Welcome Welcome to Hawthorn, Chad Wingard. 200 games! Signed to the end of 2024

[Ned Ryerson]

Speaks bloody well and seems to be a mature 25 year old. Seemingly comes from a nice family too, I’ve known foster families in the past and it’s an amazing thing to do for kids and sometimes you have to watch the system fail them. To continue to do it after that takes the patience of a saint.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

is that the Arch-Angel Michael?

Nope, Saint Chad of Waverley. Patron Saint of pulling goals out of one’s arse.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Yeah true. There are mixed things coming out of Warren Tredrea, more putting it on Chad. The club needs to come out and make a statement and put it to bed.
Wingard with total commitment to his footy can be a super star.

Time to move on.

Your club will never say they pushed him out completely, and they will never admit to wanting the picks for the draft that he could get them in a trade. They’ll use Treadrea and Cornes to sell side of the story via the media to try and keep Port members from questioning the club.

The club will publicly only ever thank him for his services and that’s that.

 

[Spursfan]

Still pinching myself at the sight of this bloke in a hawthorn jumper. March can't come quick enough...

 

[burger09]

Not really a surprising chad chose to leave port.
I mean chad cornes and warren treadrae, FFS.

I'd be on the next bus to anywhere else asap.

 

[NogATron]

I always raved about Wingard and what a damaging player he is and how great he is to watch when watching the odd Port game. Now I get to enjoy watching him every week in the brown and Gold. Delicious!

 

[Hawk Dork]

Hopefully we get a few more Friday and Saturday night games on FTA for the sponsors and for the fans to see the show

 

[teddies]

Yeah true. There are mixed things coming out of Warren Tredrea, more putting it on Chad. The club needs to come out and make a statement and put it to bed.
Wingard with total commitment to his footy can be a super star.

after listening to Cripps lie through his teeth I wouldn't believe anything that comes out of that football club.

 

[Briar Gold]

Well that was one impressive presser. He was great. I'm shocked and very happy!

 

[Smooth Banana]

I did love the part in his interview where he said he had spoken to Cyril, Shaun and Jars.

Jars would be able to compare the two environments quite honestly, and the fact Cyril is still selling the club to potential recruits is bloody fantastic.

I liked that too, it seems Impey might have played a big part. Mentioned him many times in a few interviews. Cyril would have topped it off, the little master still kicking goals. I got a feeling Wingards going to kill it.

 

[beta_condition]

I did love the part in his interview where he said he had spoken to Cyril, Shaun and Jars.

Jars would be able to compare the two environments quite honestly, and the fact Cyril is still selling the club to potential recruits is bloody fantastic.

Rest my heart knowing Cyril didn't leave on bad terms

 

[beta_condition]

I liked that too, it seems Impey might have played a big part. Mentioned him many times in a few interviews. Cyril would have topped it off, the little master still kicking goals. I got a feeling Wingards going to kill it.

Same it seems Chad was let done by not getting the tap on the shoulder during the season that he needs to work on x more than anything, will have a few axes to grind I'm sure.

 

[Nugett]

Hopefully we get a few more Friday and Saturday night games on FTA for the sponsors and for the fans to see the show

Sorry mate we are not Carlton. We don’t get their special treatment for having 20 top 5 draft picks for being so s**t.

 

[rjslcM]

Unfortunately, I have issues with Chad at the hawks and paying overs for a guy who would have been a FA next year.

My feelings are shattered to lose Burton, it will take a lot for me to warm for the Chad.

Many folks rate Wingard - how do I welcome a player I was hoping the hawks would avoid.

Many would know there are players you don't warm yourself to and hope things may change one day.

I'm in the same boat, will need a lot of convincing...

Nothing said here will convince you
Let his actions guide your judgement. And with that, I think you'll change your mind when he shows what he can do in the brown and gold by... hmm, let's conservatively say round 11

 

[threesixpio]

Well that was one impressive presser. He was great. I'm shocked and very happy!

