how good is tom hawkins!!!!!

[geelong_crazy26]

tom hawkins!! cant wait for this boy to arrive down at skilled stadium.... 195cm centre half forward/full forward who has been absolutely dominating school boy football AIS academy played 3 games for sandringham dragons after school commitments were over took 8 marks 5 goals his last game for sandringham.... watched him a thew times myself, got the best mark ive evr seen and in the words of the sydney scout on grumpy old men" he is something special"

 

[Jack-Packenham]

tom hawkins!! cant wait for this boy to arrive down at skilled stadium.... 195cm centre half forward/full forward who has been absolutely dominating school boy football AIS academy played 3 games for sandringham dragons after school commitments were over took 8 marks 5 goals his last game for sandringham.... watched him a thew times myself, got the best mark ive evr seen and in the words of the sydney scout on grumpy old men" he is something special"

Just hope he doesn't do a Marc Murphy on us.

As far as I am aware he is going to play more for Sandringham this year and hopefully that means he takes part in the Vic metro team at the u18 championships. Then we will know where he stands against the other very good juniors. At the moment all looks exciting, but we just have to understand that he isn't playing in the strongest competition in the APS. My only other concern is that most of junior footy in the lower levels is dominated by the big kids who are just too strong for the skinnier kids.

 

[kriso182]

Just hope he doesn't do a Marc Murphy on us.

Nah he will sign with us, could have been touch and go if Bartel didnt sign though!

 

[Prodigal Sons]

Geelong have already stated that their first 2 picks next year will be father-son......hawkins and also scratcher neal's kid (jacob I think).

It's also why the club was trying to establish clearer guidelines with the afl in situations where clubs take more than one player in the draft under father-son........ie; can you use pick 2 and 3 or must a first round pick be used.

 

[GeeCat]

Geelong have already stated that their first 2 picks next year will be father-son......hawkins and also scratcher neal's kid (jacob I think).

I'd be interested to see where you read that.

Tom Hawkins is the only certainty to join the club, barring any major injury. The others (Neal, Bairstow, Couch) are still being looked at, and rightfully so.

 

[The Hulkster]

Am i correct in saying that Hawkins will be training for a week with Geelong soon as part of the AIS Scholarship Program. I may be wrong but if correct it will be a great chance to see how he stacks up and have him want to come to the club.

 

[JUBJUB]

Am i correct in saying that Hawkins will be training for a week with Geelong soon as part of the AIS Scholarship Program. I may be wrong but if correct it will be a great chance to see how he stacks up and have him want to come to the club.

It's this week

 

[The Hulkster]

I hope someone can get down and have a look and provide a report on how he goes. I reckon the addy will probably be onto it as well.

 

[carn_the_cattas]

I hope someone can get down and have a look and provide a report on how he goes. I reckon the addy will probably be onto it as well.

I was at training today, I didn't see him.
Maybe I should've looked harder.

 

[D0nk]

Geelong have already stated that their first 2 picks next year will be father-son......hawkins and also scratcher neal's kid (jacob I think).

Isn't there a rule of only one Father-son per year?

 

[Turbocat]

Isn't there a rule of only one Father-son per year?

No , there are examples of two in one year. We got Scarlet and Wolnough in the same year. I think the pies also got two as well some where.
One FS = R3 pick , two= R2 and R3

 

[chapmanmagic35]

Nah he will sign with us, could have been touch and go if Bartel didnt sign though!

Hahaha! Yeah, it's Jumping Jack's daughter who's going out with Jimmy isn't it?

Hawkins is good, I've seen him play and he looks......big....only way to describe him! Haha! Very good hands, a good all round player.

Unfortunately I guess, he's tied to his school for alot of next year. It would be good to see him test himself against the other TAC teams, as he will dominate APS games and not gain as much as he could.

To answer someone else's question, the AIS training thing is on now.

 

[catempire]

How good is he? We'll find out when he pulls on the blue and white hoops. Until then, keep a lid on it - he's a schoolboy FFS.

 

[catempire]

Sounds like his coach and parents are going about it the right way, even if Jay Clark would like it otherwise!

From geelonginfo.com.au

A class of his own

Tom Hawkins is an amazing talent according to his Melbourne Grammar School coach.

Saturday, January 14
Jay Clark

WHEN Tom Hawkins' Melbourne Grammar School football coach was asked to recall his favourite Hawkins highlight from last season, he drew a very deep breath.

``He just does so many amazing things,'' coach Ben Hanisch said.

``It's almost too hard to choose.''

Fair enough. After all, the 195cm half-forward had a whole reel of highlights by the time he finished last season as a bottom-age All-Australian.

Eventually though, one special something sprang to mind.

Hanisch said it was against top-side Haileydhbury mid-last year.

