- Jun 14, 2014
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As much as Hawthorn are criticised for their lack of youth, it really depends on what part of the ground is being talked about... in regard to their backline, they're stacked with young talent. On top of having a coach that's very good at coaching strong team defence. Hawthorn's biggest boon is their young backline. They are extremely miserly. The only thing they're missing is an obvious replacement for Frawley. Jacob Koschitzke is intended to be their long-term replacement for Frawley, but he's yet to play an AFL game (he's nineteen years old, so his AFL career is still very much in its infancy). James Sicily and Jarman Impey are both twenty-four years old, already cemented in their Best 22. Blake Hardwick (22 yo) is a more dour / workman type but also cemented in their Best 22. As for their young prospects, Jack Scrimshaw is twenty-one years old and has the potential to be Best 22 if the Hawks have fixed his issues (at the Suns he was homesick and it made him useless to us, but his talent is genuine). Harry Morrison and CJ are both twenty years old and have the potential to be Best 22. If they manage to grab either Fischer McAsey or Will Gould in this draft, I'd rate them as having the best young backline in the league, honestly.This is probably the textbook example of bigfooty and a supporter just listing their teams players and assuming they are good without considering the competition they'd be up against.
Nothing there is impressive as a unit relative to the actual good sides in the league.
Possibly the ruck duo is better than most, but its the least important area and recent successful sides have shown time and again, you don't need more than competitive players in that area.
Make no mistake the advantage/hope in Hawthorn is not its players. The players are a mid table team. The advantage is Clarkson is a great coach, and can possibly get more out of them.
Midfield is average. Looked dysfunctional without Mitchell (until Wingard moved there in the second half of 2019, started looking competitive after that). Worpel is a young gun, but he's really it for their youth - really depends on Mcguinness and Downie, or if anybody else on their list steps up in 2020.
I am way more critical of their young forward stocks. Hanrahan and Mitch Lewis are probably their best prospects but the depth of talent falls off a cliff after that. Dylan Moore? I'd need to see a big improvement from him in 2020 to sell me on him.