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

[Simon_Nesbit]

I think it genuinely just comes down to him being too nice, not wanting the ball enough.

It's not often I agree with you Dewyyyyy but this time I do.

Ward's now got the body of an AFL footballer. He's always had the fitness, and I don't remember him getting knocked around too much - a few times he's copped a big hit and got straight up and back into it. He just needs to find the mentality to be proactive.

He is often in good positions, on the edge of the camera shot in space, unmarked and ready to be next link in the chain....and he just stands there with his thumb up his .... as his team-mate either gets tackled, kicks long or desperately looks for someone else. Early days I thought he might have been a trouble-maker, as it seemed his team-mates were actively avoiding him - but I now realise he's just invisible on the field.

I hope Ward plays the rest of the year (at Box Hill - Finals!) as the #1 mid, and finds some of that aggro/ego. Find your voice and DEMAND the ball.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

It's not often I agree with you Dewyyyyy but this time I do.

Ward's now got the body of an AFL footballer. He's always had the fitness, and I don't remember him getting knocked around too much - a few times he's copped a big hit and got straight up and back into it. He just needs to find the mentality to be proactive.

He is often in good positions, on the edge of the camera shot in space, unmarked and ready to be next link in the chain....and he just stands there with his thumb up his .... as his team-mate either gets tackled, kicks long or desperately looks for someone else. Early days I thought he might have been a trouble-maker, as it seemed his team-mates were actively avoiding him - but I now realise he's just invisible on the field.

I hope Ward plays the rest of the year (at Box Hill - Finals!) as the #1 mid, and finds some of that aggro/ego. Find your voice and DEMAND the ball.

Spot on, I can say I’m the same so I can understand where he is coming from, but the change of mindset needs to happen for him to make it, if he does he will be a super player.

 

[HAWKS2016]

For a former top 10 pick this thread is very quiet. How was his game on the weekend?

 

[rei154]

For a former top 10 pick this thread is very quiet. How was his game on the weekend?

Played well in patches, his finish was very strong.

All the Ward talk is going on in the trade threads

Is a chance to come in this week imo.

 

[bigmaxi]

I like him, and I want to keep him.

 

[Flukey!]

I felt he was much better when he kept the ball lower and played to the conditions yesterday.

But watch him play at that level and he is a class above.

 

[Mojo]

Stagnated perhaps isn't the right word.. but his progression dramatically slowed down this year.

How do y'all evaluate his season?

 

[Iceman!]

Stagnated perhaps isn't the right word.. but his progression dramatically slowed down this year.

How do y'all evaluate his season?

I think stagnated is relatively fair, i think we all hoped he would have taken bigger strides this year and cemented a spot in the best 22.

In his defence he is being kept out by one of the best performing units in the league. It is also tough on him because he looks a class above at VFL level in a role that he doesn't get at AFL level. If you were to give him a grade on the season so far i feel a C/C+ is probably about right. It is a pass mark but only just. Next year will be a big year for him, if he is going to be the player we al hope he can be you would want to start seeing it regularly at AFL level.

Who knows he may still have a role to play in the finals if things fall his way and it could be the making of him.

 

[I wanna pash Nash]

I think he's next in after Finn or any other mid/wing. Honestly I'd prefer him over Finn currently. Not that I don't rate Finn I just think Ward could play the role that Finn is being asked to play in the side better. Sam and the coaches obviously think otherwise though so who am I to disagree.

It would have been nice for Ward to have cemented a spot in the side this year. But that's the problem with having an injury free and well performing senior midfield. He's certainly been playing well at Boxhill. Sam speaks very highly of him and so do the other coaches. Obviously next year is a huge season for him and if he isn't regular 22 by the seasons end the conversations about him will intensify.

You'd imagine he's a player on our list that if a club came sniffing and offered overs we'd certainly ask Ward if he wanted more opportunity but I doubt we'd push him out.

 

[JZedd]

I'll back Ward in more so for 2025. He does need a little more aggro about him.

 

[Titch3Votes0MooreAA]

I hope he plays in the Elimination Final. His skills are going to be needed in the wet over Maginness. Could be needed with no Day as well. I am still very high on Ward overall; it's just hard for him to find a spot with so much midfield talent who are more structurally important at this time, and he doesn't have as much versatility to remain in the team as Cam Mackenzie does when he hasn't been playing midfield. I think his contested game has improved throughout the season at Box Hill. That said, his performance vs GWS was worrying. And he could be one that clubs, particularly Collingwood, try to pry away this offseason. I hope he remains a Hawk.

 

[number23]

I hope he plays in the Elimination Final. His skills are going to be needed in the wet over Maginness. Could be needed with no Day as well. I am still very high on Ward overall; it's just hard for him to find a spot with so much midfield talent who are more structurally important at this time, and he doesn't have as much versatility to remain in the team as Cam Mackenzie does when he hasn't been playing midfield. I think his contested game has improved throughout the season at Box Hill. That said, his performance vs GWS was worrying. And he could be one that clubs, particularly Collingwood, try to pry away this offseason. I hope he remains a Hawk.

