Hawthorn Hawks have become the most watchable side in the competition, deep dive, Sam Mitchell, AFL 360, comments, reactions, latest news – MASHAHER

Fear the mighty Hawks.

After falling to 0-5 to begin the season, there were serious concerns about where Sam Mitchell’s side were at.

What had happened after such a promising end to 2023? Had we overrated their list last season? Former Port Adelaide star Kane Cornes even posed that they were heading down the path of irrelevancy.

It was unthinkable in April to suggest Hawthorn could play finals in 2024.

Dylan Moore fronted the media as the Hawks slumped to 0-5, telling reporters the players would “bring their mouthguards to training” ahead of their round six clash.

According to Mitchell, that was the turning point for the Hawks’ season.

“I think that rippled through the group and the standard of what we’ve tried to do since then,” Mitchell said on Talking Footy.

But their form didn’t turn around there straight away. From the outer, eyebrows were raised when Mitchell said “if you watched it without a scoreboard, you would have said the brown and gold boys are having a crack” in the aftermath of a brutal 76-point loss to Sydney in round 7.

But it seems one of Hawthorn’s favourite sons was onto something.

The Hawks then won six of their next seven matches, the only defeat being a heart-breaking one-point loss at the death to Port Adelaide, a game they arguably should’ve won.

They took the scalps of Brisbane, GWS and the Western Bulldogs in that period.

North Melbourne champion David King has labelled the Hawks one of the “scariest teams to play at the moment”.

“I really wouldn’t want to be playing the Hawks right now,” he said on Fox Footy’s First Crack.

AFL360 host Gerard Whateley said the Hawks “test the imagination like no other” and that the “finals will be poorer if they don’t make it”.

Former Hawthorn champion Jordan Lewis believes “they’re the most watchable team in the competition” and was full of praise for his former teammate’s side.

The Hawks are making waves and people are taking notice.

“They’re doing it differently, I cannot remember a side that has brought this much energy and showbiz to the game,” Lewis said.

“If Sam was controlling and not allowing them to express themselves, they wouldn’t have that win-loss record.”

Since round eight, Hawthorn have been the second-best side in the competition. Just let that sink in a little bit. The Hawks have a win-loss record of 9-2 throughout that period, ranked second to only a red-hot Brisbane.

But let’s break things down a little further.

SPINNING THE MAGNETS

Sam Mitchell is a genius.

Versatility is crucial in modern day football and if players can’t thrive in multiple positions, they seem to get found out. Think Jack Macrae, Jarryd Lyons and Will Brodie who have all found themselves with decreased roles at AFL level or long stints at VFL level.

But Mitchell’s Hawks have versatility in spades.

When the game two weeks ago against Fremantle looked like slipping away, Mitchell swung his captain, James Sicily, forward.

In his own words, Sicily had become a “liability” in defence as he was hampered by a shoulder injury but stepped up in a massive way in the final term to lift his side over the line.

“It may be the in-game move of the year, to win a game in the balance,” North Melbourne champion David King said on Fox Footy.

“I think he’s recognised the fact that he can’t tackle down back, he’s been exposed a couple of times but he’s too good a leader and too good a player to be removed from the game.”

Sicily went on to boot three all-important goals and take two strong contested marks as Mitchell’s masterstroke proved decisive in downing the Dockers.

Last week against Collingwood he took control in wet and wild conditions, marshalling the troops in defence to spearhead the Hawks to another victory.

Blake Hardwick has always been highly rated internally but has become a true swingman in 2024. Hardwick has long been the go-to guy as a reliable shutdown defender, but Mitchell has utilised him as a deadeye forward at stages this season. A bag of four goals in the second half against Collingwood in Gather Round and a haul of five majors in the wet against Port Adelaide have been two of his standout performances.

Exciting youngster Josh Weddle could be the biggest ‘Mr Fix It’ of them all.

Weddle has largely had to ply his trade as a key defender this season after James Blanck’s pre-season ACL injury and he has done so with aplomb. But his speed, ball use and ability to break lines make him an option off half-back as well.

