Tommy a gun if moved up field
GEELONG has reaped the benefits of Tom Hawkins’ lateseason transformation from stay at home target to roaming forward.
The 29-year-old has been a revelation after a tinkering in his traditional role, recording peak numbers since Round 19 when becoming an integral component of a new-look forward line.
For a full-forward who has struggled with set shots, Hawkins has always been a fine field kick, possessing rare vision for one normally focused on two white flags.
His new role needs travelling outside his usual home of inside the 50m line, one where Hawkins has kicked the bulk of his 435 goals in 208 games.
He is being targeted less inside 50m but winning more ball outside 50 where his ball use has been exceptional. Geelong has taken a mark from 56 per cent of his kicks inside 50m since Round 19, ranked No.1.
In the same period his field kick rating of 8.1 per cent is elite, a figure that takes into account pressure and the difficulty of the kick (8.1 per cent being his level above the AFL average).
Against GWS in Round 23, Hawkins travelled as the mobile and competitive Wylie Buzza became the deep option
with midfielder Sam Menegola at times playing a quasi centre half-forward and Daniel Menzel joining Hawkins on forays deep up the ground.
It left Geelong’s forward line open and dangerous, providing a rampant midfield with several options.
At times Hawkins wasn’t one of those options, his work up the field having resulted in the forward thrust.
Earlier in the year he had been stagnant by comparison, resulting in 16 goals in nine games between Rounds 5-15 and an average of just 11 possessions and six marks.
Hawkins missed Geelong’s Round 21 clash with Richmond when Alex Rance went to Harry Taylor.
The Cats are likely to play Taylor forward again (weather permitting) but Hawkins will expect Rance for company with David Astbury going to Taylor.
Richmond would say privately they are happy to get Rance away from the deep, but the new-look Hawkins proves how influential he can be.