The Pies have picks 32, 48 and 50 at the moment. That's like 3 sets of steak knives unless they have a trade in mind.

 

[Titch3Votes0MooreAA]

The Pies have picks 32, 48 and 50 at the moment. That's like 3 sets of steak knives unless they have a trade in mind.

Was talking more about their need than their outright ability to do so. They need another young midfielder who could be a star and has some experience now at the AFL level alongside Daicos. Reckon they would be looking at Ward and Ben Hobbs from Essendon considering their talent and having poor years compared to 2023. I know a few people who have relatively close links to Ward, and they've indicated to me (without definitively saying) that he isn't exactly happy about his current status at the club. Ned Long is also at Collingwood, and they continue to be close mates (they were growing up even outside of footy and being at Hawthorn).

That said, I'm confident he'll be at Waverley in 2025. Ward, Mackenzie, Day, and MacDonald (when he eventually rotates in) as the classy, skilled midfielders of the side. Newcombe, Worpel, and Nash as the hard, brute force extractors. It makes you froth at the mouth at the thought of what they could be together...

 

[Mississippi]

I hope he plays in the Elimination Final. His skills are going to be needed in the wet over Maginness. Could be needed with no Day as well. I am still very high on Ward overall; it's just hard for him to find a spot with so much midfield talent who are more structurally important at this time, and he doesn't have as much versatility to remain in the team as Cam Mackenzie does when he hasn't been playing midfield. I think his contested game has improved throughout the season at Box Hill. That said, his performance vs GWS was worrying. And he could be one that clubs, particularly Collingwood, try to pry away this offseason. I hope he remains a Hawk.

Can't agree with that.
This is going to be a tough, close-checking, hard-tacking inside midfield contest in probably slippery conditions - with possibly a hard tagging role on the Bont.
There's no way Ward should be preferred to Maginness in these circumstances.

 

[MazHawk]

Can't agree with that.
This is going to be a tough, close-checking, hard-tacking inside midfield contest in probably slippery conditions - with possibly a hard tagging role on the Bont.
There's no way Ward should be preferred to Maginness in these circumstances.

And I can't agree with that.
Ward is composed with the ball and whilst not always charging it forward he can be depended upon to deliver it directly to a team-mate. That might be more useful in wet conditions than a bull who bangs it forward but has limited control and fairly dire kicking efficiency.

All that said I think Finn will stay in though as Sam has proven he's averse to changing winning line-ups and Finn hasn't been doing much wrong. Line ball though.

 

[H00t]

And I can't agree with that.
Ward is composed with the ball and whilst not always charging it forward he can be depended upon to deliver it directly to a team-mate. That might be more useful in wet conditions than a bull who bangs it forward but has limited control and fairly dire kicking efficiency.

All that said I think Finn will stay in though as Sam has proven he's averse to changing winning line-ups and Finn hasn't been doing much wrong. Line ball though.

Ward’s got much better kicking than Finn.

The problem with Ward is his contested work. He’s had a lot of difficulty with it at AFL level. It’s only going to be more of a challenge for him in finals. Finn at least always competes well.

If Finn can win or half contests he is at that will be much more helpful than what Ward has offered this year.

Ward will likely be the better player in coming years. He’s not ahead of Finn yet though.

 

[Mississippi]

And I can't agree with that.
Ward is composed with the ball and whilst not always charging it forward he can be depended upon to deliver it directly to a team-mate. That might be more useful in wet conditions than a bull who bangs it forward but has limited control and fairly dire kicking efficiency.

All that said I think Finn will stay in though as Sam has proven he's averse to changing winning line-ups and Finn hasn't been doing much wrong. Line ball though.

Err ... right.
You cant agree with me that Finn will be preferred to Ward.

But then you conclude that Finn will be be preferred to Ward.
Glad we cleared that up.

 

[Titch3Votes0MooreAA]

The last hope...
Your time has come, young Josh.
Do us proud.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

He’s got a huge opportunity here now.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

He’s got a huge opportunity here now.

Was good in the VFL final too, deserves this. Couple of good games before one poor one and out, dominating VFL over the year, and now the opportunity. Raised his game in the last quarter of the vfl final to bring box hill back into it, so will be looking to do the same at afl level, well and truly capable.

 

[Mojo]

Feel like he just doesn't have the confidence or belief in himself yet.

 

[Sixpence]

Feel like he just doesn't have the confidence or belief in himself yet.

Hard to get when you're in and out of the side!

Back him in, he's too good for VFL.

 

[Holy Rioli]

In the GWS game he seemed to wait for the ball in fear of making a mistake or over running it. It meant by the time he got the ball he was under immense pressure and just made poor decisions.

In the VFL on the weekend he clearly attacked the ball. Would he happy for him to come into the team in McKenzie’s place.

 

[Kenyan]

I have confidence this young bloke will become a very good player for the mighty Hawks. Got the right attitude and surrounded by people who know how to develop young players. Cant wait to sit back and watch his progress over the next few years.

 

[Chioli]

The Pies have picks 32, 48 and 50 at the moment. That's like 3 sets of steak knives unless they have a trade in mind.

32 for Ward would be a great deal for us


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