Hawkins had just taken a ripping mark about 50m out when the quarter-time siren sounded.

``He was kicking against a slight breeze but he just went back and nailed it through post-height to put us even,'' he said.

``He can certainly ... (pause), well he just likes those big-game experiences.''

Truth be known, Hanisch could probably go on forever about his star centre half-forward.

At 17, Hawkins may still be all skin and bone, but Hanisch said he has a terrific leap, a great set of hands and the footy smarts of a cunning rover.

Not forgetting his booming right boot.

``He's also just got that great awareness of what's going on around him,'' he said.

``But certainly at this (APS) level, his size and marking ability are his main assets.''

Like Hanisch said, Hawkins does so many amazing things on the footy field.

But Melbourne Grammar's first-18 coach was also wary of a journalist asking questions about his star player.

Firstly, it's not the only time he's been asked.

And secondly, because his gun forward just happens to be the son of 182-game Geelong great Jack, and is eligible to be drafted by the Cats under the father-son rule in November.

The last thing Hanisch wants is to place more pressure on Hawkins' broadening shoulders.

But given young Tom's early form in the private school system and the TAC Cup, in which he kicked five goals from 10 marks in his last of three games for Sandringham last season, it seems like the Cats are certain to snaffle him.

At least in other recruiters' eyes, he's pure gold.

Insiders suggest that if Geelong doesn't snap him up, then another club will.

Because Hawkins has been on scouts' radars since he turned about 15.

This week, the son-of-a-gun took another step towards realising his AFL dream when he trained with Geelong as part of his AIS scholarship.

And despite being a little reserved as he bounded around Skilled Stadium with the main group, he looked every bit the part of a future AFL key forward.

But this is where the tone in Hanisch's voice drops.

``We do need to be careful,'' he said.

``He's obviously got ability, otherwise he would not have been picked in the All-Australian side. And Tom loves his footy because he's very good at it.

``He would probably love to be picked up and, the probability is that he will. But you don't want to pre-empt that he will definitely get drafted.

``Because there is enough pressure on people like Tom as it is. Has he got the ability to make it? I'd say yes, but he's certainly got a lot of work to do.

``I've seen a lot of boys with potential not make it to AFL level.''

Hawkins Snr, who had his career curtailed by a knee injury in 1981 aged 27, is desperate to impart possibly his most important football lesson on his son - that there is more to life than a ball game.

So while Hawkins (who is about to start Year 12), is at Melbourne Grammar, school comes first.

What comes after that is up to Tom.

``At this stage his parents are certainly more interested in him completing his schooling,'' Hanisch said.

``That's the focus this year so he can at least keep his options open for the future.

``Both his parents are fantastic about this, just encouraging him to make sure he gives his schoolwork the priority and commitment it deserves.''

Hanisch said for Hawkins, it meant training maybe one night a week with the school team.

That is instead of anywhere up to three sessions at Sandringham with the rest of the TAC Cup squad on the eve of possibly his most important football season.

Not because Hawkins is so good that he can afford to do less work than other young players.

But because the lightened football workload is simply more consistent with the Melbourne private school's approach to a broader scholastic experience.

``We've just got to carefully manage how much football these boys are playing,'' Hanisch said.

Although Hawkins' mid-week load will be cut, expect to see him play more games with Sandringham on the weekends this season, compared with just three last year.

It is, of course, to ensure that he still gets enough mainstream opportunities to convince Geelong he's worth a third-round selection in 10 months time.

Until then, Hanisch said, it's wait and see.

``Tom's still very young,'' he said.

``And he's a young boy at heart. At the moment he just loves getting out there and playing footy.''

 

[ezbian]

Saw him and Bartel last night at 13th Beach Golf Course (About 15 of the Cats boys are members there). When he walked in I didn't know who he was, I just thought he must have been Trent West, because he is tall enough to be a ruckman. Then I saw him on the back of the addy this morning and it all clicked.

He is a really big unit and the perfect size for CHF. Whilst he is tall he is not all bones, and looks like he could put some bulk on pretty quickly.

Will be good to see how he performs this year, but he is certainly the blue print for CHF.

 

[scottydeewah]

mmm sounds like he might be worth a third rounder already...sh*t why not?

 

[thehoff]

Saw him and Bartel last night at 13th Beach Golf Course (About 15 of the Cats boys are members there). When he walked in I didn't know who he was, I just thought he must have been Trent West, because he is tall enough to be a ruckman. Then I saw him on the back of the addy this morning and it all clicked.

He is a really big unit and the perfect size for CHF. Whilst he is tall he is not all bones, and looks like he could put some bulk on pretty quickly.

Will be good to see how he performs this year, but he is certainly the blue print for CHF.

!00% correct. Future skipper of the club!