Player Watch Welcome to Hawthorn : Jai “Duke” Newcombe - 2022 AFLCA Best Young Player, extends to 2026!

[Strapping Young Lad]

 

[HolyRioli]

I've sad before that Jai reminds me quite a bit of Brad Sewell

Brad Sewell

Age

40

Ht

181cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.1

5star

K

9.6

4star

HB

11.5

5star

M

3.7

4star

T

4.5

5star

CL

4.1

5star

No current season stats available

D

9.4

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

4.8

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.2

4star

in his playing style and build.

On the weekend he was one of the few of our players who kept cracking in all day even when the game was well and truely over.

This is another similarity with Sewell, Brad was often our best player on the days we were beaten.

It's a great trait, shows that Jai has a thirst for the contest no matter the game situation.

Reminds me more of Joey Kennedy. Has a size and presence around the contest that at times allows him to dictate terms in there

 

[dermott]

Jai is developing quicker than I thought. To paraphrase Mitch everything came together for him today. He has shown bits and pieces of his potential in previous games but went to a new level yesterday. If he continues this trajectory with a few more preseasons (he has had one) he can become a seriously good midfielder consistently.

 

[Brishawk]

I don’t think the media are aware he is eligible for the rising star award. Needs a media campaign to get them across this. The guy is killing it!

 

[Sixpence]

I don’t think the media are aware he is eligible for the rising star award. Needs a media campaign to get them across this. The guy is killing it!

I think he's starting to get noticed by other teams' fans at least. Media should surely follow.

 

[Sturty]

I need a GIF of the first bounce when he went in flat-out, wins the ball on impact, spins and dishes the handball

 

[Sixpence]

I need a GIF of the first bounce when he went in flat-out, wins the ball on impact, spins and dishes the handball

How's that possession train - Reeves -> Newcombe -> Ward -> Reeves -> MacDonald -> Lewis -> Goal!

All under 23 and barely 50 games between them!

 

[Flukey!]

He is our best mid now right?
After what... 12 games?

Amazing really.

 

[lyger]

How's that possession train - Reeves -> Newcombe -> Ward -> Reeves -> MacDonald -> Lewis -> Goal!

All under 23 and barely 50 games between them!

Our next premiership midfield and key forward.

 

[SSSSSS]

5 goal assists for the year.
Same as Petracca , Pendlebury, Cotchin, Mills, Parish.

Second only to Breust at the club.

 

[TylerDurden]

 

[cryptor]

Jai is developing quicker than I thought. To paraphrase Mitch everything came together for him today. He has shown bits and pieces of his potential in previous games but went to a new level yesterday. If he continues this trajectory with a few more preseasons (he has had one) he can become a seriously good midfielder consistently.

Very similar rise to the big leagues as Isaac Smith. Young, mature ager playing country footy and then quickly rises through the comps to find himself on an AFL list. And obviously Smith was a first rounder in the National Draft and completely worth it. Could've gone even earlier. Would have been interesting to see where Duke would've gone in the ND after a full season at Box Hill. Surely first round.

 

[cryptor]

Calling it out now. This is going to go down in history like the "Hawthorn rorted free agency" myth during the threepeat years. Everyone will claim we only got him by manipulating the rules but conveniently forget we had and used the 2nd pick on him and North Melbourne were never picking him over Jacob Edwards anyway.

 

[play2win]

Very similar rise to the big leagues as Isaac Smith. Young, mature ager playing country footy and then quickly rises through the comps to find himself on an AFL list. And obviously Smith was a first rounder in the National Draft and completely worth it. Could've gone even earlier. Would have been interesting to see where Duke would've gone in the ND after a full season at Box Hill. Surely first round.

i don’t understand why he is often referred to as a mature ager, he is 20yrs old and barely into his 2nd afl season

 

[KermitJagger]

Nominating other terms to ensure that you don't uproot your life midseason for a 6 month footy contract that ends and puts you back at square 1 = bad
Nominating ridiculous money so you can get to your club of choice while screwing over your original club because your new club was too cheap to trade fair value for you = good

 

[toomanysquibs]

If the AFL had wanted a rule to prevent Jai getting to Hawthorn type scenarios, surely they would have had one in place already?

Are they seriously trying to tell us that they'd never thought of this loophole?

And as others have pointed out, it protects the player being drafted.

This has to be just another 'journalist' look at me moment.

If a new AFL rule is written to stifle future cases of what's proven to be a very fair deal, they've absolutely lost the plot. We were pick 2 FFS... not pick 30...

 

[threesixpio]

No more Jai Newcombes? AFL to review mid-season draft rules

 

[threesixpio]

#headf*cked

 

[MrPremiership]

His terms didn't effect where we was drafted. North were always taking Edwards at Pick 1....then we took Newcombe at Pick 2.

 

[Rockford]

Jai is developing quicker than I thought. To paraphrase Mitch everything came together for him today. He has shown bits and pieces of his potential in previous games but went to a new level yesterday. If he continues this trajectory with a few more preseasons (he has had one) he can become a seriously good midfielder consistently.

Rate of improvement once they enter a professional system is often a better indicator for overall ceiling than how "good" they were then they entered the system and joined a professional club. Was very impressive against us yesterday.

 

[hawkman]

From the 2.14 mark. Starts it going forward and then puts it inside 50

 

[Simon Crawshay]

From the 2.14 mark. Starts it going forward and then puts it inside 50

Personally I would not like to tackle Duke in a game of footy, be like trying to tackle a 90kg bag of cement moving at high speeds!

 

[streetspirit]

Calling it out now. This is going to go down in history like the "Hawthorn rorted free agency" myth during the threepeat years. Everyone will claim we only got him by manipulating the rules but conveniently forget we had and used the 2nd pick on him and North Melbourne were never picking him over Jacob Edwards anyway.

We only picked him at pick 2 due to Sydney threatening to take on the contract amidst the public fuss over it.

I'm sure the original intention was to use these terms to slip him back to the Callow pick and get Moyle or Heath instead with pick 2.

 

[mustang]

I don’t think the media are aware he is eligible for the rising star award. Needs a media campaign to get them across this. The guy is killing it!

Once he get nominated they will start to talk about him winning it.

 

[cryptor]

i don’t understand why he is often referred to as a mature ager, he is 20yrs old and barely into his 2nd afl season

That's because he technically is what is considered a mature age recruit. He didn't enter the AFL system straight from the underage/school system but via a state level competition for adults (aka mature age players).

But you're right, he should still be thought about as the typical 2nd year draftee. He just got to the party fashionably late.

 

[wizzard400]

Great to see another player with long hair dominating in the middle for the hawks wearing #44.