When the frenzied media speculation on the future of free agent Stephan Coniglio ended abruptly with his re-signing at GWS, Hawthorn largely receded from the spotlight for the 2019 trade and draft period.
Acquiring Jonathon Patton was intriguing but hardly buzzworthy given his lowered profile after three ACL injuries.
However, changes to the team list were significant. Eight players over the age of 25 departed the club: Jarryd Roughead (32), Grant Birchall (31), Tim Mohr (31), Ryan Schoenmakers (29), David Mirra (28), Darren Minchington (26) and Kaiden Brand (25) as well as Will Langford (27) who was a non-participatory listed player in 2019. Also gone are Marc Pittonet (23) and Teia Miles (23).
Three mature key position players were added to the list in Sam Frost (26) from Melbourne, Jonathon Patton (26) from GWS and Michael Hartley (26) from Essendon, who, though low profile, could have significant bearing on team structure in the coming season.
That so large a chunk from the mature end of the team list was excised with virtually no effect to the 2019 best 22 suggests list management had allowed more deadwood to accumulate than should be acceptable. In particular, the inclusion of Mohr, Mirra and Minchington on this list suggests the club’s recent recruitment of mature-age and low-cost positional depth has been less successful than they would have hoped.
(Cameron Spencer/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
Roughead’s poor 2019 will see him unfairly labelled a star that played one season too many. The decision to demote him to the VFL ensured he didn’t negatively affect senior performance and provided dependable coverage, though he was never meaningfully recalled. Mitchell Lewis, Tim O’Brien and Conor Nash performed well in the second half of the season, but their development was far from certain leading into the season, meaning Roughead was undoubtedly a required player at that point.
Of the departures, letting go of Birchall and Pittonet could prove regrettable. Birchall may well return to his elite best at Brisbane. If he does, it likely won’t be for long given his advanced age and injury history. In any case Hawthorn’s defensive rebound has remained a strength in his absence.
Pittonet was arguably the best performing ruckman in the VFL over the past few seasons, particularly impressive at just 23. He was behind Ben McEvoy and Jonathon Ceglar, and the coaching staff’s reluctance to play two ruckmen was further limiting his opportunities at the club. He was right to move on.
His unfavourably low-value trade to Carlton created a hole in Hawthorn’s list, with no developing ruckman capable of providing emergency coverage, something the club wasn’t able to address in the remainder of the off-season. However, the risk of being without a remotely competitive ruckman on game day has reduced with the institution of the mid-season draft. Hawthorn was right not to recruit a ruckman that would otherwise not be considered worthy of a place on the list.
Hawthorn’s most pressing positional requirement leading into the offseason was key position defenders which was addressed with the acquisition of Frost, traded for a modest diminution of draft position, and Hartley, taken in the preseason draft. Hawthorn has a propensity to take players with elite attributes and try to manage the weaker parts of their game.
This is Frost – his pace and competitiveness, his blazing away only to turn the ball over. Hawthorn will no doubt be hoping Frost can eventually replace current full back James Frawley, now 31, and he is likely to be moulded into a pure stopper in the same way Frawley was when he arrived at the club. Before this happens, the two will need to play alongside one another.
Largely forgotten given the success of the period, Hawthorn’s previous changing of the guard in this position from Brian Lake to Frawley was not seamless and those two in the same side often didn’t work. Frost’s ability to play on a variety of forward types may help the process this time around.
Hartley knocked back a contract offer at Essendon and arrives at Hawthorn promising reasonable coverage in the key position defensive posts. Hawthorn may even hope that stepping out from Cale Hooker and Michael Hurley’s shadow will prove the making of him as a player. He replaces Brand on the list, whose ability to defend one on one never progressed to a satisfactory level. Certainly Brand boasts fantastic intercept marking, but without high-level footskills to match his chances of making the side as a rebounding defender were slim. It will be interesting to see what will be asked of him at Sydney where he signed as a delisted free agent.
It is likely that Patton was courted before Lewis, O’Brien and Nash demonstrated their potential as key position forwards and he is probably less significant to Hawthorn’s future fortunes than he might have been otherwise. To gain the player that Patton was before his three ACLs would be a huge windfall for the club. However, this should not be counted on. His reportedly reduced but still expensive contract makes him less risk-free than his future fourth-round trade price suggests. It is likely that retaining Schoenmakers was strongly considered, but the acquisition of Patton put paid to that possibility.
Hawthorn recruited new talent in Will Day (pick 13), Finn Maginness (father-son selection, pick 29) and Josh Morris (pick 57) in the national draft, Emerson Jeka (pick 9) in the rookie draft and Harry Pepper as a Next Generation Academy category B rookie selection. The selection of Day with Hawthorn’s first top 15 pick in 12 years comes as much needed high-end investment toward replacing outside midfielders Isaac Smith (30) and Ricky Henderson (31) over the coming years.
