Season 2023 continued a year of belief for Sam Mitchell's young and developing Hawks.

James Sicily completed his first year as captain alongside co vice-captains Dylan Moore and Luke Breust, while the likes of Jai Newcombe and Will Day established themselves at the forefront of Hawthorn’s engine room.

Entering 2023 with the youngest list in the AFL, Hawthorn's emerging group has come along quickly under Mitchell, who has strived to implement a daring, attacking style of football in his second campaign at the helm. 

More 2023 AFL Season Reviews: Midfielders | Forwards | Defenders

2023 in a nutshell 

Coach: Sam Mitchell

Captain: James Sicily

Vice captains: Luke Breust and Dylan Moore

Position on the ladder: 16th / 7 wins / 16 losses

Hawthorn achieved four of their seven wins of the season against top eight teams including Collingwood, Brisbane, St Kilda and Western Bulldogs. There were some close finishers too, with three heartbreaking narrow losses to GWS, Adelaide and Richmond decided by three points or less.

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Highlights and player achievements 

Sicily earns first All Australian: After being named in the All Australian extended squad on two occasions in 2019 and 2022, Sicily broke through to the final team of 22 for the first time in his career in 2023. The 28-year-old led from the front throughout his first year as skipper, solidifying himself as one of the AFL’s best defenders, ranking second in the league for intercept possessions (9.4 per game) and sixth for rebound 50s (6.1 per game) in 2023. Across his 19 matches this season, Sicily has also averaged 26.4 disposals, at an impressive 83.6 per cent efficiency, along with 9.9 marks which was the highest in the competition. Fellow teammates Breust and Newcombe were also selected in the extended All Australian 40-man squad. 

Youngsters earn Rising Star nods: First-year Hawk Josh Weddle received a Rising Star nomination in Round 10 following a dominant display in the Hawks’ win over West Coast. In what was just his fourth AFL appearance, the 19-year-old produced a career-best performance in Tasmania with two goals, 28 disposals, seven marks and seven intercept possessions. Meanwhile, in the midst of an impressive debut season, Hawthorn young gun Seamus Mitchell was also recognised as the AFL’s Round 17 Rising Star nominee. Mitchell collected 20 disposals and five intercept possessions in his side's narrow loss to GWS.

Punky kicks 500 goals: After kicking five goals against Port Adelaide in Round 12, Breust became just the seventh Hawthorn player to reach 500 career goals. He joins the likes of club greats Jason Dunstall and Jarryd Roughead to have achieved the milestone.

Newcombe and Day named in best young players: Midfield duo Newcombe and Day both earned a spot in the 2023 AFL Players’ Association 22Under22 team, which recognises the league’s best young players under the age of 22. In a further positive, Newcombe was also named as vice-captain alongside Collingwood's Nick Daicos as captain. 

Game milestones

150 games - Sam Frost 

100 games - James Worpel

50 games - Jai Newcombe

50 games - Will Day

AFL debutants 

The 2023 season saw the Hawks unveil seven debutants including Rising Star nominees Josh Weddle and Seamus Mitchell, alongside mid-season recruit Brandon Ryan. 

Other AFL debutants for this year included Cam Mackenzie, Henry Hustwaite and Max Ramsden - click here to read more about their first campaigns in the brown and gold.

Meanwhile, club debutants this year included Karl Amon, Lloyd Meek and Fergus Greene.

Who impressed in 2023?

Click below for an analysis of Hawthorn's list by position, with each of our assistant coaches taking us through the 2023 campaigns of every player. 

Midfielders | Forwards | Defenders

The coaches

Sam Mitchell – AFL Senior Coach

Andrew Collins – Head of Development

Kade Simpson – Assistant Coach (Defence)

Chris Newman – Assistant Coach (Forwards)

David Hale – Assistant Coach (Midfield)

Adrian Hickmott – Assistant Coach (Contest)

David Mackay – Development Coach

Bec Goddard – AFLW Senior Coach/Development Coach

Zane Littlejohn – Box Hill Senior Coach/Development Coach

The big wins

R10 v West Coast, UTAS Stadium

Hawthorn (142) defeated West Coast (26)

The Hawks recorded its biggest win of 2023 when it thrashed West Coast by 116 points at UTAS Stadium in Round 10. Hawthorn piled on 11 unanswered second-half goals for its second victory of the season, with Mitch Lewis booting a career-high six goals. Luke Breust kicked three for the match, while Josh Weddle, Cam Mackenzie, Jacob Koschitzke and Tyler Brockman got doubles and five others notched a goal. It was the first time the Hawks had scored more than 20 goals since 2016. 

R11 v St Kilda, Marvel

Hawthorn (88) defeated St Kilda (78)

Hawthorn kicked the last five goals of the match to snatch victory away from St Kilda in Round 11. Sicily produced a true captain's performance to drag the Hawks over the line to win by 10 points. The 28-year-old amassed 42 disposals – nine more than his previous best – to go with 21 intercept possessions, 17 contested possessions, 11 score involvements and 628m gained in one of the most dominant displays produced by a defender in 2023. Jai Newcombe (31 disposals and 9 clearances), Will Day (30 disposals and 597 metres gained), Conor Nash (27 disposals and five tackles), Dylan Moore (31 disposals and nine marks) and James Worpel (24 disposals and six clearances) got the job done. 

R13 v Brisbane, MCG

Hawthorn (98) defeated Brisbane (73)

Hawthorn has run the legs off Brisbane to storm to a fourth straight win over the Lions with a thrilling 25-point triumph at the MCG. After trailing by 17 points at half-time, the Hawks flipped the game with a dominant six-goal third quarter showcasing a daring, high-handball, brand of attack that stretched Brisbane defensively. Sicily was again instrumental with 32 disposals, while Mitch Lewis led things at the other end of the ground with four goals. Newcombe (28, five clearances and three goals assists) and Worpel (30 with five clearances) helped change the midfield momentum in the second half, while youngster Connor Macdonald (28, two goals and three assists) played arguably the best game of his short career.

R21 v Collingwood, MCG

Hawthorn (105) to defeated Collingwood (73)

Wearing the retro kit they wore when they won the Ansett Cup in 1999, Hawthorn pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the season to stun premiership favourites Collingwood by 32 points in front of more than 62,000 fans at the MCG. The Hawks kicked the first five goals of the game, absorbed every challenge presented by the Magpies and never relinquished the lead to bank the most impressive win yet under Sam Mitchell’s watch. Finn Maginness held Magpies superstar Nick Daicos to just five disposals – 11 less than his previous lowest disposal haul. James Sicily set the tone from the start and produced another phenomenal showing, finishing with 37 disposals, hauled in a career-high 19 marks, 10 intercept possessions, three goal assists and 515 metres gained in a defensive masterclass.

R22 v Western Bulldogs, UTAS Stadium

Hawthorn (67) defeated Western Bulldogs (64)

After having just shocked the ladder-leaders Collingwood the week before, Hawthorn pulled off another second sizeable upset with a nail-biting three-point win in Launceston. The Hawks held their nerve on to register their seventh victory of the season against the Bulldogs. The Hawks hit the lead for the first time early in the third quarter, and despite a late Bulldogs comeback, were able to hold on. Jai Newcombe was outstanding for the Hawks in his 50th AFL game, picking up a game-high 40 disposals, a goal and two assists.