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Jordan Lewis must move on

14th October, 2016
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Jordan Lewis' time at the Hawks is up. (AAP Image/Julian Smith)
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14th October, 2016
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In 2005, Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson caught up with Peter Crimmins medallist and ex-vice captain of the club, Nick Holland.

Clarkson said to Holland, “as long as my ass points to the ground, you won’t play another game for Hawthorn.”

However, once Clarkson walked out of the meeting at Glenferrie, when asked by the media about Holland, he stated that he was a required player and an important player for the team’s future.

Clarkson’s words to the media created the smallest piece of hope in Holland that he could prove to Clarkson that he still deserved a spot in the best 22. Holland wold sign a two-year extension, instead of signing elsewhere or seeking a trade, however, he would not play for Hawthorn again, spending the next two seasons in the reserves at Box Hill.

In 2016, coach of the Hawthorn Football Club Alastair Clarkson knocked on the door of four-time premiership player, Hawthorn vice-captain and Peter Crimmins medallist Jordan Lewis’.

Lewis was expecting Clarkson to tell him that he would take over as captain of the football club when Luke Hodge retires, instead he was told that he should start looking elsewhere for playing opportunities.

Lewis’ management immediately contacted his club of choice, the Melbourne Demons, and a contract was agreed to by Lewis, who was already picturing himself running out in the red and blue in 2017.

Then five-time Peter Crimmins medallist, premiership captain and 4-time premiership player Sam Mitchell was traded to the West Coast Eagles for essentially pick 88, and social media exploded.

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Seeing the reaction from the entire AFL community, Hawthorn list manager Graham Wright then spoke to the media stating that Lewis is a required player, and will “absolutely” be in the brown and gold come 2017. Sound familiar?

Jordan Lewis needs to move on from the Hawthorn Football Club in order to prolong his career.

Over his successful career with Hawthorn, Lewis has said that he has turned away more lucrative offers from rival clubs in order for Hawthorn management to bring in extra talent with players such as James Frawley, Shaun Burgoyne and Brian Lake.

However on AFL 360 this September, Lewis said that if a player was to come in and they strip teammates of money, yet become one of the highest paid players at the club, it wouldn’t sit well with the locker room.

This is exactly what is happening this trade period. Hawthorn have brought in Ty Vickery for $500k, it’s looking like Jaeger O’Meara will be earning $700k when he does make the trip down south, and Tom Mitchell will be earning somewhere between the two.

All of a sudden three new players in Hawthorn’s locker room will take up in excess of $1.5m per year.

Not only are we currently witnessing one of the most captivating trade periods in AFL history, but we are also witnessing one of the most poorly managed trade periods by a club whom earned so much respect for what they’ve managed to do in recent trade periods.

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If the Hawthorn Coach knocked on Jordan Lewis’ door telling him that his services are no longer required at Glenferrie, then no matter what the staff at Hawthorn tell the media, that player is no longer required – especially if two players are being brought in to play the same position as you.

Sam Mitchell received the same treatment as Lewis, yet managed to save his grace by declaring how excited and thankful he is at the opportunity to move east and plan for life after football.

Jordan Lewis didn’t miss a single game in 2016, and in order to do the same in 2017, he’ll need to find a way to get himself in the red and blue, or else his career could have the same, sour full stop as Nick Holland’s.

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