Have the Hawks just made their first Mid-Season Draft move?

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Hawthorn has made its first chess move on the eve of the Mid-Season Draft, placing James Sicily on the long-term injury list 

Sis, who is continuing his rehab from an ACL rupture against West Coast in August last year, will not appear in the brown and gold in 2021. Placing him on the long-term injury list will open up a second list spot following the retirement of Jonathon Patton that the Hawks may or may not - but will probably - use.

Will Sis have more time for pizza and Twitch now he’s officially on the long term injury list? 🤔

The news was confirmed this afternoon on the club’s website by Head Of Football Rob McCartney.

“Sis will continue to work diligently on his rehab and be ready to return to full training when pre-season for 2022 comes around. This decision also opens up another spot on our list. With the mid-season rookie draft coming up on Wednesday, we now have the ability to make two selections if we see fit.”

That seems to contradict Clarko’s comments following the loss to the Gold Coast Suns on Saturday night. When asked whether Hawthorn would be taking just one player in the Mid-Season Draft, Clarko seemed to indicate there was only one list spot available. 

“At this stage, yeah - unless we get a long-termer out of tonight, which I don’t think was the case.”

What the media sees/What we see.

Why now?

The timing of Sicily’s long-term injury seems pretty strategic, especially following comments made by Sis himself to Triple M on May 22 before the Carlton game.

“Probably going to take the conservative approach. Be ready to go next year … Parking it until then at this stage. Haven’t said that but now you know.”

While McCartney says the Sicily decision will add “flexibility to assist in their decision making”, the timing of it seems to indicate Hawthorn will take two players - or maybe this is just the typical sort of mind games clubs play around draft time.

It’s Hawthorn and Clarko’s prerogative to keep their draft plans shtum, but that hasn’t stopped the media - notably Jon Ralph and Sam Landsberger - from questioning his press conference integrity.

Sam Landsberger 🗯 @SamLandsberger

Hawthorn moves James Sicily to the LTI, as expected, opening up a second list spot for tomorrow’s rookie draft as Clarko’s nose grows slightly longer 🤥 https://t.co/KAo0CwN8so

Sam Landsberger 🗯 @SamLandsberger

Alastair Clarkson says Hawthorn only has room for one rookie in the mid-season draft. Not two. “Unless we get a long-termer out of tonight, which I don’t think is the case”. Box Hill onballer Jai Newcombe tipped to be their man, which suggests Ned Moyle might be Collingwood’s.

Jon Ralph @RalphyHeraldSun

The ridiculous thing is Clarko had already flagged shutting down Sicily at a presser a few weeks back. And Sicily had said he would be shut down. Why deny it when everyone knows they wanted multiple picks? https://t.co/Oz6st3tDu2

Sam Landsberger 🗯 @SamLandsberger

Hawthorn moves James Sicily to the LTI, as expected, opening up a second list spot for tomorrow’s rookie draft as Clarko’s nose grows slightly longer 🤥 https://t.co/KAo0CwN8so

We’ll be publishing our full Mid-Season Draft preview tomorrow, but Hawthorn are expected to select highly rated big man Ned Moyle with their second pick. Jai Newcombe - who has been starring in the midfield for Box Hill this year - should be snapped up with Hawthorn’s second pick (#17) given the reported four-year contract terms he’s stipulated.

That appears to be another bit of crafty gamesmanship by Hawthorn that has other clubs - most notably the totally squeaky clean and always above aboard Swans - fuming.

Don’t you just love to see it 👀

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