HAWTHORN'S first-year players are settling in to their new environment well, according to Head of Development Academy Rob McCartney.
McCartney said draftees Ryan Burton, Kieran Lovell, Blake Hardwick, Luke Surman and Kade Stewart were slotting into life at an AFL club and doing all that is expected of them in their first pre-season.
“They’ve settled in really well," he said.
"We’ve got five new boys and only one from Victoria (Hardwick), so it’s been a really big change for four of them, particularly coming from interstate,” he said.
Speaking to HawksTV, McCartney said the newest additions to the Hawthorn playing group had completed as much training as expected, despite managing some minor injury concerns.
“I think when a first-year player starts at any AFL club, you need to be really mindful of the (training) loads that they’re able to commit to,” he said.
“(Head Fitness Coach) Andrew Russell and his team do a really good job in terms of knowing what’s important for them at that particular time.
“Hardwick, Lovell and Stewart have all completed about 80 percent of the program, which is a really good effort for them.
"Burton and Surman haven’t been able to complete all the training due to a couple of minor injury concerns.”
McCartney added that while it was important that the youngsters work on their skills and fitness, learning the Hawthorn game plan was also crucial to their development.
“At this stage of the preseason our focus is really on educating them in their understanding of the game plan and structures that are part of the Hawthorn Football Club,” he said.
“These young boys are starting at ground zero – they’re having to learn some information that at times can be new - maybe in their under-18 program they’ve been exposed to a few things in this space - but a lot of the learning is new.”
McCartney said that the upcoming NAB Challenge was a really good time for Hawthorn supporters to have a look at the future stars of the club.
“Hopefully during the NAB Challenge a number of our younger footballers will play – when I say younger footballers that’s our first to fourth year players who are in our academy,” he said.
“I think we’ll see some talent that hasn’t been seen at AFL level yet and some that might have only played a couple of games.”
