Across the board, Sam Mitchell has assembled a team with virtually endless lineup possibilities thanks to his army of swingmen.
In three years, Sam Mitchell and his recruiting team have made amazing strides in rejuvenating the club post the 2013-2105 dynasty.
With his fingers perpetually on the pulse of the evolving playing styles in the AFL, Mitchell has made it clear he wants a team that can move the ball swiftly and aggressively, while also remaining adaptable to any changes in the game, whether that be from injury or a switch in strategy from opposing sides.
Under his leadership, recruiters have pursued talented speedsters, multi-disciplined athletes, and plucky youngsters with burgeoning footy smarts via the draft instead of retaining older, more experienced members of the list who were less suited to his master plan.
Come 2025, Mitchell’s fast-tracked rebuild is just about complete, culminating in the additions of the experienced Josh Battle, Tom Barrass, and draftees Noah Mraz, Cody Anderson, and Matt Hill to the line-up.
While the Hawks defied expectations last year, what makes this current side all the more formidable is just how flexible its players are when it comes to changing roles and positions on the field following what has been an successful draft/trade period and intensive preseason.
From speed, agility, clean skills, and footy smarts, whether that be defensive or offensive, Mitchell has assembled a team that can adapt in real time and (potentially) cause major headaches for competitors.
In back line, players Josh Battle, James Sicily, Jack Scrimshaw, and Blake Hardwick, share similar characteristics in what makes them great defenders.
However, their ability to intercept the footy, provide clear marking targets, and use the ball cleanly make them just as effective as forwards. In fact, each of them started their junior careers as forwards before making the switch into defence.
The experiment of Sicily and Hardwick in the forward line throughout 2024 proved fruitful for the Hawks, while in the case of Battle, there have been many occasions where he moved up the ground during his time as a Saint.
With defensive depth established through recent trades and drafts, swinging any of these players forward shouldn’t mean compromising defence in the back line. This is extremely helpful at a time when key forwards like Calsher Dear and Mitchell Lewis are faced with an extended period on the sidelines early this season.
Staying in the defensive 50, players like Josh Weddle, Changkouth Jiath, and even Karl Amon have proven their usefulness up the ground.
Weddle is the prime example as his talent and skill makes him an asset just about anywhere on the ground. Whether on the wing, in the ruck or inside the attacking-50, Weddle is the ultimate utility; a walking, talking Swiss army knife who can just about do it all.
Jiath and Amon, who are often relegated to half-back, are also excellent wingmen due to their elite aerobic capacity and silky skills. Over the last few seasons, this has particularly been the case with Amon, whose experience and penetrating left foot are super effective in getting the ball deep inside our forward fifty.
Meanwhile, Jiath’s agility and speed make him exciting to watch on the wing. And, if footage from the Hawk’s preseason socials is to be believed, his kicking and cleanliness with the ball has improved, all while maintaining his stellar athleticism; meaning he could see himself on the wing or perhaps even half-forward in a season that looms as a breakout for the 25 year-old.
The Hawk’s engine room is humming with pliable talent also. Will Day, typically a mainstay in the midfield, has been spotted training up forward this preseason in what looks to be a Bontempelli-type role. His composure and leadership could prove invaluable for the young forward line and his excellent foot skills should see him slotting in a few snags for himself.
On the other hand, players like Jai Newcombe and James Worpel have proven to be handy half-forwards in the past.
Their hard running, leading patterns, and kicking range have seen them notch up some impressive goals in the past. The hunt and defensive pressure they would provide in the forward line could also prove useful for the crumbers in Nick Watson and Jack Ginnivan, clearing a path to help them access the ball in congestion.
In the forward line, you have the experience of veteran Jack Gunston, whose assistance down back has proven vital in games past, whilst the simmering talent of Connor McDonald, who is itching to break out into the midfield, can never be overlooked.
It doesn’t stop there. New draftee, Cody Anderson, while untested at AFL level, looks set to become yet another midfield/forward player in Mitchell’s toolkit.
At junior and VFL levels, he’s proven he can handle himself in the midfield, using his strength and determination to make an impact, while also being a dead-eye in front of the sticks. In a similar mould to Newcombe or Worpel, he could be the type of player that could bust through our opponent’s defence and hit the scoreboard.
While some of these players don’t necessarily fit the textbook definition of a swingman, the sentiment is clear.
Mitchell has developed a side built on multi-skilled, well-rounded talent – on ball movers and speedsters, intercepters and gruntmen, whose adaptability makes them hard to pin down and even harder to predict.
The flexibility of Sam’s Swingmen ties into the depth he and the recruiting team have tried to cultivate across the ground since beginning their rebuild in 2022, especially in light of recent injury woes.
Ultimately, this should all make for a consistent yet unpredictable and exciting brand of footy that will be put on full display in 30 days when the season 2025 finally starts.
