It’s a big season for……

[TylerDurden]

CJ.

He either takes us to a new level, or he plays the year out at BH.

 

[Agent_99]

Lewis needs to remain injury free once he returns and ward needs to start showing us why he was taken at pick 6.

 

[Slainte]

My nominations are Henry Hustwaite and Bodie Ryan. There is a long queue in both the midfield and the back half. Standing in the queue will not be enough. Both have to show they have something special or they will not be on the list this time next year.

 

[fairdinks]

We have a very strong full list, but the few I worry about actually reaching the solid AFL player level are:
CJ - love him to bits but does he have the durability and footy smarts to go to the next level,,,,consistently? Club obviously thinks so.
Butler - I just don't see him going past others in the top 25. 2024 injury a real hold up for him. Last year?
Husthwaite - has some special talents. Great ball winner and distributor but is his lack of pace going to prevent him reaching the next level?
Bennets - can't really comment as have not seem he a lot at BH. Not sure if he steps up. Last year?
Blanck - was only solid previously at the level. After an ACL and with more talent ahead of him, he may be limited. Last year?
Reeves - another season like 2024 could see him look elsewhere. It depends on if he can step up to the way rucks are now operating, learn to take more marks and of course, the fitness of Meek.
Bailey Mac - its 2025 or bust. Last year?
Serong - will be a seriously consistent AFL player. Will it be at the hawks beyond 2025?
Lewis - one more serious injury and he will be put down

 

[unitedhawk]

I’ll break this down into three categories:

1. Those who need to take the next step from very good to potentially great: CMac and Weddle are the two players whom I reckon have the highest ceiling on our list. CMac could be our answer to the likes of Dusty, Petracca and De Goey, if he fulfils his potential. Weddle has all the tools to become one of the very best utilities the game has ever seen. If he progresses as we all hope he does, we won’t need Harley Reid as the topping on our premiership cake.
2. Those who are currently on the fringe of our best 23 to take the next step and become locked-in regulars: Ward and Frenchie. I love Worps but Ward has the potential to be a superior version - an inside mid beast with better disposal efficiency. Worps is well ahead at present; so, Ward has the challenge in front of him. Frenchie has a higher ceiling than Ward and could be truly elite - I’m hoping to see him keep progressing towards that level in 2025.
3. Those who need to show enough in 2025 to ensure they stay on the list in 2026: Butler, HH, Seamus, Serong. I think Butler played a lot of his junior footy on the wing and as a mid. I’d like to see him playing that role in preseason and at BH to see how he goes. I’m an HH fan in that he offers something different to our midfield mix with his already-elite hands in traffic. The knock on him appears to be lack of speed and tank, which may hold him back, given our game plan. Like Butler, perhaps Seamus can be trialled in midfield to see if he can add that string to his bow. With our new defensive signings, perhaps Serong could work as Gunston’s deputy up forward - a role he played in his first (and second?) season with us.

 

[TheFourPillars]

All other things being equal two players really change our fortunes this year. They are the two who have the most impact imo

CJ and Lewis

You get these two on the track and playing to their potential they become game changers and match winners for us.
CJ to own the wing and Lewis to own CHF. If they both do that with everything else being equal I think we will win it all next year.

 

[KermitJagger]

We're in a position where most of our players have time, but we do have a couple that can make the best team but need to get themselves right or they may unfortunately miss out on success:

1. Lewis - at his best he's an absolute gun, leads like a champion, kicks them from outside 50, but he's coming from a fair distance back in terms of his knee and the team he's returning to is a pretty different team to the one he last played a prominent role in. If he can't kick on, or he gets another injury, I don't know exactly what it means for him.

2. CJ - in a similar boat to Lewis, he's a guy who can change a game at his best but he suffered through some iffy form and injury this year. That we looked so good and moved the ball so well without him in the side later in the season means that he will need to come back in excellent form to confidently recapture his spot, and his body needs to stay together.