Dare we say it, could he one day become an inside midfielder in the mould of a Patrick Cripps or Marcus Bontempelli?

Speaking on AFL 360, Lewis said he has been somewhat surprised by Mitchell’s growth as a coach this season.

“I said privately when Sam got the job, they said what’s his greatest challenge? His greatest challenge was to connect with the group emotionally and to understand that hard edge and when to let them explore their personalities,” he said.

“He’s got the right balance. In our day, no way we would’ve been allowed to do that, but to his credit, he’s highly intelligent emotionally to let these players behave in the way that they do, it’s infectious, you can’t stop that because then the wins dry up. I thought it was his greatest challenge, but clearly, he has the skills to be able to adapt.”

Mitchell’s confidence to make in-game moves has turned games for the Hawks this season and that may just be their biggest asset in the run home.

MIDFIELD FINDS ITS GROOVE

The Hawks’ midfield failed to fire a shot in the first month of the season.

Their clearance game had been a major strength in 2023, but it had completely deserted the side in the first two months of 2024.

Enter Will Day.

Day has been a massive inclusion to the Hawks’ side, making his return in round eight after dealing with a foot stress fracture in the early parts of the season.

Last year’s Peter Crimmins Medallist adds another dimension to what can sometimes be a one-paced Hawthorn midfield unit, showcasing added speed and toughness around the ball.

Perhaps Hawthorn’s most improved player in 2024 is ruck Lloyd Meek. Meek had been teammate Ned Reeves’ understudy in 2023 but has made the number one ruck mantle his own this season.

The ex-Docker has become a crucial cog in Hawthorn’s finals push. To put his form into perspective, he is the second ranked player for hit-outs to advantage across the entire competition this season. You only have to go back and watch Jai Newcombe’s goal against Fremantle, or Luke Breust’s first against Collingwood, to see how good Meek’s tap work can be.

Alongside Day and Meek is James Worpel, who can hold his head high given his ultra-consistent campaign and Newcombe, who is starting to recapture some strong form to get back to the midfield bull he was last year.

Irishman Connor Nash is the enforcer in the midfield of the ground and loves a contest, while former Bomber Massimo D’Ambrosio has been a bargain recruit. Having arrived at Waverley for pick 61 and a future fourth round selection, his pinpoint accuracy by foot and desire to take on tough kicks makes him a strong asset to this Hawthorn side. Nash thrived in wet and wild conditions against Collingwood as the second ruck, utilising his rugby background to great effect. Remarkably, D’Ambrosio is ranked in the top 30 players this season by Champion Data.

Changkuoth Jiath is an excitement machine and will only get better with more minutes under his belt after a horror run with injury, while Sandringham Dragons product Cam Mackenzie is starting to thrive with increased responsibility.

REVAMPED FORWARD LINE

Hawthorn’s forward line has had a complete revamp in 2024.

Gone are the days of Franklin, Roughead and Rioli.

But there’s a fresh set of faces who are lead the Hawks in their quest for more silverware.

Dylan Moore is a captain in waiting and must be in All-Australian conversations at the midpoint of the season. Moore has booted 27 goals this season and ranks elite in disposals, marks, score involvements and ground ball gets. His story is amazing, after being delisted a handful of years ago, to becoming the vice-captain of this next generation of Brown and Gold.

The Hawks chased Mabior Chol last off-season and secured the former Tiger and Sun for a second-round pick tied to the Lions. Chol has been an astute acquisition, booting multiple goals in over half the games he has played in 2024. But perhaps most impressive has been his impact at ground level, where he ranks elite for key forwards for tackles.

Then there’s Jack Ginnivan. Hasn’t he brought some spark into this side? Ginnivan fell out of favour at the Pies but is absolutely flourishing at the club he supported as a kid. He’s playing with freedom and doing selfless things that he perhaps wasn’t in his early days at Collingwood. How electric was he against his former side on the weekend? Ginnivan put up a career-high 31 disposals in addition to two goals, tearing his old mob to shreds in a day he couldn’t have dreamed of. He plays with his heart on his sleeve and his footy IQ is off the charts.

