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

[SSSSSS]

Link-up, distribution and gut running midfielder.
Essentially a Gaff with a bit more inside grunt.

Difficult to understand why we are sending him to Box Hill to work on his stoppage/clearance stff when he is not even asked to perform those duties at senior level, and it will only ever be 15% of his value, if that.

He will never be the inside grunt like Sewell, Worpel, Nash.

He's been asked to work on his contest work in the 2s because it's pretty appalling at AFL level.

He gets pushed off or under the ball too easily against the bigger bodies.

HFC development philosophy has always been around creating well rounded players. Not sure what Ward's long term role will be be but he was very good in close as a junior.

 

[SSSSSS]

Gaff was a gun but he’s quite literally Wards floor as a player. As a wingman.

Because it’s an improvement and it is clearly the role he’s best at (hybrid on baller) and will need to get better at to reach an A Grade + level.

No one can say he won’t, you don’t have a crystal ball but that’s not what he’ll end up as a midfielder, he’s again a hybrid type inside/outside classy midfielder.



Definitely important he keeps turning up week in week out and performing at high levels at box hill which he has been, he’ll get an opportunity and take it and that’ll be the end of it. Until then he continues to work on his game and producing at high levels.

Gaff was a bonafide gun. 2x All Australian. If that is Ward's ceiling I am taking it and running.

 

[eldorado]

Gaff was a gun but he’s quite literally Wards floor as a player.

Awww, come on now...

Anyone would be more than happy if their pick 5 turned out to be Gaff.

I don't know if Gaff is his ceiling, but he's certainly not his floor

 

[bigmaxi]

Some players come on quickly see Daicos and Reid some take time to develop see Sam Mitchell Michael Tuck. Josh will find his spot. Not going anywhere.

 

[arupist]

Some players come on quickly see Daicos and Reid some take time to develop see Sam Mitchell Michael Tuck. Josh will find his spot. Not going anywhere.

Even Jobe Watson and Gary Ablett Jr took a few years before "natural" improvement took them to the next level.

 

[SSSSSS]

Some players come on quickly see Daicos and Reid some take time to develop see Sam Mitchell Michael Tuck. Josh will find his spot. Not going anywhere.

Parish was written off as a complete spud by scum supporters for his first 5 years.

IIRC he played a lot of wing/HFF and just didn't look a natural.

Finally gets played in the guts year 6 and has an AA year.

Very similar size to Ward as well.

 

[rei154]

Parish was written off as a complete spud by scum supporters for his first 5 years.

IIRC he played a lot of wing/HFF and just didn't look a natural.

Finally gets played in the guts year 6 and has an AA year.

Very similar size to Ward as well.

I look at Ward as a far classier version of Parish.
Once he gets his confidence up and cracks in I can see a similar rise.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Gaff was a gun but he’s quite literally Wards floor as a player. As a wingman.

Because it’s an improvement and it is clearly the role he’s best at (hybrid on baller) and will need to get better at to reach an A Grade + level.

No one can say he won’t, you don’t have a crystal ball but that’s not what he’ll end up as a midfielder, he’s again a hybrid type inside/outside classy midfielder.



Definitely important he keeps turning up week in week out and performing at high levels at box hill which he has been, he’ll get an opportunity and take it and that’ll be the end of it. Until then he continues to work on his game and producing at high levels.

I appreciate your eagerness and optimism young fella, but you really need to reel in the colourful language and hyperbole.

Gaff was one of the premier wingman in the league for several years. He was an AA wingman and was a key figure in WCE's success.

How old were you when he was dominating for them?



If Ward becomes a player close to being as good as Gaff was we are laughing.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

I appreciate your eagerness and optimism young fella, but you really need to reel in the colourful language and hyperbole.

Gaff was one of the premier wingman in the league for several years. He was an AA wingman and was a key figure in WCE's success.

How old were you when he was dominating for them?

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If Ward becomes a player close to being as good as Gaff was we are laughing.

Probably went with the wrong language.

I believe Wards floor is a high level wingman, if he can’t make it on the inside, albeit I don’t believe that’ll happen.

Gaff was a gun, and is probably one of very few who actually made the AA side as a winger despite their numerous attempts at discrediting that role.

And 2018 wasn’t that long ago was it? (Doesn’t feel like it honestly).

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Dewyyyyy I really really hope you're right about Ward. It would be incredible for this team if he gets anywhere near A grade. I must admit, I have some doubts creeping in, but I think that's just impatience.

Be interested to know your brief thoughts on DGB's trajectory also (maybe in the DGB thread if you can be bothered sharing). He's the other one that if he comes good, we are laughing!

I think a lot of people get impatient with young players, you see the comparisons made at draft time, you see everyone talk up their ceilings and talents. You believe if they’re capable of it why don’t they do it right now?

Gaff was a bonafide gun. 2x All Australian. If that is Ward's ceiling I am taking it and running.

Awww, come on now...

Anyone would be more than happy if their pick 5 turned out to be Gaff.

