A new club champion will be crowned at the 2023 Peter Crimmins Medal next month. 

Ahead of Hawthorn’s night of nights, we've taken a look at who the favourites are for the ultimate crown, as well as the prime candidates for each of the club’s awards.

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The Peter Crimmins Medal

2022 winner: James Sicily

Jai Newcombe: Another Box Hill Hawks success story, Newcombe is the product of persistence and dedication. The 22-year-old has continued to show growth from his break-out season last year, developing into one of the most damaging midfielders in the competition in just his third year in the AFL system. Having finished as runner-up in last year's count, could Newcombe go one better this year to claim the ultimate honour?

James Sicily: Fresh from a maiden All Australian honour, Sicily is well placed to claim back-to-back best and fairest medals. After an impressive return campaign last year following his ACL injury, Sicily again showed his dominance across the year, with his consistency and leadership critical to the function of Hawthorn's young side.

Dylan Moore: Consistent, team-oriented, and hard at the ball, Moore continued to play an important role in his first year as co vice-captain. After a third place finish in last year's count in a break-out campaign, Moore is expected to poll well again. Playing every match, the 24-year-old averaged just over 20 disposals as he continued to add more facets to his game as a small forward.

Karl Amon: Arriving to the club from Port Adelaide last year, Amon has added significant class to the Hawks. The 28-year-old started the season regularly on the wing, but made the switch to a more of a defensive role at the mid-way point of the year. Amon finished in eighth place on his old club's best and fairest leaderboard last year, and is now well on track to poll significantly in the count at his new club. 

Will Day: Day broke out the blocks in 2023, establishing himself as one of competition’s most impressive young midfielders. Having only once this season dropped below 20 disposals, Day has been a model of consistency this year. He took out Hawthorn's Best First Year Player award in his debut year in 2020, but could Day take things one step further this year following his break-out season?

James Worpel: The tough and creative midfielder was back to his prime this year, producing a campaign that was arguably in the same realm to his best and fairest form of 2019. Becoming one of the best centre clearance players in the game, Worpel was one of four Hawks to have played every game this season, averaging 26.1 disposals, 6.5 clearances and 4 tackles per outing.

Conor Nash: An impressive hard-work story, Nash has come in leaps and bounds this season among Hawthorn's engine room. Dominating across the stats sheet, Nash has forged significant improvement across several domains including disposals (24 per game), tackles (4.6 per game) and clearances (4.7 per game). As he demonstrates week in, week out, Nash is willing to do anything it takes to help the team. 

Jarman Impey: Following an injury-interrupted 2022 campaign, the skilled defender has returned to his damaging best this year, averaging 21 disposals per game, including 5.5 marks. Having ticked past 150 career games last year, Impey has helped to add another layer of leadership for Hawthorn's young defenders in 2023 to help fast-track their development.

Blake Hardwick: One of the most reliable players at Hawthorn, Hardwick was again a solid and important part of the brown and gold back six in 2023. The medium defender played every game this season and his 80.5 per cent disposal efficiency suggests there were very few poor ones. He can play lockdown or as a spare defender and is hugely respected inside the four walls.

Luke Breust: Ever-reliable and consistent, Breust went past 500 career goals in 2023 and was once again Hawthorn's most damaging player up forward. The brilliant small forward is coming off another superb season where he finished with 47 goals, making him the club's leading goalkicker for the fifth time in his career. 

Most Promising

2022 winner: Ned Reeves

Seamus Mitchell: After an unexpected burst out of the blocks this year, the forward-turned-defender showed some promising signs towards his future in his new role. Delisted in November last year, Mitchell shortly landed a second chance at Hawthorn via the rookie draft and has not looked back since. The Round 17 Rising Star nominee became a consistent performer across his 14 appearances, averaging 16.6 disposals, including five games where he finished with 20 disposals or more. 

Josh Weddle: In terms of first-year players in 2023, Weddle has been a clear stand-out. The 19-year-old made his AFL debut in Round 7 and did not miss a game since, going on to play 17 matches for the year - the most of any Hawthorn debutant in 2023. Arriving the club last year as Pick 18 in the national draft, the emerging star averaged 17.3 disposals at 78.6 per cent efficiency, 5.1 marks and 273 metres gained per outing, and earned a Rising Star nomination in Round 10. 

Connor Macdonald: After showing glimpses in his first season in the brown and gold last year, Macdonald was able to produce a break-out campaign in 2023. Having earned more time through the midfield, Macdonald made the most if it averaging 17.3 disposals and 4 marks per game while kicking 12 goals for the year. He finished with 28 disposals and two goals in Hawthorn’s upset win over Brisbane and has ridden that wave throughout the second half of the season. Macdonald's 2024 campaign is on track to be even brighter to what we’ve seen already.

