Hopes for a new year

We asked our Insiders what their three Pre-Season New Year wishes are as we get set to head up season 2024 preparations

Subscribe to Hawks Insiders for all the news through Hawthorn-tinted glasses and more exclusive content.

Well - it’s 2024.

Happy New Year to all of you - we hope that the holiday period continues to be a happy and healthy one for you all and your families. And that whatever you wished for as the calendar rolled over comes true.

Speaking of wishes in 2024 - things are about to ramp up again on the training track.

The players are coming to the end of a mandatory three-week break, which has meant we could all take our fandom offline and recharge the batteries.

But as the players come back to the club and training ramps up ahead of round one, the scrutiny on our players, coaches, systems and development will intensify.

So we asked our Insiders to list what their three pre-season wishes are, as we count down in anticipation to a certain Saturday night agains the Bombers.

ASHLEY BROWNE

1. No injuries. Seasons aren’t won or lost through January or February but they can be seriously derailed. Hawthorn enjoyed the rub of the green on the injury front last year and will be hoping for more of the same this year.

2. The forward line clicks. It is the biggest unknown heading into the season. The midfield seems set and the backline has depth and plenty of size and match-up options. But the forward line has a bunch of new (and returning) parts as well as its third line coach (Adrian Hickmott) in as many years. How quickly it comes together with Mitch Lewis, Mabior Chol and Jack Gunston back in full training will likely determine whether the Hawks can spring a few upsets in the early part of the season.

3. The development of Josh Ward. Twelve months ago, the track watchers noted how Will Day was tearing things up after a summer spent training as an inside mid. This summer it is Ward who has impressed as he takes his place with the inside mids. We know he has the tools. What a weapon he will become if he can make the same progression as Day.

DANIEL PRINS

1. No major injuries, especially to key players. This one seems pretty obvious, but it was the second half of preseason that saw Mitch Lewis go down last year and the Hawks just cannot afford for the same thing to happen again. The same goes for the rest of Hawthorn’s prime movers including Will Day, James Sicily, Jai Newcombe and Dylan Moore.

   

2. Continued development of the next generation. We’ve seen the emergence of Day and Newcombe as top line footballers, not just at the club but within AFL circles, and it’s time the next group of players behind them take that step forward as well. Connor Macdonald, Josh Ward, Sam Butler, Cam Mackenzie, Josh Weddle and the newly added Jack Ginnivan and Nick Watson have the opportunity to push forward their respective cases as emerging AFL talents in 2024 and it will be done off the back of a great preseason. Before I move one, I will also  add Changkouth Jiath to this group as well. I’m still very bullish on his ceiling.

3. The wider AFL media to give Connor Macdonald the recognition he deserves. This one is simple. Give the kid his well earned flowers. The soon to be 21 year old has kicked 21 goals in his  41 matches across half forward in his first two seasons at the highest level. Macdonald collected an elite rated 17 disposals a game last season, yet most can’t find a spot for him in the Hawks best 23. Give me a spell.

BRAD KLIBANSKY

1. Blake Hardwick back in defence- “Dimma” has been training with the forwards this pre-season..sorry Mitch, but why? We drafted Nick Watson, traded for Jack Ginnivan, still have Luke Breust and have Dylan Moore and Connor Macdonald that will all be playing in the forward half in 2024. There’s also Sam Butler waiting in the wings. Hardwick is by far our best lockdown small defender. Other than Seamus Mitchell, he’s our only small lockdown defender. Play him in his best role. 

2. Josh Weddle on a wing- Weddle burst onto the scene in his debut season playing across half back. Weddle is a running machine and at his height will be a nightmare matchup for opposition players next season and beyond. With Karl Amon set for a move across half back, there is a wing spot up for grabs. I believe this would be a perfect position for Weddle.

   

3. DGB earns his spot- it’s now or never for DGB. After taking the highly rated defender with our first pick (6) in the 2020, DGB has failed to cement his spot in our best side. 2024 will be his fourth year in the AFL system and his time has come. There’s a spot down back for him. No more excuses.

SIMON MORAWETZ

1. Blake Hardwick to stay back. We actually have some decent small forward depth now, there is simply no reason to move the best scragger in the league from his post.

2. Lots of social media posts showing, in particular, CJ and Josh Ward in good nick.

   

3. Connor Macdonald to get some attention from outside the Hawthorn community.

ANDREW WEISS

1. Positive progress up forward. It’s been an issues for us for so long, and now Mitch Lewis has Mabior Chol, Jack Gunston, Luke Breust, Jack Ginnivan, Nick Watson and Connor Macdonald to play with. We have seen NOTHING in the first half of the pre-season of anything that even remotely looks like synergy with our forwards due to injuries and modified programs. Hopefully it can come together in the next 12 weeks.

   

2. Josh Ward continuing to rise. What can I say that hasn’t already been said above? Ward has had a monster pre-season so far and we were the first with the news that he will be playing as an inside-mid this season. Hopefully the momentum continues and he has a break-out 2024.

3. No injuries please. Can you imagine how bad we would be if James Sicily or Mitch Lewis did something that put them on ice for the year? It is nearly five years to the day of the Tom Mitchell nightmare broken leg and you just hate to see it happening (to anyone across the whole comp).

---

Follow Hawks Insiders on Twitter and Facebook.