Player Watch Welcome to Hawthorn - Connor Downie - #35 2020 National Draft

Nick the Pig

Team Captain
Apr 3, 2019
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It would have been good for Downie to take the field. Nonetheless, huge achievement for him last night. His work rate during 2020 without footy and his first pre season was enough to put him in contention for a round 1 debut.

I’m genuinely excited for his future.
This is what we should be focusing on not the fact he didn't get on the field. He is a bee's d*** away from best 22 which is an amazing achievement at R1 after just having been drafted
 

Hawk_francais

Cancelled
Sep 20, 2015
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Not sure he can be medical sub again, doubt we change the side.

Suspect he plays BHH next week just to keep up conditioning
Yep, after a quiet performance I’m sure he has a few things to go back and work on before he earns his next call up.

Fair dinkum, get him in!
 
Yep, after a quiet performance I’m sure he has a few things to go back and work on before he earns his next call up.

Fair dinkum, get him in!
Was the same issue from 2011-2015 when we had the sub

If you're the sub too often you lose conditioning, and given we play Sunday next week, he can't line up for BHH and be the sub.
No fault of his own, but I doubt Clarko makes any changes to that 22, and wouldn't be surprised if he freed up Downiest to play BHH and get some minutes
 

Hawk_francais

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Sep 20, 2015
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Was the same issue from 2011-2015 when we had the sub

If you're the sub too often you lose conditioning, and given we play Sunday next week, he can't line up for BHH and be the sub.
No fault of his own, but I doubt Clarko makes any changes to that 22, and wouldn't be surprised if he freed up Downiest to play BHH and get some minutes
I disagree. Finding yourselves 40pts in arrears doesn’t happen by accident, and not everybody redeemed themselves in the second half. Some first half efforts were nowhere near the standard, and we have a lot of players knocking at the door.
 




What an amazing story and very inspiring as well. Great ambassador for multiculturalism and to grow the game.

I watch it and not sure why tears start flowing down. Just so happy for him and for his mom and dad as well 🥰.

Well produced video, must watch!
 

TylerDurden

Mischief. Mayhem. Soap
Mar 5, 2007
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What an amazing story and very inspiring as well. Great ambassador for multiculturalism and to grow the game.

I watch it and not sure why tears start flowing down. Just so happy for him and for his mom and dad as well 🥰.

Well produced video, must watch!

Yeah I shed a tear too. Thought about my young son, and how bloody proud I'd be if he achieved that.
 

kazzooka

Premiership Player
May 20, 2010
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Come on Clarko give this kid a chance!

What a ripping video.

Loved the comment from his mom about how he was lucky that they did Chinese school on a Sunday

Having a Chinese wife and two half Chinese kids I understand that nothing comes before Chinese school!
I'm in the same boat with Chinese wife just had our second child. Conner being drafted has finally got my wife and her sister interested in the hawks. My brother in-law in China watched a few games with me when I was there in 2019 and loved it.

Regarding Chinese school, i learned Chinese in high school 18 years ago and been with my wife slowly learning more the last 10 years yet my 3 year old daughter has over taken me.

Now back to the football. Really impressive how Conner trained by himself during lockdown lifting bricks and concrete.

It's a shame that he didn't get an ideal debut but it should be very encouraging that Clarko thought that if anyone gets injured Conner is the guy he wants coming on. Not someone more experienced like Nash, Morris or others who have had more than a preseason and 0 footy in 2020 to prove thier case.

He earned the spot and I'd guess that he's first in line if we drop someone or have an injury. Hopefully the few returning from injury may leapfrog him.
 



Gee, that was great.
 

Simon Crawshay

Premiership Player
Jun 4, 2016
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I'm in the same boat with Chinese wife just had our second child. Conner being drafted has finally got my wife and her sister interested in the hawks. My brother in-law in China watched a few games with me when I was there in 2019 and loved it.

Regarding Chinese school, i learned Chinese in high school 18 years ago and been with my wife slowly learning more the last 10 years yet my 3 year old daughter has over taken me.

Now back to the football. Really impressive how Conner trained by himself during lockdown lifting bricks and concrete.

It's a shame that he didn't get an ideal debut but it should be very encouraging that Clarko thought that if anyone gets injured Conner is the guy he wants coming on. Not someone more experienced like Nash, Morris or others who have had more than a preseason and 0 footy in 2020 to prove thier case.

He earned the spot and I'd guess that he's first in line if we drop someone or have an injury. Hopefully the few returning from injury may leapfrog him.
Watching that video I could see his single minded focus on achieving his dream of being drafted and the professional way he approached it (using concrete as weights, etc)

Possibly an aspect of his Chinese heritage coming through in that regards because as a cultural group they are very good at studying and working hard to get what they want (usually more in academic sense than sporting but the principle still applies). That of course is a generalisation but I think it could apply here.

Regardless a very impressive young man, at 18 I doubt I could have been so eloquent in front of the camera!
 
May 3, 2018
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Watching that video I could see his single minded focus on achieving his dream of being drafted and the professional way he approached it (using concrete as weights, etc)

Possibly an aspect of his Chinese heritage coming through in that regards because as a cultural group they are very good at studying and working hard to get what they want (usually more in academic sense than sporting but the principle still applies). That of course is a generalisation but I think it could apply here.

Regardless a very impressive young man, at 18 I doubt I could have been so eloquent in front of the camera!
In 3 years time I wouldn't be surprised as Hawthorn fans that we look back to him losing a season in the NAB league as an on baller / captain as a blessing. Like other players I reckon him not being able to showcase himself further definitely played out to our advantage as other teams would've been reluctant to place a bid earlier because of it.
 



Really liked the bit about him coming up with challenges to encourage his teammates and keep a bond between them. Would've been very easy to become more inwardly focused during lockdown. That's real leadership and team first attitude.
 
In 3 years time I wouldn't be surprised as Hawthorn fans that we look back to him losing a season in the NAB league as an on baller / captain as a blessing. Like other players I reckon him not being able to showcase himself further definitely played out to our advantage as other teams would've been reluctant to place a bid earlier because of it.
Yep and how many more like him slipped down the order?
Glad we got him
 

Hawks1994

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Aug 22, 2010
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This is magnificent! What a fantastic young man to have at our club

Gives such a wonderful insight into the journeys of not only Connor, but each and every one of the lads that get drafted each year. Being able to live out your childhood dream must be an absolute thrill; considering all the hard work and many sacrifices they make to get that far. Especially the group of last year, having a whole season with no football to continue their development and having to improvise with strength and conditioning training as we saw Connor doing

Can't wait to see him take the field for the first time and onwards into the future
 
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