Interim Hawthorn coach Brendon Bolton is concerned more with who didn’t play for Gold Coast last time the teams met when his Hawks romped home by 99 points.

Bolton – a native of Tasmania – will take the reins for the fifth consecutive week this Saturday with Alastair Clarkson still recovering from the effects of Guillain-Barre Syndrome.

He was an assistant when Hawthorn stamped its dominance in the final quarter of the clubs’ round four match-up at Metricon Stadium, but it’s the presence of two players who didn’t suit up for the GC SUNS that night that have his focus.

Charlie Dixon and Harley Bennell were both absent from that clash, but underlined their importance to the SUNS in last week’s 40-point win over Geelong.

In that match, Bennell was the gamebreaker as he kicked six goals to go with 27 touches and 11 marks, while Dixon crashed packs in the forward 50 all night and finished with three vital majors.

The SUNS managed just one goal in the second half of the loss to the Hawks in April and will need those two firing to be in with a shot in Launceston on Saturday.

“They (the SUNS) are in really good form. It was a great win against Geelong,” Bolton said, speaking prior to his team’s departure for the Apple Isle.

“Dixon, we never faced last time; Bennell. So we know it is going to be a different outfit.”

Both teams are strong at stoppages but the SUNS will face few sides with the mix of skill, grunt and speed that the Hawks midfield possesses, even without skipper Sam Mitchell, who remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.

“Their contested numbers are as good as anyone in the competition and they can score from stoppages, so that is going to be a really good battle,” Bolton said.

“But we think we have a really good midfield, ourselves.”