The Hawks have locked in a trio of exciting youngsters, with James Cousins, Dylan Moore and Changkuoth Jiath all putting pen to paper on contract extensions.
Cousins has signed on for a further two years, keeping him in the brown and gold until at least the end of 2021, while Moore and Jiath have both committed to one-year deals, seeing them through to the end of next season.
GM-Football Graham Wright said the club is pleased to see its 2020 list starting to take shape.
“We’ve got a wave of exciting young players coming through our system – James, Dylan and Changkuoth included,” Wright said.
“They’ve each travelled different paths in 2019, but all have demonstrated vast improvement across the course of the season.
“We’re pleased to have secured their services beyond this year, and we’re looking forward to witnessing their continued development over the next 12 months.”
Read: Mitchell commits long-term
Cousins enjoyed a strong start to the season, playing 11 of the first 12 senior games and averaging 18 disposals and three tackles.
After being selected with Pick 46 in the 2016 Rookie Draft, the hard-nosed midfielder quickly found his feet, becoming the first of his draft class to debut for the club (Round 10, 2017).
Having since been elevated to the senior list, Cousins has notched up 18 AFL games and counting.
Fellow youngster Moore is into his second season on the Hawks’ list, having been selected with Pick 67 in the 2017 National Draft.
A crafty small forward/midfielder, the 19-year-old made his debut in Round 3 this year, impressing with his foot speed and footy smarts.
He was a key contributor in Box Hill’s 2018 premiership campaign, booting three goals in last year’s grand final.
Changkuoth Jiath also joined the Hawks in late 2017, coming in as a Category B Rookie after developing through Hawthorn’s Next Generation Academy.
Yet to make his senior debut, Jiath has been touted as one to watch, turning heads with his athleticism and aerial ability. He has shown sparks of brilliance in the VFL while playing off half back, averaging 13 disposals and five marks across his 10 appearances in 2019.
The young trio represent the latest instalments in an exciting week of re-signings, after Tom Mitchell re-committed to the Hawks earlier this week.
