- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
What’s in a name? Not much, according to Shakespeare. But then again, Tom Boyd and Tom Hawkins came a bit after his time.
Boyd and Hawkins share much more than a first name.
Both starred as schoolboys for Vic Metro. Boyd was the youngest member of the 2012 side that won the NAB under 18 Championship and Hawkins was named All Australian in 2006 when he played in the same under 18 competition.
Both tower above and outweigh most opponents. At 200 centimetres and 104 kilograms, Boyd’s figure belies his 19 years. Hawkins – three centimetres shorter but one kilogram heavier – is an impregnable force in the forward line, seldom the loser of one-on-one marking contests.
And both were drafted with high expectations. Hawkins, under the father-son selection at Geelong, and Boyd with the pressure of being selected at number one in the 2013 draft.
Into his second season and at his second club, and now on a seven-year contract worth seven million dollars, Boyd’s form suggests he may be suffocating under the weight of expectations.
He seems slow, cumbersome, lacks pressure, and, with little presence in front of goal, has been handed the red substitute vest in the two of the Western Bulldogs’ last three matches.
It’s not a great look to see a man being paid one million dollars per year – that’s over $40,000 for every home-and-away game – subbed out. It’s demoralising for the team, the supporters, and most of all, for Boyd, who requested a trade from Greater Western Sydney at the end of last season.
In what has been dubbed the ‘sledge of the season’ Melbourne forward Jesse Hogan labeled Boyd the Dogs’ “great white hope” when the two sides met in Round 8, putting Boyd’s poor form back in the spotlight.
But should this spotlight be there to begin with?
Hogan may have been being facetious, but there’s every chance Boyd will mature to be more than a mere “white hope” for the Dogs. In fact, if he continues to evolve in the same way his namesake Hawkins did, he may prove instrumental in the Dogs’ bid for their first premiership since 1954.
A gentle reminder to Boyd’s critics – the 19-year-old has played a mere 19 games. In that time, he has kicked 19 goals.
Hawkins played a total of 19 games across his first two seasons in 2007 and 2008 and kicked 25 goals. That’s only six more than Boyd.
Hawkins is now one of the elite forwards in the AFL. However, it took five seasons for him to mature into the footballer he is today.
In his third season at the Cattery, Hawkins kicked 34 majors, two of which came in the grand final against St Kilda. Despite this performance, and another premiership with the Cats in 2011, it wasn’t until 2012 that ‘Tomahawk’ finally announced himself as one of the elite goal kickers of the competition, with his 62 majors earning him All Australian selection.
Bulldogs fans must give Tom Boyd the same time to develop his game, grow into his body, and find his range. And the club’s coaching staff must keep the faith, either through persisting with him in the firsts or allowing him to grow in confidence in the seconds.
Hawkins spent time in the Cats reserves throughout his first two seasons at Geelong – not to punish him, but to allow him to develop. And development is what Boyd so desperately needs.
While not a key position player, Sydney’s Tom Mitchell stuck out a lengthy apprenticeship in the NEAFL in an attempt to break into the Swans starting 22. Mitchell’s ability to attract the ball was never in question, however his willingness to defend was not at the level coach John Longmire required.
But after rectifying his defensive pressure, Mitchell has cemented his position in the Swans’ midfield in 2015. While Boyd’s development will not be as swift as Mitchell’s given his size, game time in the VFL may prove telling in his development, too.
As the number one draft pick on a multi-million dollar salary, the criticism surrounding Boyd is fair, but it also needs to be put into perspective.
Early in 2011, Chris Scott – the newly anointed coach at Geelong – defended Hawkins, then 22, against critics who were once again condemning the forward.
Just over a year later, Hawkins was the runner-up in the Coleman medal.
Boyd’s time will also come. He just needs to be given patience to allow him to get there. And at 19, time is on his side.
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.