The Wizard of Waverley Park has arrived 🧙

All the action from night one of the Draft

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The Hawks identified the need for some magic in their forward line and went about addressing it by drafting mercurial small forward Nick ‘The Wizard of Waverley Park’ Watson with Pick 5 in Monday night’s National Draft.

Here’s how it went down 👇

Mark McKenzie and his team sat patiently as West Coast shocked absolutely no one by drafting generational talent Harley Reid. North Melbourne initially decided not to bid on Gold Coast’s Academy prospect Jed Walter, instead drafting Tasmanian speedster Colby McKercher with Pick 2 before changing their mind and bidding on Walter with Pick 3.

Gold Coast quickly matched, allowing North Melbourne to take classy forward Zane Duursma with the pick before the Hawks were on the board.

All eyes were on the Hawthorn war room with the club on the clock, before Andrew Dillon delivered the message that many Hawks fans were so keen to hear.

“With Pick 5, Hawthorn has selected … Nick Watson”

The first official photo of Watson in HFC gear. (Photo: Hawks Insiders)

Presented with his jersey by Hawthorn champion and former AFL games record holder Michael Tuck, Watson seemed genuinely emotional to be drafted, even shedding a tear at one stage.

This isn’t too surprising considering 170cm small forwards generally don’t get selected with top 5 picks. But The Wizard is no ordinary small forward. He can do everything from sit on a defender’s head to snap goals from the boundary, often in the same game, sometimes in the same quarter.

Tucky and the Wizard. (Photo: Hawks Insiders)

Watson, an Eastern Ranges junior, heads back down the road to Mulgrave when he has already spent time over the course of the year.

He will join fellow newly recruited forwards Mabior Chol, Jack Ginnivan and Jack Gunston in a completely re-jigged forward line heading in to 2024. Watson’s flair and goalkicking prowess should bring Hawthorn fans through the turnstiles in their droves.

Listen below to Nick Watson’s first interview as a Hawk

Where there’s a Will…

While the dust was settling on the Watson pick, the Hawks tried unsuccessfully to bring in another high end pick in the early stages of the draft. After it became clear that nothing would eventuate, the Hawks waited patiently, ultimately matching Alastair Clarkson’s North Melbourne’s bid on gun father-son prospect Will McCabe with Pick 19.

You snooze your lose Clarko.

The additions of Watson and McCabe means the club has now accessed two Round 1 draft picks in back to back seasons, following on from the Mackenzie-Weddle one-two punch last year.

McCabe, son of current Director of Football Luke, stands at 197cm but is graceful and fluid in his movement for a player of his height. The ability to dominate aerially against his peers, and take the game on with his run and carry, McCabe is destined for some time at Box Hill, but as indicated by Hawks Insiders own Ashley Browne on the AFL Draft Safe Space, McCabe won’t be limited.

If the Hawks selection committee believe he is ready for AFL level football, he will play. Get excited Hawthorn fans.

Welcome home Will.

Dear moments to come

Attention now turns to night two of the draft, with Hawthorn’s eyes on second father-son prospect Calsher Dear. The 195cm key position draft bolter is the son of the late, premiership winner and Norm Smith Medalist, Paul Dear.

The Dear family prior to Paul’s passing

Dear has rocketed up draft boards in the final third of the Coates League season, with his impressive 13 disposal, 3 mark, 14 hitout and 2 goal game changed the course of the match for the Sandringham Dragons. He will be one to watch, with Hawthorn committing to selecting him with their last draft pick of the night (if a bid doesn’t come for him earlier).

As well as Dear, there is a slight chance that Tew Jiath (brother of CJ) makes it to pick 40, where Hawthorn can match a bid on the clean-using half-back flank and member of the Hawks NGA. If this happens, indications are that Hawthorn will pounce, further solidifying themselves as the family club.

TJ and CJ?

If that option doesn’t materialise, Will Lorenz is another name to keep an eye out for over the course of the second and third rounds. The grandson of Hawthorn champion Graham Arthur, does Lorenz follow in his grandfathers footsteps and join the masses of Hawthorn supporters to don the brown and gold?

Tune back in tomorrow for more draft coverage from the HI team.

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