HAWTHORN defender Campbell Brown could be a late withdrawal from the Hawks side to take on the Western Bulldogs in Friday night's qualifying final at the MCG, according to coach Alastair Clarkson.
Brown rolled his ankle during the first quarter of the Hawks' win over Carlton last week. He played out the game and finished with three goals but pulled up sore afterwards.
Clarkson said Brown would be given right up until game time to prove his fitness.
"We'll give him every minute that we can," Clarkson said
"He's such an important player to us. When you've got a guy like that who's so resilient and so courageous, I think the injury he's got it will be touch and go whether he'll play."
The 25-year-old failed to train with the rest of the squad at Waverley Park on Thursday but was given a testing workout by the club's medical staff behind closed doors.
"We've done some training inside today and we'll work out over the course of the next day how he responds to that," Clarkson said.
"He needs to be able to change direction and run at speed. We're confident if he's able to do that he'll be able to make a contribution for us."
"He's a pretty professional bloke in the way that he prepares so he'll be doing everything he possibly can to get himself right."
Meanwhile, former skipper Shane Crawford (knee tendonitis) and ruckman Simon Taylor (general soreness) will return this week after being rested against Carlton while classy small forward Mark Williams (corked buttock) trained freely and will also take his place in the side.
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HAWTHORN will give Campbell Brown until the last minute to prove his fitness for Friday night's qualifying final against the Western Bulldogs at the MCG.
Brown, who turned an ankle in the first 10 minutes of last Saturday night's match against Carlton at Telstra Dome, played out the match but pulled up sore afterwards.
Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson was confident that Brown would play but said the club won't take any chances if he's not quite right.
"He'll need every minute of the next three or four days to get himself right for this game but, given the resilience of Browny and the way he recovers and the professionalism with which he goes about it, I give him every chance to get up," said Clarkson.
"He didn't think it was too much of a concern, he's just had a bit of swelling since the game."
"That will subside over the next couple of days and it will depend on how much weight he can put through the ankle, but he plays pretty tough so I expect he's a pretty good chance to play."
Meanwhile, Clarskson said classy has recovered from a corked buttocks that forced him to sit out the majority of the final term against the Blues.
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HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson was pleased with his side's effort in the Hawks' convincing 78-point win over Carlton at Telstra Dome on Saturday night.
The match was a dead rubber but Clarkson said it was important for his side to enter the first week of the finals with some momentum.
"We were really pleased with our efforts for tonight. We've been pretty impressed with the way Carlton has gone about it for the bulk of this season, and we were ready for a tussle tonight," Clarkson said.
"It was a great opportunity for us to try and win a game of footy and get some momentum going into the finals so we were pleased to get the victory that we got."
"The guys were really determined to do well, and we think winning form is good form. That was a real focus for us."
Meanwhile, Carlton coach Brett Ratten said he was pleased with the Blues' 2008 season despite their poor finish to the year.
The Blues finished the season with 10 wins and achieved their goal of avoiding a bottom-four finish.
"We've been in the bottom four for such a long time. When you know you've gotten out of the bottom four you've won some games of football," Ratten said.
"Whether the ledger's seven, eight or 10 wins, you've got out of there and played some half decent footy throughout the year."
Ratten said the improvement in young players such as Shaun Grigg, Bryce Gibbs and Matthew Kreuzer were big positives with Kreuzer in particular earning praise from the Blues coach.
"I think for Matty Kreuzer to play a big man's role and to play like a big man, I think it's a real credit to him to show how competitive he is," Ratten said
But Ratten said there were few positives to draw from the Blues' final game and admitted that his side had a way to go before they were capable of playing finals.
"Our performance today, I think we really learned a lot from a team that really runs hard and they're playing finals."
"We'll have to match that next time."
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LANCE Franklin reached his ton and Brendan Fevola fell agonisingly short as Hawthorn tuned up for the finals with a 78-point demolition of Carlton at Telstra Dome on Saturday night.
The 24.15 (159) to 12.9 (81) win was overshadowed by Franklin's ton and the valiant attempt by Fevola to join him.
Hawthorn's multiple options up forward - they had 11 individual goalkickers for the match - proved to be the difference between the two sides.
The Hawks controlled the midfield with Luke Hodge and Jordan Lewis damaging with 30-plus possessions while Sam Mitchell was influential with 28 touches.
Franklin finished the match with four goals - his second at the 25-minute mark of the first term making him the 28th man to kick 100 goals in a season while Jarryd Roughead chimed in with five majors.
For Carlton, Chris Judd, Marc Murphy and Bryce Gibbs all collected 30-plus disposals but the Hawks' midfield was more damaging while Fevola kicked seven second-half goals to finish the season on 99.
The Hawks booted the first two before the Blues responded through Cameron Cloke and Judd.
But Carlton struggled to find an avenue to goal for the remainder of the term as Hawthorn took control, slamming on four unanswered goals.
Franklin's second interrupted play for precisely eight-and-a-half minutes as fans and teammates mobbed the star forward at the Coventry end before Cyril Rioli slotted one home to give Hawthorn a 25-point lead at quarter-time.
