Hawthornfc.com.au takes a look at five young Hawks who might be ready to take their game to the next level in 2018.
Marc Pittonet
Despite not adding to his senior games tally in 2017, Marc Pittonet showed all the hallmarks of a player on the brink of breaking out in 2018.
The 21-year old played 16 games for Box Hill last year, averaging 37 hit-outs per game. The young ruckman also introduced an impressive level of physicality in his game, seeing him average five tackles an outing. He was also one of the strongest performers in Box Hill's preliminary final loss.
Coach Alastair Clarkson has historically shown a willingness to play two ruckmen in the senior side, which may prove in Pittonet’s favour should his form trajectory continue its upward trend.
Read: Hawthorn's list by experience
Ollie Hanrahan
Playing 12 games for Box Hill in 2017, Ollie Hanrahan overcame an injury-interrupted start to his debut season to go onto show some serious promise.
Finding a place as a small forward who can also impact the game going through the midfield, Hanrahan averaged 15 disposals, three marks and two tackles and a goal per game.
With this type of player very much in vogue around the competition currently, many are expecting big things from Hanrahan in 2018.
Kaiden Brand
After James Frawley went down in Round 8 last year, Kaiden Brand ably filled his teammate’s vacancy, playing each of the last 13 games of the campaign and performing well against some challenging opponents.
Although Frawley will return to the fold in 2018, the retirement of Josh Gibson at the end of the season will see another key defensive spot waiting to be claimed again.
The 23-year old Brand now has another pre-season under his belt, priming himself to take on some of the most dangerous key forwards in the game, and Hawks fans will be watching with interest to see if the 198cm defender is ready to take the next step.
Tim O’Brien
Tim O’Brien undoubtedly took a step forward in 2017.
He played 16 senior games to take his tally to 34 and averaged over a goal a game.
This year O’Brien will be hoping to take another step forward as the club’s budding key forward prospect.
His Round 7 performance last year in which he had 13 disposals, 10 marks (five of which were contested), three tackles and two goals helped inspire the Hawks to a gutsy three-point victory over Melbourne, and Hawks fans will be hoping outings such as these become a more regular occurrence this upcoming season.
Blake Hardwick
There are few higher honours within the four walls of a football club than being selected as the inheritor of a departing club great’s jumper number.
As Blake Hardwick pulls on the number 15 jumper this year, he will be looking to improve on an impressive 2017 season.
Hardwick played 19 games last year, averaging 14.4 disposals and operating at the best disposal efficiency of any Hawk to have played over five games.
With a new-look backline beginning to take shape, watch for Hardwick to go to another level alongside his youthful brigade of fellow defenders.
