Hawks missing six premiership players

Hawthorn will be without more than a quarter of their premiership side for Friday
night's AFL grand final rematch against Geelong.

There has also been speculation about the fitness of Stephen Gilham (knee) and Grant
Birchall (hamstring), who were named in the Hawks' side for the MCG blockbuster.
Out of the premiership 22 are Shane Crawford, who has retired, along with Trent
Croad (foot), Xavier Ellis (hip), Jordan Lewis (shoulder), Rick Ladson (knee) and
Robert Campbell (leg).
Ryan Schoenmakers, the Hawks' top pick in last November's draft, Matthew Suckling
and Brendan Whitecross will make their senior debuts.
Travis Tuck, Simon Taylor and Tom Murphy are the other players outside the
premiership 22 who will play this time.
Off-season surgeries and other injuries meant Brent Renouf was the only premiership
player available for the Hawks' pre-season game against Adelaide.
"We've managed to consolidate over the last two to three weeks," said Hawks football
manager Mark Evans.
"Within the next couple of weeks, we expect several more players will be back."
But the Hawks are yet to know when Croad and Ladson will be back.
The Cats will be without captain Tom Harley (knee) and fellow defender Josh Hunt,
who is out for the season with a knee reconstruction.
They have left out young key forward Tom Hawkins, naming him as an emergency, and
brought in David Wojcinski and Ryan Gamble.
Cameron Mooney will return to the side after playing no pre-season games and how the
Cats use Mooney, Hawkins, Gamble and Tom Lonergan in attack will be one of the
talking points of their season.
As coach Mark Thompson indicated this week, the Cats will play no first gamers
against the Hawks.
St Kilda will be without key midfielder Lenny Hayes for Saturday night's match
against Sydney at Telstra Dome.
Hayes is out with a hamstring injury, while former Western Bulldogs utility Farren
Ray and ex-Hawthorn defender Zac Dawson will make their debuts for the Saints.
St Kilda recruited Dawson as a rookie and his opportunity has come following the leg
injury to fullback Max Hudghton.
Former Collingwood midfielder Rhyce Shaw will make his Sydney debut.
A hamstring injury also forced Collingwood to leave out Heath Shaw for their match
against Adelaide this Saturday at the MCG.
But Harry O'Brien is back from his compassionate leave and ruckman Josh Fraser is
also in the side.
The Crows have named Myke Cook, Jared Petrenko and Taylor Walker for their AFL
debuts, but midfielder Scott Thompson is out because of a hamstring injury.
Brisbane's first-round draft pick Daniel Rich will make his senior debut against
West Coast on Saturday night at the Gabba.
Top Lions midfielder Simon Black is also in the side after an injury-plagued
pre-season.