The case for Karl Amon
With salary the only real cost consideration, Daniel Prins is backing the movement linking Amon to a 2023 free-agency move to Bunjil Bagora.
Subscribe to Hawks Insiders for all the news through Hawthorn-tinted glasses and more exclusive content.
Trade and free agency talk seems to start earlier every year, and it would be fair to say there are rumours swirling at the moment.
Luke Jackson, does he stay at the Demons in the hope of the next big dynasty, or does he return home and help Fremantle reach the promised land?
Will Dan McStay at the Lions, or will Dan McLeave and be overpaid by the Magpies?
The name of interest to Hawthorn and their supporters is Port Adelaide speedster Karl Amon, and it isn’t the first time. The Hawks were linked to Amon during the Trade Period in 2018 but nothing eventuated.
Amon went on to have solid, if unspectacular seasons in 2019 and 2020, but broke out in 2021, averaging 23.6 disposals at 73% effectiveness, 4 tackles and just short of 500m gained per game in 24 outings. This resulted in Amon being named in the All-Australian Squad of 40, before ultimately missing out in the final squad.
Amon has backed up his form this season, with his 2022 stats almost mirroring that of last year. This proves that his development was not just a once-off and that the quality of output is something that should be expected of Amon going forward.
But the Hawks are in the middle of a rebuild, why would they and should they be chasing Amon? The reality is that Sam Mitchell doesn’t want a full knockdown/rebuild, he wants to retool quickly and start challenging as soon as possible. That strategy is probably another discussion for another day.
If that’s the road Mitchell and Mark McKenzie are headed down, then Amon makes perfect sense. Free Agency allows the Hawks to target players that will fill some of the many holes on their list, without needing to give up their all-important draft capital, because make no mistake about it, the Hawks need to hit the draft in the next two years, and they need to hit it hard.
Predominately a wingman/outside midfielder, Amon brings a tool kit of skills that the Hawks have missed since the departure of Brad Hill and Isaac Smith. He has a fantastic running capacity, so will fit in well alongside Maginness, Moore, Ward, Long and co.
He loves to push forward and either hit up leading forwards through quality delivery or take on the responsibility of having shots on goal himself. He will need to work on his accuracy in front of goal though, with it currently sitting at 23.5% for the season.
His desire to use his endurance to be involved in multiple stages of a single possession chain means that he is above average to elite in his per game score involvements, sitting at 5.3 per season. These are areas of need at Hawthorn currently and securing the signature of Amon would go some way to addressing some of the failings in how the Hawks execute Mitchell’s gameplan.
The potential arrival at Bunjil Bagora of Karl Amon would surely spell the end of Dan Howe’s time at the Hawks and may have an impact on the game time on offer for Connor Downie and/or Finn Maginness, but all good teams have competition for spots and if a quality player like Amon is available for ‘free’, the Hawks should absolutely be chasing him.
There is talk in the media of any deal for Amon costing between $550,000 to $650,000 per season over 4-5 years. This is a big contract, but Hawthorn is at a stage with their list where they’re scratching around at who they can pay to reach the required salary cap minimum.
Bringing in Amon would help solve that problem and if the Hawks list Management structure any potential deal to be front ended, the Hawks would maintain the flexibility they will need in 3-5 years when they will be challenging for finals/premierships and hoping to retain their players and chase top ups from other sides.
All in all, Amon to the Hawks probably should have happened at the end of the 2018 season, but it seems like the reunion that was always destined to be, will finally happen four years later.
If Amon does make his way to Hawthorn as a free agent, all parties can walk away feeling like they have had a win. Hawthorn will get a player that fills a hole in their list, Port Adelaide will get a likely end of first round compensation pick and Amon will get the contract his form over the past two years deserves.
Amon certainly wouldn't solve our problems, but he would strengthen our list. The fact that we could land him as a FA, without giving up draft picks makes it more attractive.
The other player I feel this will effect is Phillips. If Amon does land at Hawthorn, unsure if we would see a team with both Phillips and Amon in the starting 22. Amon trumps Phillips, particularly in quality of disposal.