The Gold Coast Suns will be hoping to continue their undefeated run in Darwin when they host Hawthorn on Thursday night.
The Suns (6-2, 135.7 per cent) have enjoyed a strong start to the 2025 season under Damien Hardwick and are well-poised to make a run at a maiden finals appearance.
Hawthorn (7-2, 128.7 per cent) have also started their season strongly, but tonight’s clash is the first of a tricky run of fixtures which will give us a true indication of their premiership credentials.
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The Suns have won their last seven matches at TIO Stadium, a venue that has become somewhat of a fortress for the expansion side.
In the last meeting between the two sides in Darwin, the Suns prevailed by 67 points. To combat that, Sam Mitchell’s side arrived in Darwin 72 hours before the game this week, an extra day ahead of most travelling sides.
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“We certainly learned an enormous amount from last time,” Mitchell said at a press conference this week.
“I didn’t think we handled the conditions, we didn’t handle the intensity around the ball and some on-field things we didn’t handle.
“We feel better prepared, but time will tell.”
There’s been plenty of changes for both teams – Hawthorn swinging five changes from the side that defeated Melbourne by 35 points last week.
Young key forward Calsher Dear will play his first AFL game of 2025 after overcoming a back injury, while Jack Scrimshaw, Cam Mackenzie and Tom Barrass return in a big boost for Mitchell’s side. Ruck Ned Reeves replaces a managed Lloyd Meek, in what is his just his fifth AFL match since the end of 2023.
Jarman Impey won’t play due to personal reasons, while veteran forward Jack Gunston has been managed. Luke Breust will miss up to a fortnight with a back problem and midfielder Henry Hustwaite has been dropped.
For the Suns, ruck Ned Moyle and veteran David Swallow have been named, with Jake Rogers (ankle) and Will Graham (shoulder) both out due to injury.
The Suns and Hawks will kick off Sir Doug Nicholls Round from 7:30pm AEST.
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