Sam Mitchell names the all-important factor for "inexperienced" Hawks outfit

As Hawthorn prepares for their elimination final with the in-form Bulldogs, questions remain surrounding how the youthful Hawks will look to shun one of the competition’s premier offences.

The Bulldogs enter the finals as the second highest scoring teams in the 2024 season, behind only the minor premiers in Sydney.

Although the Hawks are no strangers to a high scoring affair, limiting the Bulldogs’ front half may be the determining factor in Friday night’s elimination.

Hawks boss Sam Mitchell believes that the key is to win the territory battle in what may be a tightly contested scrap.

“I think that’s what every team wants to do, limit opposition inside fifties and try to keep the ball in your front half”, Mitchell told SEN’s Breakfast.

“I think our stats and the Bulldogs stats are reasonably similar where both teams are better at restricting inside fifties than they are at stopping scoring once it’s in there.

“So, I think the battle of the game will be a lot of territory, about who can get it into their front half often enough and hold it in their front half often enough.”

Diving into the numbers, Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs share eerily similar statistics regarding the inside 50 count, and how they deal with the ball once it enters the back 50.

The Hawks rank third in the AFL for the least inside 50’s conceded with just 47.7 per game, while the Bulldogs sit in first, with an even more impressive 46.7. Hawthorn’s opponents manage a scoring shot with 44% of their inside 50’s, while the Dogs sit fifth in the league with just 43%.

“I think you look at both teams’ offences and think that they are capable of scoring from the back half”, Mitchell continued.

“But finals are rarely won by teams relying on scoring from the back half so we know out front half game will be really important for us tonight.”

Numbers wise, Hawthorn have a slightly higher reliance on scores from the back half, while the Bulldogs rank second in the competition for scores commencing from the front half.

“Limiting their desire and ability to lock it into their front half on the other side of it, I think that will be a key stat tonight.”

Outside of the territory battle, Mitchell may have a challenge on his hands regarding the September inexperience throughout his current Hawthorn outfit.

Only 13 players on the Hawks’ list have a taste of finals action, the lowest of the eight by some margin. The Dogs on the other hand, have 24 listed players with finals experience, 20 of which have managed a finals win.

While the rawness of the Hawks may prove a factor under the lights this Friday, Mitchell is confident that his mob can match the September heat.

“I think this group has been inexperienced in a lot of things”, he stated.

“We’ve taken some steps in that area, but experience comes with the opportunity.

“Whether that was Dusty’s 300th or playing in big games against Carlton or Collingwood later in the year with over 80,000 (fans).

“We take credit from the way we were able to perform in those games and we get some confidence from those.

“We can’t expect to be as experienced as the Bulldogs, they have got a lot of players that have been here before and that’s what they have got in their kit bag.

“We have some other strengths that we’re going to try to bring out.”

The Hawks will be put to the test this Friday night, wrestling with a Bulldog outfit looking to put their finals exposure on display.