Four out of the last five and like 2021, are finishing the year off in style!
When you’ve got a game in which the Hawks didn’t win the contested ball, tackles, inside 50’s or scoring shots, it was a professional seven-point win that the Hawks came away with.
Alas, before the Monday night review with the fans, it’s time to dissect how every Hawk went.
Harry Morrison ⭐️⭐️
For his ability to find the footy, H-Mo gets a huge nod.
Footy fans are told by the media that Josh Daicos should be an All-Australian wingman and just this weekend, Morrison had +5 in disposals.
However, have we seen Harry use the ball worse than on the weekend?
A lot of missed targets amongst his 15 kicks but he did take six marks, have five score involvements, four tackles and four rebounds but there was not a lot of surety with the ball in hand.
Tom Mitchell ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Was another quintessential Tom Mitchell-style performance on the weekend, with 17 handballs amongst his 25 disposals.
Had 334 metres gained for the afternoon with his dozen contested possessions, with four marks, tackles and rebounds.
Used the ball at 84% and his ability to put players into space on the outside of the contest was exemplary.
Jarman Impey ⭐️⭐️
Wasn’t a highly productive day from Jars but did a couple of nice things in the front half.
Often played the thankless task of being the ‘fat side’ sweeper at stoppage and in the third quarter, did a nice job on Brandon Ellis.
Needs to be more dangerous ahead of the ball and with a Richmond side that is conceding some goals of late, he should be alright next week.
James Sicily ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A lot to like from 2022 All-Australian probable and by foot, he threatened all day.
However, by hand, it was a different story, with him setting Emerson Jeka and Jack Scrimshaw up in bad spots and both were pinged, with Jeka’s resulting in Nick Holman bringing the Suns back to within two goals in the last.
However, 88% disposal efficiency from 18 kicks, eight marks, seven intercepts, six rebounds and 587 metres gained is a huge tick and for a guy who’s come off an ACL, to spend 100% of the time on the field is a massive effort and the race for the PCM is down to two, it seems.
Ben McEvoy ⭐️⭐️
Was fantastic to see the milestone man get the win he deserved and kicked a nice snap goal that saw him being mobbed by his teammates.
Had six tackles which for a ruckman is outstanding but sometimes you’ve got to take into consideration the opponent on the day and Witts had 14 disposals, 44 hit-outs, six score involvements and clearances.
Jaeger O’Meara ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
You’ve got to love the way Jaeger is finishing his season.
He is having a huge impact on games with every possession and almost every contest he’s in the frame for.
Can’t ask for much better than 20 disposals, eight tackles, 26 pressure acts, eight clearances (team high), seven inside 50s, four marks and four score involvements.
Should’ve kicked two goals as he had so much space for his snap in the pocket but converted later on to put an exclamation point on a very good afternoon for the No.10.
Conor Nash ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Looked to have played more of a wing role and used the ball as maturely as we’ve seen.
Used the ball at 84% with seven contested possessions, had seven marks, six tackles, 24 pressure acts, 458 metres gained, five inside 50’s and only had the five centre bounces, out of a possible 22.
Is there a player who you’d like to be tackled by less in the competition?
Will Day ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Speaking of a mature performance, Day was really strong in the contest and always wanted to take the ball forward.
Had a dozen intercepts amongst his 20 disposals, and used the ball at 75%.
Also took five marks, had five rebounds and gained 360 metres throughout the afternoon but the stats don’t do the performance justice.
Add in the role on Malcolm Rosas for the majority of the game and kept him extremely quiet.
Dylan Moore ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
There’s a sense of repetition when it comes to the consistency of the No.13 but he once again dominated on the day, to the joy of Leigh Montagna on the commentary.
Had 26 disposals, 17 pressure acts, eight clearances (equal team high), six tackles, five score involvements, four marks and three inside 50’s read his day.
Can’t think of many more players who have put their heads over the ball more than Moore, who should make the All-Australian squad.
Jack Scrimshaw ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pound for pound, can we as footy fans talk about how Jack Scrimshaw could be one of the best marks in the competition?
Speaking of marks, he took half a dozen of them amongst his 21 disposals and used it by foot 16 times.
He also had eleven intercept possessions, six marks, five rebounds and 327 metres gained but has a contender for the worst kick of the season, with an absolute shank in the corridor in the third quarter.
Blake Hardwick ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Reports are circulating that when Dimma gets back to his home in Victoria, he had to empty his pockets and the sponges owed to Izak Rankine for the bath that Dimma gave him.
Rankine could be getting 900k a year for four years from Adelaide and Dimma responded to that by keeping him to eleven disposals at 36% efficiency and just a behind.