3. Blanck - had it all in front of him this year before injuring himself. He's at a crossroads with the injury going as badly as it has, he now has much stronger competition ahead of him. Both Barrass and Frost are old and experienced enough that we should have younger depth waiting in the wings, but

4. Ward - rumours are that we're targeting some much better, yet similar playstyle guys next off-season. Free Agents that would come in and immediately put paid to any chance Ward has of staying in the team. Ward has enough talent, and a great season from him could completely shift our list management strategy, but he still needs to make it happen.

From my perspective, the rest of the list I either don't see securing a spot and therefore don't think it's a massive year for them or they're young enough like Mackenzie that I think they've got time.

 

[CHUBBSS]

Other then bruest and Gunston I would say the whole squad, anyone drops in form and it might be a few weeks before you get another chance in the 1s.

 

[OhhhhhCyril]

Big year for lots of players, really depends on how you want to look at it.

Id nominate the following guys I wanna see take that next step.

Mckenzie (needs to build his tank to run out games)
Ward (foot skills, and cementing his spot)
CJ (No injuries, and still not sure if he is best 22 or not)
Lewis (back after injury.. can be find his best)
Baily Mcdonald (I have high hopes)
Day (can he learn how to shake a tag)

 

[kazzooka]

Start of last year Mitchell and Butler looked poised to earn best 22 status.

Butler had brilliant preseason and was impressing everyone, dominant start at Box Hill but struggled at AFL level then broke his leg I think first week back at Box Hill. Like Ward, Finn, Morrison, Watson, Dear, McKenzie, Butler was looking too good for VFL but he didn't make the step up while the others performed better when given a chance.

Mitchell didn't look like the 2023 player at all. Fumbly and shanking kicks and didn't get the ball anywhere near as often. I think the club were really hoping he could fill a small defensive spot so we didn't have such a heavy reliance on Hardwick.

 

[Strebi3]

Connor MacDonald, seen improvement this year but I think the ceiling is a long way off yet. A quiet finals appearance will drive him on, he can be the full package if he wants. Keen to see it in 2025.

A quiet finals series? Yeah he was quiet in the semi but was one of our best in the first final

 

[Bardo State]

I think all of these nominations make sense. I pretty much agree with the reasoning for all of them.

I'll go a bit out there and say Newk. In the first half of the year I was questioning whether he was just a good midfielder or whether he could be the best inside mid in a premiership team. In the back third of the season, he showed that he has that in him.

Can he do it for a full season and shake the Brownlow, MVP, get AA selection?

 

[Faraway Hawk]

Henry Hustwaite - He had a good solid end to 2023 and started the 2024 pre season on fire. However, he has gone missing since the 1st couple of rounds in 2024. I hope Sam is in his ear assuring him how his best assets could complement our current game plan. He should be banging the door down once again this pre season.

 

[moginie]

Josh Weddle.

It's a mystery where he lines up next season. Wherever he plays I hope it's with maximum impact.

Peter Burge.

He did a fantastic job this year. He's going to be tested next year with (what could be) a tougher draw recovery wise. We need him and his team to be at their absolute peak

 

[Fastback]

Chol, Maginess, Ginnivan and Ward for me - all shown they can play but there's a bit of a gap between their best and worst. Just think 2025 will give us a better indication if they are going to be long term contributors or hot/cold bit part types.

 

[parsons nose]

Chol, Maginess, Ginnivan and Ward for me - all shown they can play but there's a bit of a gap between their best and worst. Just think 2025 will give us a better indication if they are going to be long term contributors or hot/cold bit part types.

Agree with those four. Especially Chol. When he was at Gold Coast, his first season there was a revelation, unfortunately he couldn’t back it up the next year. I’ll be interested to see if he gets the second year blues at the hawks.

