Your (slightly more subdued) Brown and Gold Draft Preview
Things look very different for the Hawks, as they head in to what will likely be their least eventful draft in a number of years.
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Hawks fans have been like kids in a lolly shop in the lead up to draft time over the past few years. Lower ladder positions in 2020 (15th), 2021 (14th), 2022 (13th) and 2023 (16th) meant the Hawks went into each draft with top end picks and plenty of hope. They came out with a bevy of young talent who are already established players or headed in that direction at a rate of knots.
Nick Watson and Calsher Dear last year, Cam Mackenzie and Josh Weddle the year previous - the Hawks have proven that their eye for talent coupled with their elite player development system can get youngsters ready for the bright lights of the MCG quicker than should be reasonably expected for teenagers entering the AFL system.
This year the draft feels slightly different, with Hawthorn having finished the home and away season in seventh position, and doing plenty of heavy lifting in the Trade Period, Mark McKenzie and his recruiting team head to the war room armed only with picks 33, 70 and 75.
What we do know is that the Hawks can identify talent anywhere in the draft, and that will be the aim. Only a couple of bites at the cherry, so let’s make them count.
Hawks enter the draft
It is likely that the Hawks won’t be active participants on the first night of the draft.
By my recent review Richmond own three quarters of the available draft picks on night one, so expect former Hawthorn assistant and now Tigers coach Adem Yze to get his steps up when walking to the podium to present multiple Tiger cubs with their first jersey.
The Hawks are known to be actively looking to trade up from their current starting position at pick 33 so who knows, maybe an emergency Wednesday night Safe Space is on the cards?
For now, let’s assume nothing happens and the Hawks are on the clock for pick 33 early on the second night.
There are a few interesting options for them to consider, in what is thought of as a very deep and talented draft.
Christian Moraes
DOB: 08/11/2006
Height: 183cm
Midfielder
Gippsland Power/Vic Metro
Strengths: endurance, accumulation, versatility, scoreboard impact
Weaknesses: kicking technique, strength
A name that has been linked to Hawthorn, in more ways than one, for a while now is Christian Moraes. A member of the Hawks Next Generation Academy for a number of years, the hard-running midfielder didn’t qualify to be taken as an NGA pick because the nationality of his father - who as a Brazilian, doesn’t meet the NGA criteria.
Moraes will go somewhere around where the Hawks will pick, and if he’s available when McKenzie is on the clock, his name will be heavily considered.
The Eastern Ranges prospect had a solid year this year, but it was his underage season that really got tongues wagging and was previously flagged as a possible top ten pick.
The Hawks know him well, with Moraes having debuted for Box Hill this season, and he would be a welcome addition to the stable of young, hard running midfield options.
Thomas Sims
DOB: 12/05/2006
Height: 199cm
Key forward/Ruck
Northern Knights/Vic Metro
Strengths: Physicality, athleticism, marking
Weaknesses: Consistency, kicking for goal
The Hawks could look to add another potential long term partner for Calsher Dear to the list this draft and if they do, the best available option might just be the intimidating physical presence that is Thomas Sims.
Sims has some of the key attributes recruiters look for in a key forward, he moves well for someone who is 2m tall, his hands are very strong, and he enjoys asserting himself on the contest. Add in his ability to roll into the ruck and you have a versatile and potentially very effective second key forward.
We don’t mind Northern Knights forwards with a bit of agro, do we?
Kayle Gerreyn
DOB: 10/05/2006
Height: 199cm
Key forward/Ruck
West Perth/Western Australia
Strengths: Agility, contested marking, physicality, kicking penetration
Weaknesses: Decision making, endurance
Gerreyn is another draftee that already has links to the Hawks, with his father Chris a Hawthorn-listed player in the 1990’s, albeit one who failed to play a game in his time at the club.
The younger Gerreyn plays with real presence, both up forward and in the ruck. His mix of size, speed and physicality make him a unique and interesting prospect, although the Hawks will need to work on building his tank and his ability to choose the right option.
Hamish Davis
DOB: 2/05/2006
Height: 190cm
Midfielder/Medium forward
Claremont/Western Australia
Strengths: Endurance, football IQ, positional size and versatility
Weaknesses: Explosion, kicking action
Davis is a name that seems to be rising up in draft calculations, with his player comparison being a Will Hayward type mid-forward being in high demand. A massive endurance runner, Davis has positional size and versatility that recruiters and coaches love, and with Sam Mitchell’s desire to have players who can play multiple roles, keep an eye out for Davis when the Hawks are on the clock.