Dimma himself had 16 touches and took five marks, as well as five rebounds and 11 pressure acts on Saturday afternoon and more importantly, opens up the conversation about if the best lockdown small defender should get an All-Australian spot.
In 20 games in 2022, Dimma has conceded…….. 16 goals.
Jack Gunston ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When one player kicks 27.8% of the total goals in a game (five out of 18), you’re getting the full five stars.
Gunston kicked his fifth goal in the third quarter and made Sam Collins – who has won a best and fairest – look second-rate.
His set shot goal-kicking was unreal in the windy conditions and his footy IQ just proved that the Hawks need to keep the former best and fairest winner around so the young forward brigade can learn off one of the best in the competition.
Luke Breust ⭐️⭐️
Speaking of Hawks that need to stay until the end of their career, Sam Butler and Tyler Brockman need the veteran’s presence to further their nous and forward craft.
On the day, Punky deserved better than his 1.2 and had seven score involvements but six turnovers aren’t ideal and were often fumbly.
However, the respect he was given by his opponents was immense and is still an absolute star of the competition.
Jacob Koschitzke ⭐️⭐️
In the first half, Kosi couldn’t catch a cold if he was sneezed on at a doctor’s office and the confidence of the young key looked low but once he was behind the ball, he looked more sure of himself.
Kicked a beautiful set shot (no surprise there) and hauled in five marks but what was also terrific was that he had 14 pressure acts, which is above average for a forward.
2023 looks like a career-defining season for Kosi and one we will watch with ease.
Denver Grainger-Barras ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Anyone that has read these reviews before, knows that when it comes to key backs, disposals are not part of the criteria but contests and opponents are big factors.
Contests lost? Two. Tick!
Levi Casboult? One goal and two marks. Tick!
Also had six one-percenters and three intercept possessions in one of the better performances he’s had for the Hawks.
Josh Ward ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
One word: composure.
In yet another predominantly outside role, Ward had 20 disposals (eight contested) and used the ball at 80% efficiency and looked like a 150 gamer throughout.
He is kicking the ball much more now (14 kicks), had 356 metres gained, a dozen pressure acts, four tackles and four inside 50s but it was the score involvements that were most impressive.
The Pick 7 from the 2021 AFL Draft had a symmetrical score involvement day by having seven but the one that stood out was his delivery to Jaeger O’Meara in the third quarter.
If that doesn’t convince fans this kid will be a star, nothing will.
Jai Serong ⭐️⭐️
Jai did not do anything wrong at all and he got his welcome to the AFL in the second quarter.
His block on Sam Collins to allow Josh Ward to convert was footy smarts, a forward 50 kick to Jack Gunston was beautiful but he was also caught with the footy a few times and hesitated at times.
Would love to see him play the year out and look even more comfortable at the level.
Sam Butler ⭐️⭐️
Had three inside 50s and nine pressure acts but overall, the second-round pick from the 2021 Draft didn’t have a great impact on the contest.
Didn’t have a tackle in the forward 50 and half of his disposals were turnovers.
Connor MacDonald ⭐️⭐️
C-Mac didn’t do a lot wrong and had half a dozen intercepts as a forward but only used his 14 disposals at 43%.
18 pressure acts for a general forward is above average and his first year has been a real success.
Finn Maginness ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Touk Miller going into this game averaged 127.5 metres gained per quarter and when tagged by Finn Maginness, that number became 82.
Sorry, our mistake, not 82 per quarter, for the entire game!
At less than four metres per disposal and went at 57% efficiency!
Finn laid ten tackles amongst his 18 pressure acts and shut down a man who’s in the top five favourites for the Brownlow Medal and was almost given the five stars.
The next stage of the development of the father-son is hunting the footy as a pure mid but he is putting together a hit list we haven’t seen since Ryan Crowley, except without the annoyance.
Emerson Jeka ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Yes, Mabior Chol should’ve kicked a goal in that last quarter but Jeka did what Tom Barrass couldn’t do; combat Chol in the air and on the ground!
The Jeka Express took seven marks, had six intercepts, and had four one-percenters and three rebounds.
Poor bloke had eight turnovers but a few were holding the ball decisions in which he was put under the pump by teammates.
Still, it wouldn’t hurt to tidy up the ball use but the encouraging signs are flashing and growing at the same time.
Jai Newcombe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Most disposals by the Hawks and continually broke tackles and moved the ball forward.
Almost like the ultimate broken record and one Hawks fans are hoping plays forever.
His day read; 27 disposals, seven marks, seven marks, six intercepts, four rebounds, three inside 50’s and three clearances.
Using the ball at 78%, his link-up work with Tom Mitchell and Connor Nash, in particular, was extraordinary and will continue for a decade, with his whole midfield contingent going forward.
