As the Hawks hit their bye round for the AFL season, we’ve taken a look back at the year so far.
Snapshot
Having entered a new era under Coach Sam Mitchell at the start of the season, the Hawks currently sit 14th on the ladder with four wins from 13 games.
It is double the number of victories for the brown and gold compared to the same time last year.
The wins have come against ladder-leaders Brisbane, the fifth-placed Geelong as well as Port Adelaide and North Melbourne.
The good – Mitch Lewis
Taken as the second last pick back in the 2016 NAB AFL Draft, Mitch Lewis is now developing into one of the competition's best forwards.
Lewis kicked 22 goals from 14 games during his 2021 campaign.
With half of the 2022 season in the books, the 23-year-old has already surpassed his 2021 total, kicking 27.9 from nine games.
It is an even more impressive feat given he has missed four games due to injury.
Lewis has now kicked three or more goals on seven occasions across the first half of 2022, including a career-best five against Port Adelaide in Round 2.
Only Charlie Curnow (3.3 goals) – who is leading the Coleman Medal race on 39 goals – Jeremy Cameron (3.2) and Tom Lynch (3.1) are averaging more than Lewis' three per outing, which places him ahead of Max King (2.8), Lance Franklin (2.8), Tom Hawkins (2.8), Joe Daniher (2.7) and Taylor Walker (2.6).
Lewis converts his shots at 69.2 per cent – the second highest of anyone who has kicked more than 20 goals in 2022.
In addition, only Hawkins, King, Cameron, Lynch and Jack Riewoldt average more marks inside 50 this year.
The other major difference between Curnow (No.12, 2015), Harry McKay (No.10, 2015), Aaron Naughton (No.9, 2017) and King (No.4, 2018) is where Lewis was taken in the draft.
They were all first-round picks, while Lewis was taken with Pick 76.
The bad – Losing leads
The Hawks have given up three leads of at least four goals to go on to lose matches this year.
The rebuilding side went through a particularly rough patch between rounds six and nine, coughing up significant leads against Sydney, Essendon, and Richmond to record losses.
The Round 6 match against the Swans was particularly disappointing, with the Hawks at one stage leading by 32 points to the lose the game with the final margin being 41 points.
But it’s not all bad, the Hawks have also shown their capability to the opposite.
Most recently they overturned a big margin to produce a stunning five-point upset over the currently fourth-placed Brisbane.
Similarly in Round 1, Hawthorn came from behind to overcome a gallant North Melbourne, fighting back from a 21-point deficit in the second quarter to score a 20-point victory.
The star – James Sicily
James Sicily has become one of Hawthorn’s most important players this year.
The gun defender, who spent the entirety of last year on the sidelines following a knee reconstruction, is in brilliant form for the Hawks this season.
Sicily is leading the competition for total marks, total rebound 50s, and total intercept possessions.
He is also currently second in the league for total intercept marks and total effective kicks.
To add to his impressive stats, he also sits 5th for total kicks, 7th for total spoils, equal 7th for total contested marks and 9th for total one percenters.
Last month, the 27-year-old inked a massive new contract that will make him a Hawk for life.
Sicily, who has played 106 games, is a late-draft success story for the Hawks having been taken with Pick 56 in the 2013 National Draft intake as an exciting forward prospect.
The surprise – Jai Newcombe
Jai Newcombe has taken the football world by storm in 2022, rising from anonymity to an AFL powerhouse.
While some improvement might have been expected for his first full season, what has happened since has come to the surprise of many.
With only half of the 2022 season down, and 20 career games to his name, Newcombe is quickly becoming Hawthorn’s most damaging midfielder.
He took home the Rising Star nomination following a stellar performance in his side’s win against Geelong.
Newcombe produced a career-best game in the Easter Monday blockbuster, finishing with a whopping 32 disposals and a team-high 653 metres gained.
He has also claimed five fan-voted MVP’s so far this year, impressing fans with his output, determination and attacking style of play.
Having averaged 21.5 disposals and 5.2 tackles across the first 13 rounds, Newcombe is providing plenty of optimism for the Hawks faithful.
Competition-wide, Newcombe is placed 14th for goal assists, 6th for defensive half pressure acts, 10th for total tackles and 12th for pressure acts.
What’s next
Hawthorn’s next month following the bye will see them meet with last year’s grand finalist Western Bulldogs, before facing Greater Western Sydney, Adelaide, and West Coast.
They then face North Melbourne, St Kilda, Gold Coast, Richmond, and Western Bulldogs all for the second time this season.
A recap of round by round
Rd 1 vs North – Hawks by 20 points
Rd 2 vs Port – Hawks by 64 points
Rd 3 v Carlton – Carlton by 1 point
Rd 4 v St Kilda – Saints by 69 points
Rd 5 v Geelong – Hawks by 12 points
Rd 6 v Sydney – Swans by 41
Rd 7 v Melbourne – Dees by 10 points
Rd 8 v Essendon – Bombers by 27 points
Rd 9 v Richmond – Tigers by 23 points
Rd 10 v Brisbane – Hawks by 5 points
Rd 11 v Gold Coast – Suns by 67
Rd 12 v Collingwood – Pies by 4 points
Rd 13 v Fremantle – Dockers by 13 points
