Sicily backs Hawks’ Dimma switch
Hawthorn captain James Sicily would love to still be playing alongside his seasoned defensive partner Blake Hardwick, but says the Hawks’ added forward firepower – including Hardwick – will change their game style for the better this year.
Sicily said a lack of confidence in Hawthorn’s forward personnel last season had been affecting midfielders’ decision-making and was behind the recruiting of Mabior Chol, Jack Ginnivan, Nick Watson and a returning Jack Gunston over the off-season. The forward-half overhaul has also led to Hardwick returning to the attacking role he was originally drafted to play, but the move has come amid a raft of injuries to the remaining defensive stocks.
Key defenders James Blanck, Denver Grainger-Barras and Will McCabe are out with long-term injuries, while small defender Seamus Mitchell is yet to resume contact training as he recovers from a broken jaw.
Losing Blanck for the season to an ACL injury is set to shift a defensive burden back onto Sicily, but the captain said he backed a mix of veteran Sam Frost, Box Hill recruit Ethan Phillips and Jack
Scrimshaw to provide assistance in the air.
He said he would ideally have Hardwick alongside him to help organise the Hawks’ defence but backed others to fill the leadership void, including a fully fit Jarman Impey.
“I’ve been trying to campaign to get (Hardwick) back, but then he kicks two goals in a minute in the Doggies (preseason) game,” Sicily said.
“But Jars (Impey) is really good in that space as well, playing as a high defender, and he’s in our leadership group, he’s someone that plays a similar role to ‘Dimma’ (Hardwick), so he’s filled some of that void.
“It would be nice if we had two ‘Dimmas’ who can play at both ends, but those other guys can really fill the hole.”
Sicily said he felt the forward line had jelled nicely despite the sweeping personnel changes.
“I think they’ve done an amazing job over the pre-season … it’s felt completely different, that forward line,” Sicily said.