Toast Is Tom Hawkins the Best All-Round Forward in the AFL Right Now?

[Damon_3388]

Tom Hawkins turned in probably the best game he's ever played in his great career last night, and one of the best games you'll see from a key forward (particularly in today's footy) - 17 disposals, 10 marks (7 contested), 6 goals, 2 goal assists, 12 score involvements, 3 tackles, 3 one percenters, and a Champion Data Player Ranking Score of 204.

After this, Tomohawk is (among players that have played 6+ games this season):

#1 in the league in goals per game
#1 in the league in goal assists per game
#2 in the league in score involvements per game
#14 in the league in marks per game
#7 in the league in contested marks per game
#12 in the league in tackles inside 50 per game
#17 in Champion Data Player Ranking Score average

Hawkins has also been among the league leaders in goal assists and tackles inside 50 for a number of years now, as well as being arguably the best and most consistent contested marker in footy for the past decade. He's also had 8 straight seasons of at least 90 marks/45 goals/15 goal assists, and is well on pace for a 9th consecutive season hitting those marks (currently at 65/30/16 for the year).

At an age where many people expected him to decline, and be phased out of a changing game (similar to his contemporary Travis Cloke), Hawkins adapted his game, working and presenting tirelessly, becoming a roaming, running, playmaking CHF who kicks goals, creates, and even works defensively, rather than the "fat, lazy" goalsquare gorilla many perceived him to be (and to only be capable of).

All this being said, has Tom Hawkins finally reached the mantle of being the best all-round forward in the game?

 

[GuyIncognito]

Yes.

 

[HaroLad]

There has not been a more dominant forward since Carey.

Without a doubt the most criminally underrated player of the last twenty years. He doesn't get as noticed because instead of kicking bags of ten, he is always looking to involve his teammates in the game.

 

[M Malice]

Very interesting comparison between Tom and Josh Kennedy.... Kennedy finding some form as well, I'd go Kennedy by a hairs breath if forced to choose.

 

[Damon_3388]

Very interesting comparison between Tom and Josh Kennedy.... Kennedy finding some form as well, I'd go Kennedy by a hairs breath if forced to choose.

Right now, or over their careers?

At the moment, you'd have to favour Hawkins comfortably:




The career thing is more debateable:



Even then, I'd probably lean towards Hawkins, due to greater team success, a longer peak, and greater year-on-year consistency.

 

[Brunswick Trap King]

There has not been a more dominant forward since Carey

Lol really?

 

[M Malice]

Right now, or over their careers?

At the moment, you'd have to favour Hawkins comfortably:

View attachment 935978
View attachment 935979

The career thing is more debateable:

View attachment 935982

Even then, I'd probably lean towards Hawkins, due to greater team success, a longer peak, and greater year-on-year consistency.

Yer, Kennedy had a very slow start to the year, finding form in the last few games though, don't get me wrong I'd take Hawkins for a couple of years at the Lions as an UFA at the end of this year, I bought it up on our board a few days ago, still unsigned isn't he.

 

[GuyIncognito]

Hawkins shits on Kennedy this year.

 

[PAFC_1870]

Right now, or over their careers?

Similar discussion on the Port board with Tredrea not long ago...

Tredrea/Hall/Pavlich had less help around them but gets more ball to them but also more defenders
Brown had Lynch/Bradshaw alongside to help him but would get less ball and less defenders

Tredrea is the Hawkins here, Kennedy is the Brown. Depends on what you value.

Hawkins would have done it tougher IMO. Both midfields for the most part fairly equal.

 

[PhatBoy]

I think if you were picking a forward just to build a team around you’d take hawkins over everyone bar buddy in the last 10 years at least. Hard to know how he stacks up against the Tredrea/Nick/Pav/Gehrig/Brown group (think he’s definitely got Brown covered).

I think if you had a team with 17 spots locked down with great players in each, you’d probably pick Kennedy of todays crop as he’s a great pure full forward.
Obviously buddy at his peak has them all covered but he certainly doesn’t offer the sort of ‘build your forward line around him’ presence that Hawkins does.

 

[Donakebab]

There has not been a more dominant forward since Carey.

Franklin, N.Riewoldt, J.Riewoldt, Tredrea, Lloyd, Pavlich, Brown, Hall, Kennedy...