 

[jenniferHAWKinS]

The BOOK ENDS
Tom Barrass
1. Remain injury free and play most, if not all games.
2. Show the football world particular us in the Southern states how bloody he good he is.
3. Finally get an AA blazer.
4. Be that missing piece/big bodied defender that makes our backline number 1 both defensively and as an intercepting, attacking rebounding force.
Mitch Lewis
Successful comeback from his ACL, remain injury free and be cherry ripe for finals. A fit and firing Lewis instantly makes us better/ a serious premiership contender!

 

[FB19]

Who is at most risk of being delisted.
Hustwaite - not sure he has the speed for our game plan.
Bailey McDonald - has the speed but kicking suspect.
Bennetts - is he damaging enough as a small forward?
Scaife - is he good enough for the level and mobile enough?
Butler - is he good enough and even so is he simply not the right fit now for our list?

I think they are the main contenders. We may lose others to trade or retirement but these are the guys who need a big year to either stay in the list or get an opportunity elsewhere.

 

[kazzooka]

Agree with those four. Especially Chol. When he was at Gold Coast, his first season there was a revelation, unfortunately he couldn’t back it up the next year. I’ll be interested to see if he gets the second year blues at the hawks.

Chol did back it up, they just chose not to play him in the AFL. he was dominant in the VFL and the forwards they chose to play in the AFL in 2023 did no better than he did in 2022.

 

[The Golden Glenferrie]

Who is at most risk of being delisted.
Hustwaite - not sure he has the speed for our game plan.
Bailey McDonald - has the speed but kicking suspect.
Bennetts - is he damaging enough as a small forward?
Scaife - is he good enough for the level and mobile enough?
Butler - is he good enough and even so is he simply not the right fit now for our list?

I think they are the main contenders. We may lose others to trade or retirement but these are the guys who need a big year to either stay in the list or get an opportunity elsewhere.

I'd say that lot, minus Bailey McDonald, will be cut next year. Gut feel

 

[HairyO]

CJ and Lewis the 2 obvious ones to return from injury and stay injury free.

I get in trouble often for being negative on Lewis but he will be mid-20s and still never had close to a full season. If he can fully recover and play out the rest of his years with us that would be fantastic but I just dont see it.

CJ also isnt getting any younger and its a very similar feeling.

From the current list I think Macdonald could explode. He had some great games this year and if this becomes his usual, he could be the best small forward in the comp.

From the VFL squad, Hustwaite is one I'd love to see improve but if feels like he and a couple of others are going to end up delisted without really playing much AFL level football.

For the first time in a long time we are overflowing with young players, and its a great thing.

 

[peetoo]

CJ and Weddle

I’m already thinking how to avoid a premiership hangover in 2026 (like 2009)

 

[tommyk72]

Very surprised that no one so far has mentioned Sam Mitchell. This bloke has an opportunity to stamp himself as the best of the next gen coaches - if he hasn’t already. Amazing 2024. Want to see him take us to a prelim or grand final in 2025.

 

[unitedhawk]

Very surprised that no one so far has mentioned Sam Mitchell. This bloke has an opportunity to stamp himself as the best of the next gen coaches - if he hasn’t already. Amazing 2024. Want to see him take us to a prelim or grand final in 2025.

Good call!

Yes, I reckon Sam will continue to add more layers to our game-plan. His stated mantra is to stay ahead of the curve in terms of trends in the game and it'll be exciting to watch what the next step in our evolution will be in 2025.

Half a century ago, in Association Football (aka Soccer), the great Dutch teams of the 1970s invented 'Total Football', a revolutionary style of play that had players interchanging positions seamlessly during the course of the game to try and outwit the opposition. Our game-plan in 2024 had some similar strands, with players becoming more and more comfortable with playing more than one role, even within games.

Can't wait for 2025!

 

[Judd2Sewell]

I think CJ will struggle to get a spot in the side this season, regardless of fitness. Hopefully he is able to play a full season and gets back to his 2021 best.