I don't know if Gaff is his ceiling, but he's certainly not his floor

Think my language and message was misconstrued. Albeit my fault with how I portrayed it.

When I say that, I mean more so as the “type” of player or the “role” rather than the production.

I think Ward is a clear cut case of high floor high ceiling, I think his ceiling is of a high quality inside/outside hybrid midfielder. Floor wise I do believe he still has the capacity to make it as a hard working link up wingman with pretty good inside qualities, as was Gaff. High accumulation, death by a thousand cuts and he was quite underrated on the inside. I am of the belief Wards floor is that “type”.

Apologies for the confusion.

Gaff was a gun, and is probably one of very few who actually made the AA side as a winger despite their numerous attempts at discrediting that role.

 

[HawthornHawk]

Will be interested to see the coaches comments on his performance on the weekend. I was only able to catch the first half but there is a fair difference in his pressure and commitment to win a ground ball compared to some of the guys in the seniors atm.

His work rate was really evident but he wasn't used a great deal when he was presenting to provide link up which could explain his lower possession number.

 

[HAWKS2016]

32 disposals and a goal to go with it.
Numbers seem very positive.
What was everyone's perspective on his game? Not sure why he doesn't kick the ball more considering he has a beautiful kick even at a longer range!

 

[The German Hunter]

Ward was sent back to the 2’s to work on some things. His timing couldn’t have been worse as we have been on a hot run since he was omitted. He will be a special player, and playing a few games for the ressies isn’t a bad thing according to M.Tuck

 

[Mopar Jason]

Due to a lack of midfield opportunities could Ward be tried as a rebounding half back like Essendon's Andrew McGrath it seems to have worked wonders for him even though he was also recruited as a midfielder.

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[Dewyyyyy]

Due to a lack of midfield opportunities could Ward be tried as a rebounding half back like Essendon's Andrew McGrath it seems to have worked wonders for him even though he was also recruited as a midfielder.

Quote Reply

McGrath couldn’t make it as a midfielder and his talents are better as a defender with him being similar to Seamus. Quick and skillful but his pace and defensive nous to lockdown are quality. Wards talents definitely suit him being more of a midfielder (inside&out hybrid). I’d say most skillful mids with pace could play half back tho, but useless with that not being a spot either.

 

[kirbatron]

I've watched Wardy last few weeks.. no problem finding the footy but I query his damage.. keep in mind this is 2s.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

I've watched Wardy last few weeks.. no problem finding the footy but I query his damage.. keep in mind this is 2s.

I don’t query his damage as last weekend was probably the first game I’ve seen him handball it more and not use his kicking capacity.

 

[jenniferHAWKinS]

I've watched Wardy last few weeks.. no problem finding the footy but I query his damage.. keep in mind this is 2s.

You don’t have to kick the ball a country mile to be a great kick. Wardy is a beautiful kick in that 20-45 range. I much preferred Hill kicking the ball inside 50 than Smith who tended to over kick it. Merrett is a perfect example of a quality ball user in that 20-45 range. The question on Ward has not been his ball use, more about his hardness at the contest. Once a spot opens up in the 1’s I reckon he will take it and never look back.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

You don’t have to kick the ball a country mile to be a great kick. Wardy is a beautiful kick in that 20-45 range. I much preferred Hill kicking the ball inside 50 than Smith who tended to over kick it. Merrett is a perfect example of a quality ball user in that 20-45 range. The question on Ward has not been his ball use, more about his hardness at the contest. Once a spot opens up in the 1’s I reckon he will take it and never look back.

Don’t think it was hardness because there was that contest for example, against Collingwood last year, where he beelined the ball and got poleaxed but knocked it into space for Lewis’s sore from 50.

He was sent back for his stoppage craft and an opportunity to get his hands on the ball and some form, which he’s been doing, as you said once he gets his opportunity, he’ll take it and not look back.

 

[KermitJagger]

You don’t have to kick the ball a country mile to be a great kick. Wardy is a beautiful kick in that 20-45 range. I much preferred Hill kicking the ball inside 50 than Smith who tended to over kick it. Merrett is a perfect example of a quality ball user in that 20-45 range. The question on Ward has not been his ball use, more about his hardness at the contest. Once a spot opens up in the 1’s I reckon he will take it and never look back.

Ward is plenty hard at the contest, if anything I feel he's probably been intentionally held back as he's already suffered quite a few big concussions at a pretty young age.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Josh Ward (One goal, 33 disposals, 11 score involvements, 10 marks, four tackles, four inside 50s, three clearances) ​

“It was another really solid game from Wardy. He adjusted his game really well in the second half. I think he only had two kicks in the first half and was just overhandballing the ball. We were able to make some adjustments with that in the second half and he definitely started to use it by foot. We know how well Wardy can kick the ball. He’s hit the scoreboard as well which is really pleasing for a midfielder. He's continually working on that craft around the contest and stoppage and we're seeing, as I’ve mentioned each week, some growth in that area. It's just about him staying really consistent in that area.”