Hawkins is a great player and is in ripping form, but no.

 

[HaroLad]

Franklin, N.Riewoldt, J.Riewoldt, Tredrea, Lloyd, Pavlich, Brown, Hall, Kennedy...

J Riewoldt?

Please.

 

[Damon_3388]

I think if you had a team with 17 spots locked down with great players in each, you’d probably pick Kennedy of todays crop as he’s a great pure full forward.
Obviously buddy at his peak has them all covered but he certainly doesn’t offer the sort of ‘build your forward line around him’ presence that Hawkins does.

J Riewoldt?

Please.

Career-wise, surely Jack Reiwoldt enters the discussion, especially if you factor in output vs. team success:

Tom Hawkins - 12.18 disposals, 5.55 marks per game (1.91 contested), 2.18 goals per game, 0.82 goal assists, 1.90 tackles per game

Buddy - 15.48 disposals, 5.54 marks (1.63 contested), 3.15 goals, 0.66 goal assists, 2.56 tackles per game

Josh Kennedy - 11.13 disposals, 5.68 marks (1.45 contested), 2.51 goals, 0.52 goal assists, 2.26 tackles per game

Jack Riewoldt - 12.32 disposals, 5.46 marks (1.62 contested), 2.32 goals, 0.76 goal assists, 2.22 tackles per game

Right now though, only one is still playing some of the best footy of his career, and being the best all-round forward in the game IMO, and that's Hawkins.

 

[TheWoodenSlug]

#1 for goals and #1 for goal assists. Marking anything that's kicked anywhere near him.

Yep, he's the best forward in the league right now.

 

[Ambrosia]

Imagine how good he would have been in 80s or 90s when he could just sit one out in the square the whole time.

 

[kozi]

Hawkins in the same sentence as Carey..

 

[Donakebab]

J Riewoldt?

Please.

So you admit the others have all been more dominant. Cool.

 

[Dav]

There has not been a more dominant forward since Carey

Tredrea, Jonathan Brown, Nick Riewoldt, Buddy at the very least are clearly more dominant. Arguments could also be made for Fev and JJK.

 

[theyellowsash]

Franklin, N.Riewoldt, J.Riewoldt, Tredrea, Lloyd, Pavlich, Brown, Hall, Kennedy...

Hawkins is a great player and is in ripping form, but no.

Richo, Roughead, Fev

 

[theyellowsash]

J Riewoldt?

Please.

3 Coleman's, 3 AA and 2 flags, one with less tall support than Hawkins has ever had.

Yeah total dud

 

[DanA]

Post 2003, for me, it would be:
1. Reiwoldt
2. Buddy
3. Pavlich
4. Brown


Then a big gap with several players in the mix below the top 4, one of which would be Hawkins. I'd also put Matthew Richardson, Josh Kennedy, Jack Reiwoldt, Barry Hall, Jared Roughhead, and Alistair Lynch in a tight bunch together with Hawkins.

 

[Asapartyhat]

He is having a very good year and been one of the backbones of a consistantly high standard hard to beat Geelong team for a decade or more so good on him.

My strongest memory of Hawkins was a night game at subi where the Eagles had a run on and Hawkins countered by leaping for a mark and landing on his head and it then took the medicos about 15 minutes to remove his unconscious carcass from the field thus stopping the Eagles run on.Very much a team orientated player.

 

[Tigers_fan24]

There has not been a more dominant forward since Carey.

Without a doubt the most criminally underrated player of the last twenty years. He doesn't get as noticed because instead of kicking bags of ten, he is always looking to involve his teammates in the game.

Lol calm down, there’s a bloke called buddy franklin that’s played since Carey, remember him? Also Josh Kennedy and Jack reiwoldt have been better

 

[PhatBoy]

Hawkins in the same sentence as Carey..

View attachment 936003

Why, WHY do people do this?

mention Carey in a footballers conversation or Bradman in a cricket chat and immediately - ‘comparing him to Bradman? F*** off.’

Where did the op say yes compared to Carey?

 

[PhatBoy]

Lol calm down, there’s a bloke called buddy franklin that’s played since Carey, remember him? Also Josh Kennedy and Jack reiwoldt have been better

im curious to see how you can blanket say that jack has been better. Coleman medals....... anything else?