Player Watch #9 Will Hayward

[Kennedy Parker]

Will Hayward
Spritely Sydney Swans forward Will Hayward

9

Will Hayward

Age

25

Ht

186cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.6

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

3.4

3star

T

2.8

4star

G

1.1

4star

D

9.0

2star

K

4.3

2star

HB

4.7

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

2.7

4star

G

0.7

4star

D

9.4

3star

K

6.2

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

3.4

5star

G

1.4

5star

enjoyed a rocketing start to his career as he became the 11th-youngest player in the AFL era to reach 50 career goals in 2018. The 2016 draftee’s nippy pace and cunning goal awareness have made him a dangerous option in coach John Longmire’s forward line. A broken jaw and a persistent hip injury limited Hayward to just 12 goals in 13 senior games in 2019, but the South Australian is attacking the 2020 campaign on the back of his first full pre-season. Don’t be surprised if the exciting Swan finds himself on a wing this year.

Will Hayward

9

Will Hayward

Age

25

Ht

186cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.6

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

3.4

3star

T

2.8

4star

G

1.1

4star

D

9.0

2star

K

4.3

2star

HB

4.7

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

2.7

4star

G

0.7

4star

D

9.4

3star

K

6.2

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

3.4

5star

G

1.4

5star

DOB: 26 October 1998
DEBUT: 2017
DRAFT: #21, 2016 National Draft
RECRUITED FROM: Walkerville (SA)/North Adelaide (SANFL)

Will Hayward | AFL

Follow Will Hayward's progress through AFL

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

[rustycrate]

If we select on form at the moment it would probs be
Papley
Heeney
Parker (rotating through with Heeney)
Wicks (predominantly defensive/pressure)
Gulden (predominantly attacking)
McInerney (if as an attacking HF rather than wing and if fit enough to start)
Haywood
Ronke
I would not pick the last 2 and will be pleased but surprised if McInerney is fit enough.
Two talls leaves the first 5 with one on the bench.
Three talls and Gulden misses.

Gulden never misses

 

[BruceFromBalnarring]

Yep and I’ll probably regret it about three weeks into the season like most of my predictions but at the moment it’s preseason and I’m bullish.


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Don’t think so.

 

[scaryness]

So glad to see Will firing again after some wrote him off or dangled him as trade bait.

12 goals in 9 games with 75% accuracy so far too.

Career high averages in goals per game, contested marks per game and tackles per game.

 

[scaryness]

Also possibly more because the AFL are silly and his rd 1 medical sub game counts as a game and it throws off his stats

 

[Arrr]

It shows real strength of character that after starting with a bang and then having a bit of a loss of form and some injuries he went back into defense and learned and improved and worked at his game. He has come back all the stronger and more well rounded as a player. He sees there are ways to impact the contest without kicking a bag. He's always presenting an option and he's a good mark of the ball. He pressures well and applies tackles when needed. He shepherds and he runs to create space.

Really excited that he's here long term, love what he offers.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

Have loved seeing him perform this season... least year was real concerning as he wasn't having much of an impact at all. Seems like he's really grown into his role and the performances are following.

Seems like he'll continue to develop and become an even more integral part of the team. Really starting to cement his spot and has carved out a niche in our team structure, which is tough to do for a slightly build small forward - although he's adding bulk as each year progresses. I think we'll really see him come into his own once he's closer to his ideal playing weight.

 

[anotherletdown]

This is such a bi-polar thread....

 

[momentbymoment]

I would say Will’s form this year is a coaching success.
Now can they do the same with Blakey...

 

[S120]

His tackling has been particularly good since coming back. Never seen him so consistently active defensively. And his accuracy in front of goal is now back to what we expect of someone with his talent. Great to see

 

[ScrewInStuds]

Definitely seems to have a harder edge to him this year, not just in play but in demeanour.

 

[sataris]

This is such a bi-polar thread....

Hayward is a very feast or famine player

 

[Jewelsbon]

Hayward is a very feast or famine player

Very true and thankfully, since his recall, it's been far more feast than famine.

 

[Deccas]

I think medium forward is like that as a position.

A midfielder can have an off day and pick up 25 possessions.but when that happens a medium forwards opportunity to get near it is diminished and they cop the blame for having 4 touches or whatever.

I'm glad that Hayward had pushed through his poor form and is back to being a solid contributor. I think the jaw break got to his confidence and it seemed like hip problems were affecting his kicking for goal too. All to be expected for young players. His best years are probably still two or three years away at least so exciting times.

Hayward is a very feast or famine player

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[S120]

He's playing his role really well atm. For the year, averaging 10 touches, 4 marks, 1.6 goals, and 3.5 tackles a game with 12 goals in his last 6 games. Taking more than 1 contested mark a game which is also really valuable. And more valuable than anything else, he's got his goal-kicking back to what he's capable of, kicking 19.4 for the year. Taking his opportunities when they come.

 

[Punts]

Having a better year than heeney at half the price

All aside since coming in he has been almost out best forward

 

[RUNVS]

Hayward is the perfect example of someone who went back to the reserves, found some form and came back. He did not get upset at being dropped, he just knuckled down and did what the coaches asked of him and now he is back in the main team he looks so much better than he did at the start of the season.

 

[Nuggetz]

Live in NRL heartland in Syd, went for a little run at the local park. Heaps of kids around (annoying af), go home school lol BUT I saw one kid wearing a Sydney Swans no.9 AFL Jersey! Good to see he wasn't getting bullied or bashed for wearing it, AFL has come a long way in my area by the looks of it.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

Live in NRL heartland in Syd, went for a little run at the local park. Heaps of kids around (annoying af), go home school lol BUT I saw one kid wearing a Sydney Swans no.9 AFL Jersey! Good to see he wasn't getting bullied or bashed for wearing it, AFL has come a long way in my area by the looks of it.

Living out in the south west I've always been the only one kicking an AFL footy around in the park, which is good cause I get the goal posts to myself

 

[SwansProudly]

Living out in the south west I've always been the only one kicking an AFL footy around in the park, which is good cause I get the goal posts to myself

so you can always run in to kick an easy goal

 

[GoTheSwannies]

so you can always run in to kick an easy goal

Lol you'd think that... But I kicked a footy for the first time in my late 20's so I can just pretend I was being run down from behind and had to get the kick off.

Commentator: "geez, he had a lot more time than he thought, it's that perceived pressure again"

 

[Jeffers]

Has now kicked 28 goals which is the same as his best season of 2018.

He has really come on this year and was very impressivve last night.

 

[S120]

Has now kicked 28 goals which is the same as his best season of 2018.

He has really come on this year and was very impressivve last night.

28 goals in 6 fewer games than 2018 to this point as well. He's also averaging the 4th most tackles inside forward 50 in the league this year. Easily his best season for us.

 

[SwansProudly]

@Will_Hayward1
started his AFL goal tally in his second game with 3 goals in Round 3, 2017. He reached the century milestone with 3 goals in our win over the Kangaroos on Saturday night!



PS.
2017 17 games 22 goals
2018 23 games 28 goals
2019 13 games 12 goals
2020 16 games 10 goals
2021 18 games 28 goals

AFL Tables - Will Hayward - Stats - Statistics

afltables.com

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Making the experts on here look more silly with each game he plays. I’ve certainly made some bad calls on players but I can proudly say I never gave up on the talent of Hayward. He’s a gun who was in bad form.


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[Nuggetz]

Heeney should take some tips from Hayward re set shot goal kicking