Hawthorn was never challenged from that moment on with the contest effectively over at the 22-minute mark of the third term when the margin blew out to 47 points.
Fevola came to life in the third term, booting four goals to take his season tally 96 but the Hawks managed six of their own to take a match-winning 55-point lead into the final change.
With the sting well and truly out of the contest in the final stanza, all the interest was focused on whether Fevola could reach the ton.
CARLTON: 2.3, 4.5, 8.6, 12.9 (81)
HAWTHORN: 6.4, 10.7, 16.13, 24.15 (159)
GOALS: Carlton: Fevola 7, Gibbs 2, Cloke, Judd, Russell
Hawthorn: Roughead 5, Franklin 4, Brown 3, Osborne 3, Williams 3, Bateman, Campbell, Hodge, Lewis, Rioli, Sewell
BEST: Carlton: Fevola, Judd, Gibbs, Thornton
Hawthorn: Hodge, Lewis, Bateman, Sewell, Roughead, Brown
INJURIES: Carlton: Nil
Hawthorn: Nil
REPORTS: -
CHANGES: Scotland (Carlton - hip) and Carrazzo (Carlton - knee) replaced in selected side by Austin and Pfeiffer; Stokes (Hawthorn) replaced in selected side by Ellis
UMPIRES: Kennedy, Stevic, McLaren
CROWD: 49,057 at Telstra Dome
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HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson is not concerned that star forward Lance Franklin failed to kick his 100th goal of the season against West Coast at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.
Franklin booted four goals to three-quarter-time but failed to get the last two majors needed to get him to the ton.
Clarkson said the milestone would not prove to be a distraction for his side when they play Carlton at Telstra Dome.
"It's not a big fuss for us," Clarkson said.
"It'll happen when it happens and it's more than likely going to happen next week now."
"We're just keen on making sure our ball movement and our patterns of play within the structure, the way we want to go about things (is good) and whoever gets on the end of the ball forward, they've got the responsibility of kicking the goals."
"From our point of view, we just play and when he gets the goals he gets the goals and if he happens to get on the end of them great, but we're more interested in Hawthorn kicking the goals than just one player."
"We know he generates a lot of shots on goal, he had another eight or nine shots on goal today and kicked four. One particular day he's going to have a day out, but hopefully our side has a day out as well when that happens."
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LANCE Franklin will have to wait another week to kick his 100th goal after managing just four majors in Hawthorn's 71-point win over West Coast at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.
Needing six goals to become the first player in ten years to kick the ton during the home-and-away season, Franklin had his chances but failed to capitalise in front of goal, booting a wasteful 4.5.
The Eagles stuck with the second-placed Hawks for the first half before Hawthorn's class came to the fore as they cruised to a convincing 19.19 (133) to 9.8 (62) victory.
Brent Guerra was damaging off half-back with 32 disposals, four inside 50s and nine rebound 50's. Rick Ladson, Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis and Brad Sewell were all influential in the middle, racking up 30-plus possessions while Campbell Brown booted four majors.
For West Coast, Michael Braun was a busy contributor in his final game with 23 touches, Steven Armstrong continued his recent good form with 24 touches and one goal while Ben McKinley chimed in with three majors.
The Eagles got the first goal of the match through Mark Seaby at the four-minute mark but the rest of the term belonged to the Hawks.
Hawthorn's superior use of the football proved to be the difference between the two sides as they slammed on the last four goals of the term with Franklin booting two to help his side to a 21-point lead at the first change.
The Hawks extended their lead out to 31 points in the second term but the Eagles refused to be blown away and hit back with three majors, including two to McKinley in the space of a minute to reduce the deficit to 21 points at half-time.
Hawthorn put the result beyond doubt in a dominant third term, booting nine goals to three to with Franklin's fourth major - a reverse-swinging set shot from the boundary giving the Hawks a match-winning 58-point lead heading into final change.
The sting was well and truly out of the contest in the final stanza with all interest focused on whether Franklin could reach the ton.
WEST COAST: 1.1, 4.3, 7.6, 9.8 (62)
HAWTHORN: 4.4, 7.6, 16.10, 19.19 (133)
GOALS: West Coast: McKinley 3, Davis 2, Seaby, Lynch, Hansen, Armstrong
Hawthorn: Franklin 4, Brown 4, Williams 3, Roughead 2, Young 2, Bateman, Birchall, Stokes, Sewell
BEST: West Coast: McKinley, Glass, Armstrong, Embley
Hawthorn: Guerra, Lewis, Franklin, Brown, Sewell, Birchall, Young
INJURIES: West Coast: TBC
Hawthorn: TBC
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: West Coast: Mark LeCras (groin/knee) replaced in selected side by Tony Notte. Hawthorn: Xavier Ellis replaced in selected side by Cameron Stokes
UMPIRES: Ryan, Wenn, Armstrong
CROWD: 37,040 at Subiaco Oval
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HAWTHORN vice-captain Luke Hodge will miss Sunday's clash against West Coast at Subiaco Oval after accepting a one-match ban for striking Richmond's Brett Deledio.
