selected side to be announced on Thursday evening.
