The Hawks have had a flawless build-up to the 2014 AFL premiership season, winning all three of their NAB Challenge games by a combined total of 306 points – including a 131-point drubbing of the Brisbane Lions last month.
Despite losing Lance Franklin to Sydney during the off-season, the reigning AFL premiers are every bit as dangerous as they were in 2013.
It’s little wonder why they’re at short priced odds to go back-to-back, and unbackable favourites to defeat the Lions again when they meet this Saturday in their season opener.
But that won’t scare off their opponents from Brisbane, who will enter the match quietly confident of causing an upset.
Dayne Zorko and his teammates have seen first-hand how dominant Hawthorn can be, but won’t be shying away from their latest challenge.
“They've been extremely professional in the pre-season games with the way they have gone about their footy. They've been awesome,” Zorko told The Courier Mail.
“It is always a tough challenge to play Hawthorn, especially down there in Launceston where they have a great record.
“All we can do is have a great week on the training track so we can come out firing from the first bounce and take the game to them.”