Finally, the absence of a young pressure forward remains an issue with Hawthorn’s list after the club failed this off-season to acquire a suitable player to succeed Paul Puopolo, now 32. This may be addressed during the supplemental selection period where Hawthorn appears likely to give the injury riddled Minchington a second opportunity.
Hawthorn didn’t lose any players from their best 22 but they didn’t gain any players that are guaranteed to perform next year. In this respect the list changes might at first appear unremarkable. However, the club has released eight players with enough experience to be called on with some confidence in a clear signal that they believe their youth is ready to take the next step. This team is building steadily and deceptively quickly.
Vercetti1986'
Roar Rookie
I think Steven was St Kilda's best player before this year but I think St Kilda's tough year with injuries meant other players have now surpassed him as the best player on their list. I think players such as Gresham, Mashall, Clark, Billings etc. had good years and I think they will only continue to improve under a new coach. Steven only played a few games for St Kilda this year and they still did ok given their bad run with injuries I thought. The acquisition of Hill also means that Steven's loss won't have much of an impact. I actually think St Kilda are building a pretty good list now. I was very sceptical before this year like everyone else too but I watched a few of their games and I saw that they do have some pretty good young talent coming through. It is just a question of whether they can continue to get better under a new coach. Ratten seems to know what he is doing so I have a good feeling about them but that means nothing of course.
Slane
Guest
Even if Stevens is a dud pick up for the Cats, the fact that he was still the Saints best player speaks volumes about how good St Kildas prospects are.
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
If he is fit by the end of preseason, he has a chance.
Vercetti1986'
Roar Rookie
Yeah I agree Yattuzzi. I remember watching that Carlton-Saints game late in the season and he honestly should not have played. He could barely run and had no impact on the game at all. It was one of the worst games he has ever played. Maybe Ratten knew at that point that he wouldn’t be playing for St Kilda in 2020 and he thought why not let him play a couple of more games in saints colours before he leaves. I think he will be decent for Geelong but not exceptional. I hope he is able resolve his problems and play to his full potential but I think his body might no longer be up to the rigours of AFL. He is one of my favourite players and can do some incredible stuff when he is at his best so it is unfortunate what has happened to him.
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
The mental health problem is a big issue. He was cooked at the Saints and no guarantee of playing in the long terms at the Cats. Geelong have been burnt before by a player with these problems.
Vercetti1986'
Roar Rookie
I disagree. Steven is past it and I doubt he will be able to cover the loss of Kelly for Geelong. I do agree that the saints should have got more for him for sure but his personal issues made that difficult. Perhaps they should have held him to contract but I am sure there was more to that than meets the eye. Nobody has all the facts. I think he will be a serviceable player for Geelong but that is it. He might win them one or two games like he did at St Kilda this year such as the Fremantle game but he has declined. He barely played all year and the saints still did alright given all their injuries to important players. Continuity is essential to a team performing well otherwise you require exceptional depth. I think Hill and Jones will easily cover his loss to be honest. There are question marks over the saints forward line with the loss of Josh Bruce but I think all the other areas on their list look pretty good, given they don’t have another bad year with injuries. I think they have a great ruckman, a solid midfield now and a settled defence. They better hope King can have a good first year like his brother did though otherwise their forward line might be a problem. Membrey is a reliable forward though and he did kick 44 goals this year. I think they can make up the loss of Bruce by getting more out of their small forwards like Gresham and Long. I think the saints biggest problem was the former coach Alan Richardson and now that he has been replaced by Ratten, I expect them to be much better. Time will tell if they are any better.
Slane
Guest
I think the Saints traded their best player to the Cats for a packet of chips in the trade period and are unlikely to be anywhere near the top 8 next season. Brad Hill is the only genuinely good player they brought in and even then he only plays on the wing.
Vercetti1986'
Roar Rookie
I understand your point but it would have been ridiculous if Hawthorn paid big coin for Lake when he was nearing the end of his career and St Kilda are not really in premiership contention yet like Hawthorn were when they acquired Lake. St Kilda have not made finals since 2011 and this would be concerning for a lot of players. Hawthorn had already made a GF in 2012 but lost and decided that they needed a short term solution for a key defender to win a GF. They were consistently making the top 4 during that time and this would make negotiating and enticing players much easier so I am not sure the comparisons are completely valid but I get your point. I think quite a few players left st kilda during the trade/draft period too like steven, bruce, acres, newnes and mccartin so that should offset quite a lot of the cap concerns. St Kilda are trying to build a side of capable of winning a premiership but to get players they have to pay a bit more than other sides because they have been poor for almost a decade now. I saw you also mentioned Tom Boyd and the Bulldogs in a previous comment and they did pay a lot to get him but he did win them a premiership so I don’t think too many dogs supporters would be disappointed by that. That deal did have the potential to really back fire on them like the Hill deal with St Kilda but Hill is at least a known quantity and should be good for the saints. I think the saints are still one or two great players short of contending but I think their list is looking much better after this year than previous years. Rowan Marshall and Hunter Clark are young players that could be bring them them into contention. They at the very least should be pushing for the bottom half of the eight next year, depending on injuries and player continuity I think
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
Verce, you are right that Brad Hill will be a good acquisition for St Kilda but most players getting paid between 700K-950K are normally that. The point I am making is that Hawthorn filled a major void in that side that desperately needed a quality key defender in their chase for a premiership & they did it for $250K. St Kilda are not going to be able to assemble a premiership team paying overs. They are going to run out of salary cap space very quickly. In an 18-team competition with a salary cap & a draft you can not buy a premiership. You need to plan & assemble one & this cannot be done overnight. I am not sure we will see a 3peat in the foreseeable future. Although Richmond won without Rance this year, it will be a great effort if they win again without him. There are quite a few pretty good teams circling at the moment.
