How close are Hawthorn to a flag?

[ReturningHawk]

Not about who you’ve lost, those players might get better but you have a bunch of older players that likely get worse. You can rely on Day playing a full season when it happens.

The other top teams bar Collingwood and maybe Geelong have more internal improvement than the hawks and most of them have added best 22 players this offseason.

Hawthorn began a rebuild in 2021-2022. Trying to paint them as an ageing list in 2025 is just funny.

 

[lalorGOAT]

Hawthorn began a rebuild in 2021-2022. Trying to paint them as an ageing list in 2025 is just funny.

The average afl career is 6 years

 

[SA HAWK]

Feels like we are a bit further away after trade week tbh.

Hopefully we have enough improvement in our younger players not to lose too much ground.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Not about who you’ve lost, those players might get better but you have a bunch of older players that likely get worse. You can rely on Day playing a full season when it happens.

The other top teams bar Collingwood and maybe Geelong have more internal improvement than the hawks and most of them have added best 22 players this offseason.

Man, you spend a lot of time thinking about the Hawks.

We have more youngsters who have growth in them than we do older players who at the end. We’ve got 1 player over 31 on the list.

Weddle, Dear, Watson, Ward, MacKenzie, Butler, MacDonald, Ginnivan, Day, Newcombe, D’Ambrossio all haven’t hit their prime years yet.

 

[Since 2001]

A fit Will Day away

A healthy preseason for calsher, mitch and weddle.

Natural progression from Cmac, Frenchie, wizard, ginni, ward, massimo, weddle, clasher and butler.

Nail our draft picks. Personally I would go a key forward (emmett) to replace gunston and midfielder (greeves)

 

[Shueygod]

Man, you spend a lot of time thinking about the Hawks.

We have more youngsters who have growth in them than we do older players who at the end. We’ve got 1 player over 31 on the list.

Weddle, Dear, Watson, Ward, MacKenzie, Butler, MacDonald, Ginnivan, Day, Newcombe, D’Ambrossio all haven’t hit their prime years yet.

Go compare that to Fremantle, GWS, GC for me.

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

Not about who you’ve lost, those players might get better but you have a bunch of older players that likely get worse. You can rely on Day playing a full season when it happens.

The other top teams bar Collingwood and maybe Geelong have more internal improvement than the hawks and most of them have added best 22 players this offseason.

Which older players Gunston? You would expect Lewis and Dear with full pre seasons can pick up the slack, Sicily? We have Scrimshaw who can pick up the slack there, Impey and Amon? Can't see him dropping off with the style of footy they play. That's 4 I can think of. Your battling here mate.

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

Go compare that to Fremantle, GWS, GC for me.

The above list of players are the core group into the future all not even 25.

 

[Shueygod]

The above list of players are the core group into the future all not even 25.

Again compare those groups to the teams I mentioned 25 and under groups.

Fremantles best 22 was a full year younger than Hawks and you’re telling me they don’t have more internal development?

 

[Xtreme]

I can't see where the Hawks lose a game in 2026

Established stars on every line,
Youth like Husswaite ready to break through the glass ceiling
The best coach in the caper with the ultimate game plan to get the job done.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Go compare that to Fremantle, GWS, GC for me.

That would be pointless. You said Hawthorn have a bunch of players that are old, when we’ve only got 1 player who’s nearing the end.

It’s just wishful thinking from you that Hawthorn players will fall off a cliff at 30.

 

[Shueygod]

That would be pointless. You said Hawthorn have a bunch of players that are old, when we’ve only got 1 player who’s nearing the end.

It’s just wishful thinking from you that Hawthorn players will fall off a cliff at 30.

Interesting, the initial point I made and reiterated was that teams around the Hawks have more internal development.

Hawthorn do have a bunch of 30yo key players in comparison to the teams I named.

You brought up your “young core” but are unwilling to compare that to similar teams?

Is it because you agree that the Hawks young core doesn’t stack up and thus they need/ed to trade in a midfielder to help them compete?

Weddle, Dear, Watson, Ward, MacKenzie, Butler, MacDonald, Ginnivan, Day, Newcombe, D’Ambrossio
Vs

Anderson, Rowell, Humphrey, Walter, Read, Mac Andrew, Davies, Graham, Moyle, Lombard, Rogers, JUH, Jeffrey, 2x top 5 picks

Vs

Serong, Young, Jackson, Treacy, Amiss, NOD, M.Johnson, N.Erasmus, Chapman, Dudley, M.Reid, Simpson, Voss, Mcvee


You can’t possibly believe the Hawks group has more development than the other two?

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Again compare those groups to the teams I mentioned 25 and under groups.

Fremantles best 22 was a full year younger than Hawks and you’re telling me they don’t have more internal development?

I’m sure you’re going to champion Freo’s internal development over Hawks regardless of whether it’s true or not, because the Hawks have broken you.

