HAWTHORN will rely on a threadbare midfield as it attempts to beat St Kilda with star midfielder Jaeger O'Meara ruled out of the clash at Marvel Stadium on Sunday afternoon, while Saints skipper Jarryn Geary will also miss in a very late change made 20 minutes before the bounce.
Stopper Daniel Howe has been brought into the line-up for his first game of 2019.
Geary has been sidelined by a virus, with Ben Paton to replace him.
O'Meara succumbed to a corked left hip after copping a knock in last week's impressive win over North Melbourne.
The 25-year-old was hurt in the second term but returned and put in a powerful performance to lead his side to victory.
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However, he was heavily restricted at training during the week, as first reported by AFL.com.au.
Hawks football manager Graham Wright was optimistic O'Meara would be available for the Easter Monday blockbuster against Geelong.
"We'd obviously love to have Jaeger fit and firing today, but unfortunately he just isn't 100 per cent," Wright told hawthornfc.com.au.
"It is only a minor issue and we're confident he'll be back next week, but we've opted to take a cautious approach, knowing that we have a very capable player in Howie ready to step in and play his role."
O'Meara is putting up career-best stats this season and his absence will give master coach Alastair Clarkson plenty to ponder, considering the Hawks will also be without Tom Mitchell (broken left leg), along with hamstrung pair Shaun Burgoyne and Liam Shiels.
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Meanwhile, Gold Coast and Carlton will play Sunday's game at Metricon Stadium as selected with no late changes to either team.
Sunday, April 14
St Kilda v Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium, 3.20pm AEST
LATE CHANGES
St Kilda: Jarryn Geary (virus) replaced in selected side by Ben Paton
Hawthorn: Jaeger O'Meara (corked hip) replaced in selected side by Daniel Howe
FINAL INTERCHANGES
St Kilda: Blake Acres, Hunter Clark, Dean Kent, Ben Paton
Hawthorn: Harry Morrison, Conor Nash, Daniel Howe, Jack Scrimshaw
Gold Coast v Carlton at Metricon Stadium, 2.20pm AEST
NO LATE CHANGES
FINAL INTERCHANGES
Gold Coast: Anthony Miles, Brayden Fiorini, Jordan Murdoch, Jack Lukosius
Carlton: Lochie O'Brien, Mitch McGovern, Nic Newman, Michael Gibbons
