Hawthorn’s Changkuoth Jiath in mix for AFL return against Western Bulldogs as Will Day ruled out
Hawthorn are considering three potential changes as they gear up for their AFL elimination final against the Western Bulldogs.
Defender Changkuoth Jiath is in the mix after returning from injury in the VFL last week.
While the likelihood is that the barnstorming Hawks will be unchanged on Friday night, coach Sam Mitchell said they will have plenty to ponder at Wednesday’s match committee.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“Maybe 20 players will be locked in ... there are probably still three that we’re considering, how to go,” he said before Wednesday morning’s training.
“A little bit of it might play to the weather, a little bit of it might be some matchups, a little bit of training.
“It was really important he (Jiath) played - he wouldn’t have played for over a month now if he hadn’t played in that game.
“He’s available for selection, so he’s one of the guys - we’re making a decision about what’s the best way to win this game. CJ has given himself a chance, which is fantastic.”
The Hawks have the motto “No Limits” for their first finals series since 2018, after starting the season with five straight losses.
But Hawthorn have a rich history of finals success.
Asked when they first started thinking about playing in the finals, Mitchell deadpanned “2022 I suppose” - when he took over as coach.
“We haven’t proven we can win a grand final ... but that’s the aim and it has been the aim since I started (as coach),” he said.
“We’ve been really clear about that, how quickly we could get there. No speed limit.
“We also have to bring it back to, it’s still a game of footy. It’s at the MCG.
“There will be a lot of peripheral things happening, but when the ball bounces, it’s still just a game.”
The Hawks confirmed earlier this week that Will Day is no chance as he recovers from a collarbone injury.
Should they beat the Bulldogs, Mitchell said they would also make a quick call on whether Day is available for their semi-final.
“Unsure - we’ll try to make a decision reasonably quickly though. We don’t need the cloak and dagger stuff, which we’ve avoided for this game,” he said.
“He certainly hasn’t been ruled out for anything after this week.”