 

[Shueygod]

I’m sure you’re going to champion Freo’s internal development over Hawks regardless of whether it’s true or not, because the Hawks have broken you.

I dislike Fremantle far more than the Hawks, I just enjoy discussing footy and I don’t think there’s currently a fanbase that overrates their list more leading to interesting discussion.

I’ve given you the groups in the post above if you want to genuinely discuss the topic.

If not, we can revisit in 10 months and see who was right.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Interesting, the initial point I made and reiterated was that teams around the Hawks have more internal development.

Hawthorn do have a bunch of 30yo key players in comparison to the teams I named.

You brought up your “young core” but are unwilling to compare that to similar teams?

Is it because you agree that the Hawks young core doesn’t stack up and thus they need/ed to trade in a midfielder to help them compete?

All good teams have good 30yr olds.

This thread is about Hawthorn, not other teams, so I’m not interested in having a deep dive with someone so obviously bent out of shape by Hawthorn over the last 12 months, about what sides look like on paper.

 

[Shueygod]

All good teams have good 30yr olds.

This thread is about Hawthorn, not other teams, so I’m not interested in having a deep dive with someone so obviously bent out of shape by Hawthorn over the last 12 months, about what sides look like on paper.

Fremantle didn’t have a single 30yo in the top 10 in their B&F, Cox the oldest at 27.

This thread is about how close Hawthorn is to winning a premiership, how can that be discussed without discussing their list (improvement/regression) relative to other teams?

Which was the original point I was making, Hawthorn likely won’t regress in comparison to themselves this year, they are a good chance to slightly improve. Relative to other teams though they’re more likely to go backwards than not.

I’ll leave it now mate, the fact you’d rather deflect than face reality tells me all I need to know.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Fremantle didn’t have a single 30yo in the top 10 in their B&F, Cox the oldest at 27.

This thread is about how close Hawthorn is to winning a premiership, how can that be discussed without discussing their list (improvement/regression) relative to other teams?

Which was the original point I was making, Hawthorn likely won’t regress in comparison to themselves this year, they are a good chance to slightly improve. Relative to other teams though they’re more likely to go backwards than not.

I’ll leave it now mate, the fact you’d rather deflect than face reality tells me all I need to know.

it’s not reality, it’s your prediction and you’ve been shown time and time again to be incapable of discussing Hawthorn without wishing and hoping really hard that Hawthorn fall in a hole.

 

[Shueygod]

it’s not reality, it’s your prediction and you’ve been shown time and time again to be incapable of discussing Hawthorn without wishing and hoping really hard that Hawthorn fall in a hole.

Where have I “wished and hoped” Hawthorn fall really hard?

I’ve said I think they don’t make the 8.

It’s pretty funny that because I have an opinion based on simple logic (far younger team has more improvement), that you disagree with I must hate Hawthorn.

Maybe I just enjoy you ignoring the facts in front of you (like you conveniently ignored my Freo B&F fact) and instead telling yourself it’s emotional.

 

[Obeanie1]

All good teams have good 30yr olds.

This thread is about Hawthorn, not other teams, so I’m not interested in having a deep dive with someone so obviously bent out of shape by Hawthorn over the last 12 months, about what sides look like on paper.

Lol. So other teams don't matter?

Like the ones likely to knock the Hawks out of 8th?

the teams that are improving their lists or have more scope to improve due to age?

We get it. All you think about is Hawthorn and nothing else matters.

As predictable as the sun rising and setting.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

A jack Gunston

19

Jack Gunston

Age

34

Ht

193cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.5

4star

K

10.5

4star

HB

5.0

4star

M

5.7

5star

T

2.2

4star

G

1.9

5star

D

10.6

3star

K

8.0

3star

HB

2.6

2star

M

4.3

4star

T

1.7

3star

G

1.6

5star

D

11.2

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

4.2

4star

M

3.2

4star

T

2.6

4star

G

0.6

3star

form slump away from missing finals

 

[catman2006]

Hawks are one of 10 teams fighting for a finals spot, let alone a flag.

 

[Obeanie1]

A jack Gunston form slump away from missing finals

They just ran a total root in trade period.

List just went backwards.

Just showed they can't be trusted in delivering on comitments.

Don't see too many players under contract returning phone calls or having dinner with Sammy in the near future.

Thats the reality right now.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

A jack Gunston form slump away from missing finals

Gunston could slump his way to 30-40 goals, but with Dear and Lewis available for the entire year they can easily pick up 25+ each.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

Gunston could slump his way to 30-40 goals, but with Dear and Lewis available for the entire year they can easily pick up 25+ each.

 

[Yoda_]

Hawthorn began a rebuild in 2021-2022. Trying to paint them as an ageing list in 2025 is just funny.

Over half the top 10 in the B&F were 28 or older including both your best and fairest and leading goal kicker.