Welcome Welcome to Hawthorn: Josh Ward. Extends to 2025!

[Mississippi]

He was finding plenty of the pill at VFL level as an inside mid, as are Finn and Harry.

Frenchy found plenty in the 2s on the weekend.

Everyone is pushing and driving each other to be better.

He actually wasn't (as an inside mid).
Morison and Hustwaite were doing the bulk of the inside work for Box Hill and Ward was mostly doing the uncontested stuff and linking up. That's why the coaches were telling him to work on his "stoppage craft".

I think Mackenzie will become an inside player similar to Newk and Worps but Ward's strength will be more of the outside running game (similar to Darren Pritchard).

 

[Dewyyyyy]

He actually wasn't (as an inside mid).
Morison and Hustwaite were doing the bulk of the inside work for Box Hill and Ward was mostly doing the uncontested stuff and linking up. That's why the coaches were telling him to work on his "stoppage craft".

I think Mackenzie will become an inside player similar to Newk and Worps but Ward's strength will be more of the outside running game (similar to Darren Pritchard).

Morrison was not playing as an inside mid whilst Ward was, played wing and HB. Ward was mainly midfield with Hustwaite and Maginness.

Wards strength will be as an inside mid, who can use his power inside and outside, think Walsh, Crawf, Cousins, Merrett.

 

[SSSSSS]

He actually wasn't (as an inside mid).
Morison and Hustwaite were doing the bulk of the inside work for Box Hill and Ward was mostly doing the uncontested stuff and linking up. That's why the coaches were telling him to work on his "stoppage craft".

I think Mackenzie will become an inside player similar to Newk and Worps but Ward's strength will be more of the outside running game (similar to Darren Pritchard).

I missed a few BHH games in early July as I was overseas but I could swear he was getting plenty of CBA's in the 2s along with HH, Porter and Finn in many matches throughout May-June.

 

[jenniferHAWKinS]

Ward has played his role well the last 2 weeks. Showed a lot more composure with ball in hand since returning. Runs hard
and uses the ball well. In time he will break tackles and accelerate into space more. Eventually he will play more inside midfield minutes (had a couple of CBA’s on the weekend). Similar attributes and should model his game on the likes of Z Merrett and J Macrae.

 

[Mississippi]

I missed a few BHH games in early July as I was overseas but I could swear he was getting plenty of CBA's in the 2s along with HH, Porter and Finn in many matches throughout May-June.

If you compare the contested v uncontested possessions (as distinct from CBAs) - playing from Box Hill this year, Hustwaite by far gets more CPs compared with uncontested than Ward who has played more of a linking game finding space. Whilst Ward has been attending stoppages, it's HH and Maginness (and some Box Hill fellas) who've generally got the contested possessions.

HH's ration is about 2 to 1 (every 2nd possession is contested).
Ward's is somewhere between 1 contested per every 3 or 4 possessions.

 

[daniel23]

When he hits the contest hard he shows why he was an early pick, because he does have tidy skills and makes the right decisions. I haven't liked his inside work up until yesterday, thought he has been very reactive and not hard enough when he needed to be. I'm happy he played well and hopefully gives him a good boost of confidence , because you can tell hard he is on himself.

 

[SammyC]

Thought he was super. Unfortunately at the moment with full-ish list think we play 2 of finn, mackenzie and ward, with one of the two in the sub vest (and then need to rotate that role).

i think ultimately finn drops out of our best side but injuries happen.

 

[Mississippi]

Yep, Mackenzie must be in the best 22, with Ward.
The unlucky one is Hustwaite (as well as Maginness).

What a nice problem to have - depth.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Dropped again after only three games, two of which were good (IMO).

I wonder if he will be considering his future at the club if he finishes off the season at Box Hill.

0 CBA vs GWS
7 CBA vs Crows
7 CBA vs Pies

He's wasn't given much of a chance to run through the middle to show that he's improved in the area the coaches had wanted him to.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Dropped again after only three games, two of which were good (IMO).

I wonder if he will be considering his future at the club if he finishes off the season at Box Hill.

0 CBA vs GWS
7 CBA vs Crows
7 CBA vs Pies

He's wasn't given much of a chance to run through the middle to show that he's improved in the area the coaches had wanted him to.

I hope not. I wouldn’t blame him if he did however.

 

[Mississippi]

He will certainly finish his season at Box Hill.
And the decision to leave at end of year may not be his.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

He will certainly finish his season at Box Hill.
And the decision to leave at end of year may not be his.

He isn’t getting shipped around or delisted. Don’t be stupid.

 

[daniel23]

He's a cream on top player, will look good when the whole team is doing well. But won't be the player that will stand up when we might not be travelling so well, like the second half of last week. He was good againt Adelaide, but take away where he was drafted does he genuinely show enough quality attributes.

 

[The Chad and I]

He's a cream on top player, will look good when the whole team is doing well. But won't be the player that will stand up when we might not be travelling so well, like the second half of last week. He was good againt Adelaide, but take away where he was drafted does he genuinely show enough quality attributes.

