2023 Trade Speculation: It's getting hot in here
A blog of the latest trade speculation in the media
This is where we will keep you updated with all the latest reports linking Hawthorn to trades. Keep checking back to get news and reaction when the Hawks are in the news and be sure to tell us what you think? Yes or no?
Kosi out - Chol in?
Josh Gabelich / AFL.com.au - 21 September
Hawthorn defender turned forward Jacob Koschitzke has requested a trade to Richmond.
Gabelich has reported that it is understood the 23-year-old key position player had been offered a new contract to remain at the club, but has decided that the best direction for his career is to move to a Richmond team that is currently under reconstruction.
Further to this, Hawthorn have emerged as contenders for the services of former Richmond and current Gold Coast key forward Mabior Chol.
Chol, who kicked 44 goals to lead the Suns in 2022, has found himself down the pecking order in 2023 and with Gold Coast poised to bring in ready made key forward Jed Walter, Chol will be pushed further down the depth chart if he were to remain at the Suns.
HI Says: Do it. A move to Richmond would be a great one for Koschitzke, his career had stagnated in the past two seasons and a fresh start would do him the world of good. Bringing in Chol, provided the cost isn’t too heavy, would be a nice upgrade on Kosi and Chol could be a great stop gap solution and a handy partner for Mitch Lewis.
Race for McKay is down to two
Cal Twomey / Gettable (AFL.com.au) - 20 September
The race for North Melbourne key defender is down to two clubs, with Sydney bowing out of the race for the in demand free agent. Hawthorn and Essendon are the clubs still in the running for McKay’s services, and both clubs are very keen to land the tall backman.
Further sources have indicated that the Hawks are seen as the front runner, in the race for McKay.
HI Says: YES. McKay is easily the biggest free agent on the open market, and with both offers likely to trigger band one compensation for North Melbourne, it makes sense for the Hawks to benefit from the player that would push them further down the draft order. McKay fills a need on the Hawthorn list, which is a nice bonus.
Hawthorn emerge as a contender for Western Bulldogs superstar Bailey Smith
Mitch Cleary / 7 News - 28 August
Well what an absolute bombshell - or so you think. Here’s some proof that one particular Insider has been on the Bailey Smith bandwagon prior to the 2023 season commencing.
A Hawthorn supporter as a kid, Smith has always been in the back of the mind as being a hopeful returnee to the club he barracked for - though it has always been considered wishful thinking.
But now that it has become a reality, the thought of having Bazalenko in the brown and gold is indeed a tasty prospect.
Does he want to leave the Kennel? Can a deal get done? And what will it cost? A fair bit to play out in this one.
HI Says: YES. He would be a monster addition to the club, fits the age profile and will give us the extra pace and x-factor our midfield is looking for. But at what cost? Pick 3? First round pick next year? We think one of these picks should do it, and would be open to giving one of them up - preferably next year’s. But will that be enough?
Hawks make a play for dashing Docker
Cal Twomey - 28 August
News started circulating on Monday night that we are well and truly into Fremantle excitement machine Liam Henry, who has been tipped throughout the year as being likely to leave the club in the off season.
A former number nine pick, Henry started the season in the forward line before being unleashed on a win in the later part with great effect.
He also had a huge opening term and good day as a whole against us int he final round of the 2023 season.
HI Says: Buy, Buy, Buy!! Elite talent, good age profile, would be wonderfully well suited to running all day on a wing at the MCG. Biggest question is what will he cost, and can we use the likes of Tyler Brockman (assuming he wants to return home) as a part of any deal.
Fourth club joins race for Roo
AFL Website - 25 August - Callum Twomey, Riley Beveridge, Josh Gabelich
The big gun AFL news reporters dropped a bombshell via their Inside Trading column, stating that we have entered the race for North big name free-agent, Ben McKay.
He’s going to cost a lot in terms of coin, but could he be the answer to our defensive problems?
No doubt he could be the guy together with James Blanck lining up on the opposition big gorillas for years to come, and turning 26 in December is in the perfect age bracket.
HI SAYS: Why the hell not? Sure he will probably be getting paid more than he is worth, and yes it will push our pick three to pick four. But that’s going to happen anyway so we may as well be the team filling one of our premiership list holes by nabbing him. Biggest knock would be his injuries and how often he gets on the park, but we say if the shoe fits…
Multiple Clubs Circling Geelong’s Esava Ratugolea
SEN 20 July
According to SEN and a host of other networks, there are multiple clubs looking to bring in Cat big man Esava Ratugolea as one of the few available defensive keys this summer.
In the article, it states:
“Hawthorn is said to be another very interested party and are said to be eager to bring Ratugolea in to ease the burden on skipper James Sicily.”
It is clear that we need a key defender to assist James Blanck and James Sicily in defence, but do you think Esava is the answer?
HI SAYS: Hard Pass. Not too sure that beneath the hype surrounding big man of Fijian descent, there is enough substance to push this one through. And though Port seems to be in the box seat anyway, his deficiencies and inconsistencies as a defender make him a no.
How is Chol a 'great stop gap and handy partner for Lewis'? He's barely played any senior footy this season in a Gold Coast side that finished 15th on the ladder and Gold Coast will be the second club to have formed the view that Mabior is not up to playing good consistent senior footy. I would far prefer Kosi, who while he has his own issues, plays with far more intent than Chol ever has and has shown some capacity to play better when Mitch Lewis is there. And we'd have to trade for Chol, which cancels out whatever we'd get for Kosi.
As for Ben McKay, looking at the defensive performance of the leading defenders in the game (as recently posted by HI), Blanck sits right alongside Ben McKay. He’s also pretty much on par with much higher rated players such as Ratugolea, Alex Pearce and Jack Payne. The point is, as HI then noted, that McKay doesn’t really improve on our main lockdown defender. Why wouldn’t we stick with Blanck? He’s only done the one pre-season, our fitness guy, Peter Burge, loves his athletic profile and I may be wrong, but in a struggling team, I don’t think he got touched up by an opponent once this year. He’ll never be Darcy Moore, but in a year or two, he could be that guy that you just have confidence in locking down on the opposition’s key forward. And he’s young and cheap. Throwing big money and a long-term contract at Ben McKay smacks of desperation, is also perhaps misreading just how close to contending we are and is a real recipe for buyer’s regret. I'd rather back in Blanck and give Jeka an opportunity.
Thankfully Liam Henry selected the Saints. One of the most outside players the game's ever seen and not a good kick, despite most of his possessions being uncontested. We need to be very careful that some improvement in the back half of the 2023 season sees us shift our focus to more experienced players - we aren't yet ready for that.
With Chad injured and Brockman returning to Perth, we have a glaring small forward hole, especially given that this will be Punky's last season you'd think.
Kosi is a required player about to enter his prime as a key position player. One who we gave much opportunity to and spent plenty of resources on developing to the detriment of others. Make Richmond cough up!