When you add young gun Connor Macdonald and prized draftee Nick Watson to this mix, there’s a genuine bit of spunk about this forward line. Macdonald has hit the scoreboard in seven of his last eight games, including a career-high four against Collingwood and has averaged 17 disposals through that period, starring in a role as a high half forward.

Nick ‘The Wizard’ Watson is set to excite Hawthorn fans for the next decade and has taken significant strides forward in the past fortnight, kicking a clutch goal late to seal the win against the Dockers before a bag of three majors saw him awarded the round 19 Rising Star nomination. Melbourne champion Garry Lyon believes he’s about to “impose himself on the competition in a big way”. Lyon said this mosquito fleet of small forwards were giving Collingwood “all sorts of nightmares” last week and it’s easy to see why that could become a trend for opposition sides.

Three-time premiership Hawk Jack Gunston returned to the club after a one-year stint at Brisbane, with his leadership proving crucial to this young Hawks’ side. He’s taken young gun Calsher Dear under his wing to show him what it takes to make it as an AFL player.

Dear, the son of the late Paul, has taken to AFL level like a duck to water, showcasing his cleanliness at ground level and ability to take a big, contested grab. The rise of the Sandringham Dragons product this season has been outstanding, and the sky is the limit for the son of the 1991 Norm Smith Medallist.

Mitch Lewis won’t return from his ACL injury until the second half of 2025 but looms as a key part of Mitchell’s forward setup for the future.

There may not be the same big names as there were forward of centre during their three-peat dynasty, but there’s certainly a lot of excitement about this group.

THE RUN HOME

Can the Hawks really dare to dream of a finals campaign in 2024? It’s not as crazy as it sounds.

Let’s take a look at their remaining games for 2024.

Round 20 v Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)

Round 21 v GWS (Manuka Oval)

Round 22 v Carlton (MCG)

Round 23 v Richmond (MCG)

Round 24 v North Melbourne (UTAS Stadium)

There’s a good chance the Hawks could sneak in with three wins from their last five games, but four victories would make it a near certainty.

But there’s certainly a chance. Hawthorn’s last five weeks is ranked the fourth easiest by Champion Data and foxfooty.com.au’s Run Home, meaning if the Hawks can keep it up, you never know what might happen.

An opportunity against an in-form Adelaide outfit awaits this week, but the Hawks simply must win if they are to keep their finals flame flickering.

The Hawks have proven they can beat anyone on their day, but the question is, can they continue to sustain this red-hot form?

WHAT DO THEY TARGET NEXT?

The Hawks will be active in the off-season once more, as they try to lure more talent through their doors while they continue to rebuild.

When James Blanck went down with an ACL injury in the pre-season, there were fears amongst the footy world for how the Hawks would deal with such a brutal structural blow. 30-year-old Sam Frost has been tremendous this season, locking down some of the game’s biggest key forwards. James Sicily’s had to step up and play more of a lockdown role in Blanck’s absence, while former Sun Jack Scrimshaw has had a strong year as a second key defender, too. But the Hawks chased Ben McKay and Esava Ratugolea so there’s clearly a desire to bolster their key defensive stocks. St Kilda defender Josh Battle should be right at the top of their priority list.

Multiple reports in recent days say the Hawks are enquiring about star Eagle Tom Barrass as well who would be an amazing acquisition.

They’ve also been linked to star Bulldogs midfielder Bailey Smith, who would add some more class to their midfield group. Recent reports suggest Geelong might have their noses in front for his services, but does the Hawks’ recent form pique Bazlenka’s interest?

So, can the Hawks really pull off the unthinkable and continue their fairytale run to a finals campaign?

All eyes will be on the Adelaide Oval this Sunday evening, but the Sam Mitchell revolution is gaining ground rapidly.