Jack Ough
DOB: 15/12/2006
Height: 194cm
Midfielder
Greater Western Victoria Rebels/Vic Country
Strengths: Consistency, disposal, cleanliness positional size and versatility
Weaknesses: Explosive speed, hurt factor
A versatile and effective player, Ough has impressed in the numerous roles he has been asked to play over the course of the season. His ability to operate on the inside or the outside make him an appealing midfield option, as does his size, at 194cm.
Another consideration for Ough is that he is still a month away from turning 18, making him one of the younger prospects in the draft. Ough has enough tricks to get into space when in close quarters, but working on his explosion could see him take his game to another level.
Decision time
With the Hawks first pick coming in the second round, the question of who should Hawthorn draft is not a particularly easy one. The above options are all appealing for a number of reasons, but if available, I would hope the Hawks don’t look any further than young gun Christian Moraes. His ability to hit the scoreboard through gut running and long kicking is exactly the type of midfield option Hawthorn’s list needs, and his familiarity with the program should ensure a smooth transition into football for him, should the Hawks pounce.
The NGA connections
There aren’t as many family and NGA connections in 2024 as there were last year, where the Hawks matched bids on F/S prospects Dear and Will McCabe. This year there is an impressive young Next Gen talent, who eagle eyed fans will have already seen at Hawthorn training and making his presence felt at Box Hill City Oval throughout the year.
Cody Anderson
DOB: 30/01/2006
Height: 183cm
Midfielder
Eastern Ranges/Vic Metro
Strengths: Competitiveness, defensive side, contested football, tackling
Weaknesses: Outside game, kicking skills
‘The Beast from the East’ tells you almost everything you need to know about Anderson. He is hard at it, never takes a backwards step, loves it when things get rough and thoroughly enjoys a tackle. His body is AFL ready but the inside bull will need to work on his decision making and execution when he uses the ball by foot.
Anderson has been working with the Hawks over a number of years, but that has ramped up in his draft year, having attended multiple training sessions with the main group out at Bunjil Bagora over the course of the season. Anderson impressed on debut for Box Hill, collecting 16 disposals, three marks, two tackles and two goals in his only VFL hit out.
There are no sure fire bets in the draft (outside of Brisbane matching any bid on Levi Ashcroft) but the Hawks are in prime position to match a bid on Anderson in the later part of the draft.
What else will the Hawks do?
The Hawks are set to take three live picks in the draft, with the last two picks being very late. Indications are that the Hawks will only use two picks, but for this exercise, we will assume the Hawks make the decision to use all three. The options late are interesting.
There was an earlier article linking the Hawks to St Kilda NGA prospect Lennox Hoffman. The tall defender is linked to the Saints through his Swiss heritage (tell me how that’s different to Brazilian heritage) and took over from potential first round pick Luke Trainor in defence when Trainor moved forward during the Coates League season. Hoffman is a typical Hawthorn defender, early-190cms, quick and mobile, he reads the play well and likes to take intercept marks and carry the ball off half back.
South Australian Charlie Nicholls is another intriguing tall option, with the Central Districts key forward of interest to clubs who are impressed with his combination of height (197cm) and speed. Nicholls is a great field kick, which has yet to transfer over to his kicking for goal, but with the skillset he has, he would be a worthwhile long term investment.
What else should we know?
Hawthorn has already added two young players to the Category B rookie list with ruckman Jaime Urh-Henry and small defender/midfielder Matt Hill signing on in recent times. Much like Anderson, Urh-Henry is very familiar with his new home, having spent time building his fitness at Hawthorn over the back half of 2024.
Meanwhile, Hill (cousin of Brad, Stephen and Bobby Hill) moves from one elite environment to another, code-hopping from Melbourne Storm to the Hawks to rekindle his childhood dream of playing top level Australian Rules Football.
Factor in Josh Battle and Tom Barrass and the player recruitment team have been creative in adding talent to an already talented playing list.
Final thoughts
The Hawks will likely be in and out of this draft in a flash, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t trying to have a bigger presence. They have actively shopped their future first round pick (tied to Carlton) to get higher up in this talent-laden draft, and when the pressure of the countdown clock hits, McKenzie might just get a bite. If clubs are circling and the price is right, is also a chance the Hawks use their first pick in this draft and trade down, accumulating another asset in the process.
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