From a Rising Star nomination to a 400-game milestone, several Hawks celebrated some huge milestones throughout 2021.
Here’s a recap of the eye-catching events as they happened this year.
Mitchell named in 40-man All Australian squad
Duo debut – Round 1
The Hawks started the season off with a bang, unveiling two new faces as part of the team ahead of the season opener.
Jacob Koschitzke and Tyler Brockman each lived out their AFL dream in style as the Hawks sealed their first win of the season in the opening round against Essendon.
Brockman impressed with two goals, while Koschitzke also showed promise in his first outing.
Connor Downie also officially made his debut despite being the unused medical sub.
James Worpel - 50 games
A key part of the brown and gold midfield, Worpel had a cause to celebrate in Round 2 against when he notched up 50 games.
Selected with Pick 45 in the 2017 national draft, Worpel has made a notable impact on the club already, winning the 2019 Peter Crimmins Medal and becoming part of the Hawks leadership group.
Throughout 2021, the 22-year-old has continued to show development and improve, further cementing himself as one of the club’s cornerstones of the future.
Harry Morrison - 50 games
Morrison chalked up his 50th AFL game in Round 8 when the Hawks took on West Coast.
Taken at Pick 76 in the 2016 National Draft, Morrison burst onto the scene in Round 23 in 2017.
The hard-working youngster made an impressive 15 appearances in 2021, finishing the season with an average of 15.4 disposals per game.
Jacob Koschitzke - Rising Star
Koschitzke solidified his title as a star on the rise after receiving a Round 6 NAB Rising Star nomination.
In just his fifth AFL game, the 20-year-old enjoyed a day out at UTAS Stadium with a five-goal performance over the Crows – a performance that also included a game-high nine marks and an equal game-high three contested marks.
Joining the Hawks via Pick 52 in the 2018 National Draft, Koschitzke received a senior call up in Round 1 this year.
He was the Hawks' first official Rising Star nomination of 2021, following the likes of Worpel, Morrison, Will Day and Mitch Lewis who have each received the nod in recent years.
First draw in almost 100 years leads to some big stats
Shaun Burgoyne - 400 games
Burgoyne reached the impressive 400 game milestone in Round 16, making him the just the fifth player in VFL/AFL history to do so.
He joined the likes of Brent Harvey, Michael Tuck, Kevin Bartlett and Dustin Fletcher in the exclusive club.
The Hawthorn champion confirmed prior to Round 23 that he would retire at season’s end following an incredibly decorated career that has spanned over 21 seasons.
The Hawks Round 23 draw with Richmond marked Burgoyne's 407th and final AFL game.
Blake Hardwick - 100 games
Hardwick played his 100th game when the Hawks landed a win against Collingwood in Round 21.
‘Dimma’ as he is known by teammates and fans, joined the club via Pick 44 in the 2015 National Draft.
Since his debut in Round 19 in 2016, he has become one of Hawthorn’s most reliable and consistent defenders.
The 24-year-old has played every game except two this season, after a short sting on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury.
He has remained as one of Hawthorn’s most reliable ball users, running at 83.7 per cent efficiency and averaging a career-high 20.9 disposals per game in 2021.
Jon Ceglar - 100 games
Jonathon Ceglar finally played his 100th game in the brown and gold in Round 22 after making his debut with the Hawks in 2013.
He finished with a game-high 34 hit-outs in his 100th outing, which marked his second-highest tally this season.
Ceglar became a senior team regular in the 2014 season and played 15 games, including the qualifying and preliminary finals, but was unluckily replaced by Ben McEvoy in Hawthorn's grand final-winning side.
He was forced to undergo a knee reconstruction after injuring it during his 50th game late in 2016, which kept him out of action until the 2018 season.
Having played 12 matches this year, Ceglar has averaged 15 disposals a game in 2021 – above his career average 11.6.
Tom Mitchell - 150 games
Mitchell finished the 2021 season in style when he played his 150th game against Richmond on the weekend.
The 28-year-old continued his impressive form finishing with a game-high 36 disposals which saw him officially claim the title of the leading ball-getter in the league for 2021.
He finished with a total of 754 disposals to his name, leading the likes of Jack Macrae (743), Ollie Wines (706) and Rory Laird (704).
Mitchell was named as part of the 40-man All Australian squad this week, making him the only active Brownlow Medal winner included in this year’s line-up.
The 28-year-old is now in contention for his third All Australian blazer and first since battling a badly broken leg which wiped out his 2019 campaign.
