Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge is a shock withdrawal from Saturday’s AFL preliminary final against Adelaide at the MCG.

He is out of the side because of illness and defender Tom Murphy will take his place for the twilight match.

Hodge’s absence will be a major blow for the Hawks, who are overwhelming favourites to beat the Crows.

He is one of Hawthorn’s most important players and can play a variety of roles around the ground.

Hodge is a proven finals performer and he won the Norm Smith Medal as best afield in Hawthorn’s upset 2008 grand final win over Geelong.

Murphy was originally dropped for the game as Hawthorn regained Jordan Lewis and Clinton Young from injury.

Forward Brendan Whitecross is the other player out of the side after he needed a season-ending knee reconstruction.

Lewis was also a late withdrawal from the side for their qualifying final win over Collingwood a fortnight ago.

The Crows are unchanged, meaning forward Jared Petrenko will play.

Petrenko hurt his shoulder in the final minute of last Friday night’s semi-final win over Fremantle.

Andy Otten was brought into the Adelaide side for young defender Sam Shaw, who suffered a hamstring injury against the Dockers.