Most Improved

2022 winner: Mitch Lewis

Conor Nash: Season 2023 marked a career-best syear for the Irishman, becoming one of Hawthorn's most important players. Showing his physicality around the ground, Nash averaged 24 disposals a game (+8.5 compared to 2022). Clearly enjoying his football and the team that now surrounds him, Nash has gone from strength to strength this year.

Ned Reeves: After working under watchful eye of former captain Ben McEvoy, Reeves got to spread his wings this year into taking over Hawthorn’s number one ruck position. In his fifth season in the brown and gold, Reeves thrived under shouldering the bulk of the Hawks’ ruck duties, averaging career-highs in hit-outs (28.2 per game) and hit-outs to advantage (8.7).

Finn Maginness: Maginness finished the year on fire taking scalp after scalp in tagging roles on star players, successfully restricting stellar opponents such as Josh Kelly and Nick Daicos. Despite the wide variety of match-ups he was given, Maginness maintained the same consistency throughout which is no mean feat. After ending last season with an eighth-place finish in the Peter Crimmins Medal, Maginness has arguably taken things up a notch this year.

Most Courageous

2022 winner: Blake Hardwick

Jai Newcombe: No one can deny Newcombe’s work rate and intensity. It doesn’t matter whether his side is winning or losing, the same unflinching commitment to the ball has always been on display in the 22-year-old. In just his third season, Newcombe continued to excite Hawks fans with his hard approach and toughness around the contest, with his work inside the stoppage setting him apart from others his age.

Dylan Moore: Moore is another one who is right in the mix for this award. Putting his body on the line week in, week out, the co vice-captain's application and athleticism meant he rarely had a bad day. Ranked elite in disposals and marks as a small forward, Moore is one never to shy away from a contest.

James Blanck: Often tasked with locking down the opposition’s best key forward, Blanck’s physicality and effort were on full display in 2023. At just 22 years of age, Blanck has become immensely valuable in the backline and is ever-reliable in always applying himself to the contest with competitive spirit.

Best Clubman

2022 winner: Dylan Moore

Luke Breust: A highly respected teammate both on and off the field, Breust has made a significant contribution to the club during his 15 years in the brown and gold. At 32 years of age, the club veteran showed no signs of slowing down this year, continuing his dominant ways in Hawthorn's attack. Named as co vice-captain alongside Moore, Breust has played a particularly notable mentoring role, with his professionalism and discipline benefiting several other players, and the team as a whole.

Jarman Impey: From an outsider’s and insider's perspective, Impey remained visible and positive throughout the season. Having ticked past 150 career games last year, the 28-year-old has developed into one of Hawthorn’s most valued leaders in recent seasons, resulting in his appointment in the club’s ‘Moorditj Kuda’ (leadership group) for 2023. Complementing Impey’s on-field achievements was his most recent off-field feat, where he helped design Hawthorn’s 2023 Indigenous Guernsey. 

Mitch Lewis: After being added into the club's Moorditj Kuda for the first time ahead of the season, 2023 has arguably been a coming of age for Lewis. The 24-year-old has lead the Hawks in attack throughout the year both on and off the field, and after shaking off an early season injury, he went on to play an important role later in the season. When on the sidelines, Lewis was still trying to improve his craft in other ways, whether that was helping coach the forwards or sitting in the coaches box on game day.

Lethal Award

2022 Winner: Jai Newcombe

Will Day: Picking up high numbers of possessions as he linked up through the midfield, Day's improvement has been fundamental to the development of Hawthorn this year. In his first season as a pure midfielder, Day has thrived in the middle and has become one of the league’s best young midfielders. Much-loved among his teammates, Day has played an important role in driving the standards among a young Hawks group. 

Conor Nash: Reliable and dependent, Nash's teammates can always count on him to get the job done. Having seen time at both ends of the ground, the Irishman has found his calling at the Hawks with his crash-and-bash approach and hard tackling adding a new and much-needed dimension to the midfield. The 25-year-old's AFL career was once at the crossroads after playing just 10 games across 2020 and 2021. But, now after missing just one game across the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Nash has turned things around immensely to become a vital part of his side.

James Sicily: Highly-respected within the four walls, Sicily was able to add another layer to his game in his first year as captain. The 28-year-old's mentorship of Hawthorn's younger crop has been instrumental this season. Being the club's most consistent performer, there's no denying that everyone stands taller when Sicily is on the field. With a combative approach, his fellow teammates often highlight his passion for the game as one of the reasons they love playing alongside him.

The Peter Crimmins Medal will take place on Saturday 7 October. 

Tickets to the event are still on sale here.