Hasty judgement.
The guy is absolutely capable of being a first-line midfielder.
He's just unlucky that we found 3 guys who hit career-best form just as he arrived at the club.

It also didn't help him that MacKenzie seems to have been anointed Golden Child status as next in line, which I have to say, is merited. MacKenzie has the potential to do everything required of a mid, and has a touch of class that is rare.

So if Ward moves on, I'd understand.
I just hope we get full value for him.
He's still worth a first round pick.

 

[TONYC3163]

Hasty judgement.
The guy is absolutely capable of being a first-line midfielder.
He's just unlucky that we found 3 guys who hit career-best form just as he arrived at the club.

It also didn't help him that MacKenzie seems to have been anointed Golden Child status as next in line, which I have to say, is merited. MacKenzie has the potential to do everything required of a mid, and has a touch of class that is rare.

So if Ward moves on, I'd understand.
I just hope we get full value for him.
He's still worth a first round pick.

I don't think first-round picks are happening for players playing at box hill a fair chunk of the time.

 

[Iceman!]

Hasty judgement.
The guy is absolutely capable of being a first-line midfielder.
He's just unlucky that we found 3 guys who hit career-best form just as he arrived at the club.

It also didn't help him that MacKenzie seems to have been anointed Golden Child status as next in line, which I have to say, is merited. MacKenzie has the potential to do everything required of a mid, and has a touch of class that is rare.

So if Ward moves on, I'd understand.
I just hope we get full value for him.
He's still worth a first round pick.

You’d have to just hold him and hope he stamps a spot in the team next year. We would be pushing shit up hill to get a first currently.

I strongly believe he is worth more to us than he is in a trade.

 

[Hodgey 15]

He will certainly finish his season at Box Hill.
And the decision to leave at end of year may not be his.

Coaching staff have been busting their gut trying to find a spot for him in the side because they know what a high ceiling he has and his performances at Box Hill have been difficult to ignore.
Since he came back in senior side (albeit GWS game) he's shown some great signs and done some bloody good stuff.
They're not going to throw their hands up in the air and discard him like that.

 

[BIGHAWK23]

He will certainly finish his season at Box Hill.
And the decision to leave at end of year may not be his.

Horrendous statement

 

[stevehawkington]

Kids got potential just hasn't found the right position/needs another preseason

He goes at the end of the year we will be pissed watching him win a brownlow elsewhere

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Good to see some are willing to just wash their hands of Ward when he isn't even 21 yet. Hoping the club sees things very differently.

 

[tommyk72]

He's a cream on top player, will look good when the whole team is doing well. But won't be the player that will stand up when we might not be travelling so well, like the second half of last week. He was good againt Adelaide, but take away where he was drafted does he genuinely show enough quality attributes.

I dare say that will change within the next 25 games he plays.

 

[HedgeFund]

Coaching staff have been busting their gut trying to find a spot for him in the side because they know what a high ceiling he has and his performances at Box Hill have been difficult to ignore.
Since he came back in senior side (albeit GWS game) he's shown some great signs and done some bloody good stuff.
They're not going to throw their hands up in the air and discard him like that.

Coaching staff don’t bust guts trying to find spots for players.

We have barely had any injuries in our midfield. Day aside, everyone else has been available all year. That’s pretty rare.

FWIW - Ward is about to turn 21 and has played 40 AFL games.

At the same age Sam Mitchell has played 30 games - in a team which was sinking to be 17th the next year.

We will play the long game with both players.

IMHO Mackenzie and Ward will ultimately end up in our regular midfield, and if that means some others shift out and play a bit more forward or back, so be it.

 

[Suntory Boss Coffee]

Our mids have to find other positions if Frenchy and Ward are to find their way in.

Day needs to work on his forward work. Jai looks better their currently. Worps and Nash are the ones that really can only play in the guts.

 

[Nick the Pig]

Hasty judgement.
The guy is absolutely capable of being a first-line midfielder.
He's just unlucky that we found 3 guys who hit career-best form just as he arrived at the club.

It also didn't help him that MacKenzie seems to have been anointed Golden Child status as next in line, which I have to say, is merited. MacKenzie has the potential to do everything required of a mid, and has a touch of class that is rare.

So if Ward moves on, I'd understand.
I just hope we get full value for him.
He's still worth a first round pick.

This exactly.

At the beginning of last year Day had yet to be moved to midfield and Worps/Nash were on shaky ground. Since then we've seen our core 4 mids not only develop and excel but largely remain injury free.

Ward has had to bide his time along with Mackenzie and Finn. The kid can play. The dream run our mids have had with injuries these past 2 seasons could easily come crashing down.

Ward is on the cusp. The opportunities will come. He may not have totally grasped his chance just yet but he looks too good to simply be forever next cab/depth ala Morrison.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Our mids have to find other positions if Frenchy and Ward are to find their way in.

Day needs to work on his forward work. Jai looks better their currently. Worps and Nash are the ones that really can only play in the guts.

Nash really needs to find a way to use his height more, Worps with his pressure and power as a forward. Day back and forward, Jai forward. Ward wing and Mackenzie HF.