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THIS year’s NAB Challenge series is vital for Hawthorn as it prepares for a season that will have very little of spearhead Jarryd Roughead.
That’s the view of triple Hawks premiership defender Ben Stratton in the lead-up to Thursday’s clash with Carlton at Aurora Stadium.
Roughead will miss at least the first half of the season due to a posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, with the likes of Ryan Schoenmakers, Tim O’Brien and James Sicily floated to fill the substantial void.
‘‘We will trial a few things and try a few different dynamics down there,’’ Stratton told Fairfax Media.
‘‘We’re not going to look to try to replace Roughy, as you just can’t do that with a player of his calibre, but we will look for some young guys to step up, as well as the guys already down there.
‘‘It’s not good that Rough is out for an extended period of time, but it is handy that we have these three games to trial a few things.
‘‘But everyone is starting to get that feeling coming into the game, as we’ve just been running and been smashed on the track, and we’re all pretty excited.
‘‘You play competitive games at training, but it will be good to get out there against some good opposition to see where we’re at.’’
Tasmanian Brendon Bolton will be in charge of the Blues, coming up against his former employers.
Stratton believed Carlton, last year’s wooden spooners, would be a challenge for the reigning premiers in the opening game of the season.
‘‘It will be great to see how he is travelling and what he has got them doing and I reckon they will be more competitive under him,’’ Stratton said.
Stratton said he felt in good shape heading into the 2016 season, with the versatile defender hoping to push up the ground more this year.
As well as the North-West Coast’s Grant Birchall, Southern Tasmanians Kieron Lovell and Zac Webster could be in the Hawks’ line-up.
Bolton has North Hobart’s Liam Jones, Lauderdale’s Andrew Phillips and Launceston-born Levi Casboult at his disposal.