IT’S PAIN BEFORE GAIN FOR SAM’S REBUILDING HAWKS
SPOON LANDING?
WITH the competition’s youngest list, there is every chance Hawthorn could be in wooden-spoon contention. The Hawks have lost more than 1000 games of experience following the off-season departure of Tom Mitchell (Collingwood), Jaeger O’Meara (Fremantle), Jack Gunston (Brisbane) and the retired Ben McEvoy. Now in rebuild mode, the Hawks are stripping back for a reason, having realised finishing mid-table was not going to get them in contention again. While there is some promising young talent on the list, coach Sam Mitchell can’t expect to immediately replace that sort of experience, so there will be more short-term pain. At best, the Hawks are shaping as a bottom four team.
THE MIDDLE MEN
THE departure of Tom Mitchell and O’Meara will open up a new-look Hawthorn midfield. Jai Newcombe is the new main man, despite having played only 29 games. The 2021 midseason draft pick finished second in the Hawks’ best-and-fairest last season and should elevate his game again, going by pre-season form. The club will be hoping midfielder James Worpel, after a frustrating 2022 when he was sent back to the VFL followed by injury, can return to 2019 best-andfairest form. Having played 14 games in his debut season, 2021 No.7 draft pick Josh Ward is expected to take another step forward to establish his place as one of the Hawks’ leading midfielders.
FRONTLINE RUCKMAN?
AFTER the retirement of former captain Ben McEvoy, who the Hawks will look to as his ruck replacement will be one of the most intriguing selection stories this year. There are three leading candidates – 210cm Ned Reeves, recruit Lloyd Meek and Max Lynch. But three into one doesn’t go. Reeves, the league’s tallest man, appears to be the first choice after getting the starting nod in the ruck in pre-season matches after recovering from shoulder surgery. But Meek and Lynch will be pushing him.
CAPTAIN JAMES
JAMES Sicily, 28, takes over the captaincy at a time when he is in his prime. He has emerged as the Hawks’, and one of the league’s, leading defenders, having claimed his maiden Peter Crimmins Medal last season. But the biggest issue for Sicily has been keeping his emotions in check in the heat of battle.