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This is a big call and we may look foolish at the end of the year but if the Hawks can pick up where they left off midway through last year (with 11 wins, one draw from 16 games) and Alastair Clarkson’s revised game plan is effective, they will definitely finish top four.
Hawthorn were the first team to start a season 1-6 and still make finals. They are in the perfect spot to regain their competitive edge and do what they couldn’t last year and take it up to the big teams.
Hawthorn still have 16 players from their 2008 premiership team on the list, plus two-time premiership player Shaun Burgoyne.
The Hawthorn spine looks solid but the club will need someone to step up in defence in the wake of Campbell Brown’s departure. They will miss Brown’s hardness, however there are two youngsters vying for his spot in newbies Paul Puopolo and former Demon, Kyle Cheney.
The Hawks midfield is solid. Hodge, Mitchell and Sewell will lead from the front, While players like Suckling and Savage need to take their games to the next level if the Hawks are too succeed.
Lance “Buddy” Franklin needs to be firing at centre-half-forward, kicking goals and harrying opposition defences. Hawks fans will be hoping he and Jarryd Roughead can have another 50-goal plus season while Cyril Rioli can provide that brilliance in front of the big sticks.
Pressure will lift from the club’s number one ruckman Brent Renouf, after the Hawks bolstered their ruck stocks picking up David Hale from North Melbourne who can also play forward (he was the Kangaroos leading goalkicker in 2008).
Paul Johnson was given the final spot on the club’s rookie list and will provide good back up once he overcomes a foot injury. Max Bailey also looks set to return after three knee reconstructions.
There are some other promising arrivals at the club in former amateur boxer, Mitch Hallahan and mature-aged midfielder Isaac Smith but no one more prominent than former Melbourne utility, Cameron Bruce. The 31-year-old’s ability to play as a midfielder, rebounding defender or a mid-sized forward, gives Clarkson a plethora of options.
The Hawks have a pretty good draw with four winnable games at Aurora, 11 at the ‘G , two at Etihad and only one game against last year’s grand finalists.
Coach Clarkson was expecting his 2008 methods to continue working the following two seasons and that hasn’t been the case. Bet your bottom dollar that he’s spent the entire pre-season trying to regain his post as a tactical trendsetter. And with a fit roster and a revised game plan, Clarkson’s Hawks will be dangerous in 2011.
Team: Hawthorn Hawks
Homeground: MCG (100,000)
Coach: Alistair Clarkson
Season 2010: Seventh (P-22 W-12 L-9 D-1 50pts 110.67%)
2011 squad: Max Bailey, Chance Bateman, Grant Birchall, Cameron Bruce, Shaun Burgoyne, Kyle Cheney, Taylor Duryea, Xavier Ellis, Lance Franklin, Josh Gibson, Stephen Gilham, Sam Grimley, Brent Guerra, David Hale, Mitch Hallahan, Luke Hodge, Rick Ladson, Jordan Lewis, Jordan Lisle, Angus Litherland, Luke Lowden, Sam Mitchell, Jarryd Morton, Thomas Murphy, Michael Osborne, Paul Puopolo, Brent Renouf, Cyril Rioli, Jarryd Roughead, Shane Savage, Ryan Schoenmakers, Brad Sewell, Liam Shiels, Isaac Smith, Ben Stratton, Matt Suckling, Brendan Whitecross, Jordan Williams, Clinton Young. Rookie list: Luke Breust, Paul Johnson, Will Langford, Jack Mahony, Sam Menegola, Riley Milne, Tom Schnieder, Will Sierakowski, Derick Wanganeen.
Ins: Cameron Bruce (Pre-Season Draft), Kyle Cheney (traded from Melbourne), David Hale (traded from North Melbourne), Mitch Hallahan (2010 AFL Draft), Angus Litherland (2010 AFL Draft), Paul Puopolo (2010 AFL Draft), Isaac Smith (2010 AFL Draft).
Outs: Campbell Brown (to Gold Coast), Trent Croad (retired), Beau Dowler (delisted), Rhan Hooper (delisted), Beau Muston (delisted), Simon Taylor (delisted), Travis Tuck (delisted).
Main man: The spiritual leader and now the actual leader. Luke Hodge is the man! He had a brilliant 2010 winning his second best and fairest, topping Hawthorn’s Brownlow votes and named as captain of the All-Australian side and handed the Hawthorn captaincy by Sam Mitchell. Hodge led the club for kicks, tackles, hard-ball gets and inside 50s last year. He is an expert play-maker who combines extreme hardness with superb skills.
X-factor: It would have to be the mercurial Franklin. Hawthorn’s leading goalkicker (63) for the fourth year running, second in the best and fairest, third most Brownlow votes, All-Australian and an absolute superstar! His freakish ability in front of goal makes him one of the most dangerous players in the game today. He set very high expectations in 2008 when he kicked 113 goals and wouldn’t Hawks fans love it if he could reproduce that! Buddy is still the key for the Hawks.
Predicted 2011 finish: Second
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