Gee he is going to bring a real will to win isn’t he? He and Sicily on field together - wow. You need that kind of spunk

 

[threesixpio]

I liked how he said you shouldn’t have set expectations as they might be too low. Very Clarko

 

[hawkermitch]

Nothing said here will convince you
Let his actions guide your judgement. And with that, I think you'll change your mind when he shows what he can do in the brown and gold by... hmm, let's conservatively say round 11

Well, I found out recently - looking at player stats etc - Chad Wingard and myself share the same birthday, so that's good.
The last player I shared the same birthday with was Ozzie - Michael Osborne, who is a great bloke.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Lowden

Lowden was traded to Adelaide.

 

[The Ghost Of Glenferrie]

I liked how he said you shouldn’t have set expectations as they might be too low. Very Clarko

Two things I feel Hawthorn FC, Clarko and the coaching group need to do for/with ‘The Chad’ right from the outset.

1. Make him feel like family, family, family and more family - right from the get go. You can tell it’s an absolute core value with this kid. It’s right into the marrow of his bones and every fibre of his being. I have a sneaking suspicion that somewhere along the way ‘The Chad’ felt like Hinkley didn’t have his back in the manner he expected. Last couple of seasons, when things were going a bit wrong for this kid on field and in the media, I reckon with his personality type he would need more carrot, than stick from his coaches. With guys like Chad Cornes, Warren Treadrea, Michaelangelo Rucci, KG Cunningham and alike - I mean who needs enemies with mates like this. Family is such a central element with many indigenous kids that it supersedes almost everything else. If as reported, he is not a person who lives and breathes football 24/7, I can envisage many situations where there could have been a culture clash with a person like Hinkley. I strongly suspect that Hinkley is a guy who would demand absolute discipline and dedication to the cause - without question (an almost a zealot type focus). That, in and of itself, is not wrong or a bad thing. It probably is the right approach with the majority of the playing list. But with personality types like ‘The Chad’ I reckon the tighter you squeeze them the more slips through your grasp. As “The Chad’ said in his presser there was no bad blood and he agreed with the points Hinkley made, but he was a bit dumbfounded he wasn’t made aware earlier. He also expected a bit more support rather than leaking b.s to the media about what he likes to do in his downtime - whether that’s gaming with mates, kicking back or whatever.

Without being overly ‘new agey’ or ‘space cadet’ about this I think in his psychology he would compute this like being let down by his father or family member. Again, I’m not saying Hinkley is wrong, but I just don’t think it would work with a kid like ‘The Chad’. I look at the latitude we gave Cyril with all his injuries and troubles, and it’s not hard to see why he advocated for HFC when he spoke to ‘The Chad’. Also, despite the media bullshit about bad blood, Cyril has openly said he would only ever play for HFC if he made a comeback. I think Jarmen Impey feels the same way, after the loss of his father and the way he’s been treated by HFC. In fact, despite our historical bad efforts with indigenous kids, I think we’ve been getting it right going all the way back to Changa Bateman when he lost his sister.

2. Start the season off winning. This kid is a thoroughbred, if we start off hot, look out sports fan’s, he may very well go a level we have never seen before. I’m talking Paul Salmon pre knee injury, Gary Ablett Snr 1989 final series, Kouta at his peak mid 90’s, Dusty Martin 2017 - that type of stuff. But if we start off slow, I think the weight of the world will come down inside this kid’s mind. Combine that with living in Victoria and it may get ugly - think Tom Boyd. Cold Melbourne winters, training in the gloom at Waverley, losing games and being away from his home state is not a set of circumstances that will suit this kid.

 

[ChinaTim]

When he came out of contract In late 2014 or 2015 I remember being really disappointed that we didn’t get him.
Now I am excited to see what he can do.

We couldn’t possibly get someone half as good as Burgoyne could we, if we did it would be magnificent.

 

[Hawkhead#2]

I have to admit, i thought Chad was a talented tool when he was at Port. However, after hearing him being interviewed i have changed my idea! I sound like an old fart, but what a well spoken young bloke!

 

[crazywildhorse]

"Like I said" --Chad Wingard, 20/10/2018

 

[threesixpio]

"Like I said" --Chad Wingard, 20/10/2018

People better listen up when his footy is talking

 

[Manila_Hawk]

One poster did give him the nickname of Chad 'Winged God', based on his chest tattoo photo.

That one has stuck.

 

[Brant]

One poster did give him the nickname of Chad 'Winged God', based on his chest tattoo photo.

That one has stuck.

That's mine

I think it'll be proven correct by season's end. This guy is going to be ridiculously good