Hodge will need to be careful from this moment on as he has 71.38 demerit points hanging over his head should he re-offend against Carlton in round 22 or during the finals.
The 24-year-old is just one of a number of key Hawks with tribunal demerit points hanging over their heads at the business end of the season.
Others include skipper Sam Mitchell, star forward Lance Franklin, former captain Shane Crawford, midfielder Jordan Lewis, Grant Birchall and Michael Osborne.
In other tribunal news, Port Adelaide's Peter Burgoyne and Carlton's Simon Wiggins have accepted reprimands for rough conduct and charging respectively, while Port's Justin Westhoff and Collingwood's Nick Maxwell accepted a $900 fine for wrestling each other.
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HAWTHORN vice-captain Luke Hodge could miss two weeks for striking Richmond's Brett Deledio during the Hawks' 29-point loss to Richmond at the MCG on Sunday.
The panel ruled his clash with Deledio as reckless conduct, low impact and high contact, which equates to 125 points and a one match ban but due to his existing carry-over points he was given a two-match ban, which he can reduce to one with a guilty plea.
Hodge will have 71.38 carry-over points hanging around his neck come finals time if he accepts a one-match ban but if he challenges the charge at the tribunal and loses he will have just 28.5 carry-over points for any possible indiscretion during the finals
In other tribunal news, Port Adelaide's Peter Burgoyne and Carlton's Simon Wiggins can accept reprimands after being booked for rough conduct and charging respectively while the rough conduct charge against Richmond ruckman Troy Simmonds was thrown out with the panel ruling that Simmonds' action was not forceful.
Carlton spearhead Brendan Fevola was cleared over an incident involving Kangaroos defender Daniel Pratt. It was the view of the panel that Fevola's action was a pushing motion and not a strike, and that the impact was below that required to constitute a reportable offence.
Melbourne ruckman Mark Jamar was also cleared of any wrongdoing over an incident which knocked out West Coast defender Beau Wilkes. The panel believed that Jamar had no realistic alternative way to contest the ball.
Meanwhile, Port's Justin Westhoff and Collingwood's Nick Maxwell were fined $1,200 for wrestling each other.
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HAWTHORN skipper Sam Mitchell has dismissed suggestions of a rift between himself and vice-captain Luke Hodge after the pair were captured arguing during quarter-time of the Hawks' 29-point loss to Richmond at the MCG on Sunday.
Mitchell said it was not unusual for two players from the same side to have disagreements particularly when they are the club's two on-field leaders.
"It's very normal," he said.
"We are the two leaders - the captain and the vice-captain - and we want to get the best out of our side."
"We have healthy debates about the way things are going and what we can do better and what is working and we had different views about what was going on."
"We voiced it, got to the bottom of it and there are no issues."
"It was about whether or not we were supposed to be (playing) man on man or a zone in certain parts of the game (but) it was very minor," he said.
Mitchell racked up 28 possessions in the loss to the Tigers but said his disposal was the worst of his career.
"It's the worst I have used the footy in my career in 120 games," he said.
"I found it okay but I couldn't use it and I wish they (his teammates) could have given it to someone else better than me because I just kicked it poorly but I can't blame anyone but myself."
Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson blamed Mitchell's uncharacteristic skill errors on a soft and shifting playing surface but Mitchell said he had no problems with the conditions at the home of football.
"He (Clarkson) said the surface wasn't as good as it could have been and it wasn't but they (Richmond) were playing on the same surface," he said.
"It made no difference and the MCG is the best ground in the AFL and we love playing there."
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HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson has criticised the state of the playing surface at the MCG on Sunday.
Clarkson said the home of football was in the worst condition he has ever seen it.
"I reckon the MCG surface might need to get better because it's the worst I have seen it," Clarkson said.
"We are in round 20 and there was enormous talk about the Telstra Dome surface three or four years ago but Telstra Dome is miles better than the MCG at the present time."
Clarkson even blamed the slippery surface for the performance of skipper Sam Mitchell, who made several uncharacteristic skill errors in the Hawks' 29-point loss to Richmond.
"I don't know when they are going to re-surface it but it needs addressing," Clarkson said.
Melbourne Cricket Club chief executive Stephen Gough said the the MCG will be in far better condition for the upcoming AFL finals series.
"We will do our normal re-turfing going into the finals so you will see a significantly different MCG when we start the September action," he said.
"We usually look at what we need (in terms of new turf) going into the finals and then do it in that week leading up from the last (home and away) game to before the first week of the finals."
But Gough dismissed suggestions that the ground was in its worst condition ever.
"As we know it is winter, it is wet and a little bit soft so it is a bit different to normal," he said.
"But if you compare the ground to what it looked like in the 80's and even the 90's, it looked a hell of a lot different (then) to what we are playing on today."
"I think Telstra Dome is looking good but I don't compare them that way - the question is are we providing a good and safe workplace and yes we are."
"We have set such a high benchmark with the standard (of the playing surface) here and at Telstra Dome and one shouldn't."
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