Preview: Hawks v Tigers

VENUE & TIME: MCG, 14.10 AEST, Sunday 15 July

HEAD TO HEAD: Wins: Hawthorn 62, Richmond 81

LAST TIME: Hawthorn 16.9 (105) bt Richmond 8.16 (64), round 12, 2006 at Aurora Stadium.

WALKING WOUNDED: The Hawks' injury list has grown in recent weeks. A list which, for the best part of this season, has included forward Mark Williams (knee) and Tim Clarke (Achilles) and which has also had Chance Bateman (corked leg), Tim Boyle (hamstring), Danny Jacobs (ankle) and Michael Osborne (internal bleeding) added to it in the past few rounds. While Jacobs and Bateman have fitness tests this week, Boyle, who has kicked 28 goals this year, and Osborne are unavailable. The Tigers have lost Brett Deledio for four to six weeks with a fractured hand. Andrew Krakouer faces a test on his injured ankle but Mark Coughlan (knee) and Dean Polo (shoulder) will have to wait until next year to play again.

FORM: The Hawks suffered their worst loss of the season last week in Adelaide but have otherwise been hard to fault. Other than Adelaide, of the other six sides in the eight, the Hawks have beaten all bar the Western Bulldogs this season. In contrast, the Tigers have just one win and a draw from the opening 14 rounds. Since being humiliated by Geelong in round six, the Tigers have not been disgraced. Unfortunately for them, they do not play Carlton again this year and may not win another game.

WHO'S HOT: Rick Ladson is enjoying his most consistent season of AFL football. Having played every game last season when he finished ninth in the Hawks' best and fairest, Ladson has averaged 20 touches in his 12 games this year, including a career-best 30 last week against the Crows. Matthew Richardson is in line for another top-three finish in the Richmond club championship. The star forward bagged four goals and took 12 marks in last week's loss to the Kangaroos. He now has 36 goals from 14 games and is in line to again break the 60-goal barrier this season. Not bad for a side that has won just once this season.

WE THINK: This is a crucial match for the third-placed Hawks, one of four teams locked on nine wins. A victory here keeps the Hawks in the race for a top-two finish which is particularly crucial should West Coast remain in the top four. It's also important to rebound from last week's crushing loss. Good teams don't lose two weeks in a row. However, there is not much danger of that happening this week for the Hawks. Outside of Richardson, the Tigers do not have any match-winners nor do they have the depth of an Adelaide to compensate that with. It won't be one-way traffic for the Hawks but they should still run out very comfortable winners. Hawks by 35 points.