Vercetti1986'
Roar Rookie
Hawthorn will be an interesting side to watch in 2020. They really should have made finals in 2019 but lost quite a few close games. They should not have lost to Melbourne by 5 points and were unlucky to not beat WC at the MCG. They should replace Essendon or the bulldogs in the top eight next year with a better run with injuries and more settled side. In saying that, I think next year will be much more unpredictable due to many sides having new coaches and bringing in new players and it is difficult to anticipate how much of an impact this will have on the ladder. I am not sure if the reporting on player contracts is completely accurate all the time. I would be surprised if Brad Hill's entire contract duration is worth 900k a year. I am sure he would be on a lot of money but sometimes I feel the media just make these numbers up for reporting purposes. I don't think the players or their managers would just disclose such information to the media and I don't know what means the media would employ to obtain such information unless they are spreading misinformation. I think Hill will be a good acquisition for St Kilda despite the supposed cost to get him. I think he will be much better under Brett Ratten than Ross Lyon and will be able to get the best out of him. It will also be fascinating to see if another former assistant coach from Hawthorn under Clarkson can turn another struggling club around like Bevridge did with the Bulldogs and Hardwick at Richmond. All of Clarkson's assistant have pretty much had success everywhere they have gone except for maybe Leon Cameron, who really should have won a premiership by now with the list he has had at his disposal.
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
Good article, but any club that loses players like Rioli, Hodge, Mitchell, Lewis, Roughead, Lake, Hill, Gibson & Birchall over a 3-year period is never going to win a premiership the following year. But most experts agree that Hawthorn is in transition not in deep trouble. Yes, Patton is coming to the club with previous injuries like Shaun Burgoyne did back in 2010. In hindsight it was a masterstroke. But unlike Tom Boyd when he was traded by GWS in 2014, Patton hasn't been traded for Ryan Griffin, draft pick 6 & isn't being paid $7M on a 7-year contract. Hawthorn rarely pays overs for players full stop let alone players with injury history. I would be interested to hear whether you think St Kilda is going to get more value out of Bradley Hill over the next three years @ $900K a season than Hawthorn did out of Brian Lake at $250K per season in 2013-2015?
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Earl, surely it is reasonable to say that players who have injured multiple times and who are still carrying war wounds could be expected to lose some injury time.
Earl Chi
Roar Rookie
It's clearly not so simple to assess if well-funded, professional organisations have evaluted the injury risk of Scully and Patton differently. If teams are to retire any 'injury-prone' player as you suggest, they'd need to consider what exactly that means in terms of games missed, impact on performance when the player does play, versatility of the player to see if they cannot add value in a less taxing role, with all this indexed to the type and severity of injury that was sustained which might not have a huge amount of data to support an informed decision. The talent pool available to the AFL is very small relative to list spots available, removing a proven performer from the list is a big decision.
Vercetti1986'
Roar Rookie
I think Frost will be a significant loss for Melbourne. He was their most reliable defender, that barely missed any games. He may not have had the best skills but he was important to their structures. They would be hoping May and Lever can get their act together and play consistent football. I also think Frost will be a much better player under Clarkson and he will be a good pickup for them.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
I will never ever write the Hawks off. Clarkson always seems to get the best out of what he has. Expect Frost to improve significantly under Clarko.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
Yep the Injury prone narrative towards Scully is very much overstated. I think the issue with Scully was that most medical type thought it was a career ending injury that he wouldn't get back from. He has and he's got back somewhere not too far from his absolute best. Well done Hawks medicos
Hawker
Guest
Scully played 21 out of 22 games last season.. he played every game in 2016 and missed one in 2017, in 2018 yes he had a serious injury.
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Not too hard to assess. Clubs do it all the time. Retire the injury prone. Why do you think you got Paton and Scully cheap. Do you think that GWS just like Hawthorn?
Earl Chi
Roar Rookie
There is the counterargument that Birchall's time out from the game will prolong his career, though I have no idea if this has any statistical or medical basis. I just don't see how you definitely rule it out.
Earl Chi
Roar Rookie
I don't know much about injury susceptibility nor have I ever tried to compile any statistics. I would have thought its a very difficult thing to make definitive statements about given it is a science that is constantly progressing.