Frost ready to fill Hawthorn’s Blanck Space

In the light of James Blanck's season-ending knee injury, wily veteran Sam Frost says he is ready to step up in his absence

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The intra-club match on Thursday was originally written off as a minor disaster in light of the casualties that it claimed on the day.

It has been doom and gloom on social media in the aftermath of the hit-out which saw Dylan Moore sit out battling glandular fever, Changkuoth Jiath injure his hamstring which has resulted in a lengthy stint ahead on the sidelines, and full back James Blanck succumb to a season ending knee injury.

It is perhaps Blanck’s injury that will be felt the most - both from a structural point of view but also from a developmental standpoint where he misses out on 20+ games of experience and more game-time with a developing backline.

Word circulated on Saturday that Hawthorn will be signing Ethan Phillips to the playing list as a rookie ahead of the pre-season Supplemental Selection Period (SSP) deadline.

And while he is clearly a talent that we will look to grow and develop on our list, many are hopeful he can slot straight into a defensive role in our senior team.

At the Family Day held at Bunjil Bagora on Saturday both James Sicily and Sam Mitchell commented on the Blanck news, taking both individual and club perspectives:

Sam Mitchell:

“He wants to be involved, and he's still amazingly positive.

He'll have surgery - not for another couple of weeks, so he's in a difficult spot. He's going to be out for the season but he's a long-term player for us and he's committed to the club for another couple of years after this one already.

“So you know, he's going to be a long term player and we're looking forward to getting him back, and his captain has obviously been through it not that long ago so he's got someone to lean on.”

James Sicily:

"Obviously life's not fair sometimes, particularly in Blancky's case, where he put in an enormous amount of work in pre-season."

"To go down with 28 days to go until we play, it's a gut-wrenching feeling. I have enormous confidence in his ability to return to where he left off, because I went through the same thing with the same people who helped me out at the club.

"I don't know it yet, but there will be some silver lining out of him missing - it always creates an opportunity for someone else."

That someone else seems as likely to be Sam Frost more than any other player who will be on our list (including Phillips), and our number 8 is ready to take on the added responsibility.

Speaking exclusively to Hawks Insiders at the Family Day, Frost says he has had a very good pre-season and is in a good place at the moment.

“It’s going well, I’m feeling fit and I pulled up pretty well from the intra club and I’m going alright,” he said.

“I was probably managed a little bit early and as I've got more and more consistency with my body I’ve stepped up.

“I'm pretty much in full swing, I'm not really missing out on anything at the moment so I'm feeling really good - It's just been a careful build into full training.”

Training well - albeit in Adidas stripes 😉

Frost admitted that while the news was heartbreaking for Blanck, he is ready to step up and own a position as a key part of our defensive six in 2024.

“It's absolutely heartbreaking for Blancky - we were all looking forward to watching him have a good year, and he was he was set and ready to do that.

“But this is how the game goes - when one man goes down you have got to sort of step up and fill whatever role you need to.

“So hopefully - I have just got to stay fit and stay in form. And yeah, I'd love to have that role for the year if that's how it goes.”

Frost admitted that his game style has had to change in recent years and noted that with so many clean users and fast players in the backline, he can fulfil the role as a key defender playing on opposition gorillas.

“Spoils are a win and Blanckie had been doing so well,” he explained.  

“PUNCH. THE. BALL.”

“I think we've got enough good users and enough speed in Weddle and Impey and Karl Amon and there's no need for me to be tearing through the middle with ball in hand when I've got those guys around me.

“So get it to the good users - and I just want to play footy and enjoy it, so my role my role is a little different than it used to be.”

And that enjoyment extends to the fact that the club is such a wonderful place to be at the moment - with everyone seemingly buying into the exciting current journey together.

“The group is tight and the boys genuinely love each other, and having a group get together … they are so young and sort of go through all this together - it creates a really special bond.

“I've seen little bits of that at GWS - you end up creating something really special.”

It looks like Frostball, at least as we know it, will be put on ice for now - and here’s hoping the full-back we needed has been under our noses all along. One thing’s for sure - Sam Frost will give the role a red-hot crack.

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