Drafted at pick 35, Noah Mraz is the latest addition to Hawthorn’s now-stacked defensive lineup.
Junior Career
Another recruit with a basketball background, Mraz retired from the sport back in 2022, formerly playing for the Dandenong Rangers.
Despite representing Vic Metro in basketball twice during his junior career, Mraz opted to concentrate on football rather than chasing an NBL career; a decision which has proven to be the right one so far.
After leaving the Rangers, Mraz joined the Dandenong Stingrays, whose coaches urged him to play football following a standout performance at his opening try-out a year prior.
Originally trialling in the ruck, Mraz was surprised by the Stingrays coaches after they assigned him to the key defensive post.
And despite initially disagreeing with the positional change, Mraz quickly embraced the role, relishing the challenge of playing defensively, particularly in one-on-one battles with opposition forwards.
In his twelve games across the 2023 Coates Talent League season, Mraz averaged eleven disposals and three marks; an impressive start to his junior career considering his lack of prior footballing experience.
His performances throughout the season ultimately caught the eyes of recruiters and scouts respectively, and Mraz was soon invited to trial with Vic Country’s under-18s as a bottom-ager, earning a spot in the squad and playing a game alongside other future AFL draftees.
Later that year, he was also selected for the AFL Futures Match, which raised the curtain for the AFL Grand Final, giving Mraz his first taste of playing on the fabled MCG turf.
In his short 2024 campaign with the Stingrays, lasting only three games due to a serious ankle inury, Mraz averaged 19.5 disposals, six intercepts, 2.5 intercept marks and 3.5 spoils.
In his season best 24-disposal performance against Gippsland, where he played both in the backline and in the ruck, Mraz demonstrated his competitiveness, agility and athleticism, earning comparisons to players like Mark Blicavs and Harris Andrews.
Such performances earned Mraz an AFL Academy selection and the opportunity to train with the Collingwood Football Club, ultimately providing him with a taste of life as a professional footballer.
Despite a significantly interrupted draft year, bookmarked by the previously mentioned navicular ankle injury, club interest in Mraz pre-draft was well reported, with Sydney, GWS and Gold Coast all publically keeping tabs on the young defender.
Though it’s relatively uncommon for clubs to target prospects who aren’t able to consistently get out on the park during their draft year, his stellar approach to recovery, which included a diligent conditioning program that saw him stack on nine kilograms of muscle, reportedly impressed many within the AFL system.
Additionally, his performance at the National Draft Combine also turned recruiters heads.
Mraz registered 6:32 in the 2km time trial, a feat considered extremely impressive for a player his size, and recorded 88 cm vertical leap and 8.468 seconds in the agility test, further highlighting his athletic prowess.
Ultimately, Mraz was projected to land in the 30-40 range of the draft, which is where Hawks recruiters used pick 35 to nab him, much to the displeasure of Gold Coast who were reportedly planning on trading up to take him over the next couple of picks.
What He Brings To The Club
At 198cm, Mraz is very mobile for his size, whilst also possessing a great vertical leap and advanced coordination.
Despite often playing as a key defender, he has exhibited the flexibility to play across the ground, not simply because of his athleticism, but because of his advanced football IQ, giving him the ability to read the play and judge the flow of the game better than the average player.
In the defensive half, Mraz should prove to be a handy interceptor or shut-down player, depending on what is required.
The ability to use his size in one-on-one duels and to impact contests as a floating defender, much like James Sicily, will prove extremely valuable for Mraz when making his case for selection in the future.
Mraz and his fellow developing defenders in Will McCabe and Bodie Ryan will likely form the backbone of Hawthorn’s next rock-solid defensive unit when current stalwarts Sam Frost, James Sicily and the recently obtained Tom Barrass eventually hang up the boots.
Mraz’s resilience and dedication to his craft off-field, particularly during his recovery, also prove to be admirable traits, hinting at leadership potential in his future at the club.
Perhaps this is why he was given the number 21 (which formerly belonged to former captain Richie Vandenberg) earlier this pre-season.
