In brief
AFL matches: 25
Disposals per game: 10.8
One-percenters per game: 5.6 (second at Hawthorn)
Tackles per game: 2.9
Rebound 50s per game: 1.6
Disposal efficiency: 80.9%
Review
FORWARDS of all shapes and sizes know that when Ben Stratton heads their way at the opening bounce, it’s bound to be a tough day at the office.
The no-nonsense defender enhanced that reputation in 2015, compiling another consistent season of football.
Now a three-time premiership Hawk, Stratton played in all but one of the club’s 26 matches, notching 100 games during the course of the season.
Capable of playing on both small and tall forwards, the 26-year-old’s ability to negate some of the competition’s most dangerous players was crucial to the Hawks’ team success.
Perhaps underrated outside of Waverley Park, Stratton’s impact throughout 2015 cannot be understated.
He played important roles against Adelaide’s Eddie Betts in Round 12, Collingwood’s Jamie Elliott in Round 14, Fremantle’s Michael Walters in Round 15.
Betts, Elliott and Walters could only muster two goals between them in those three matches.
Stratton went one better in the Hawks’ semi-final win against the Crows, named one of the side’s best players after holding Betts goalless.
Described as the “ultimate play your role player” by GM – Football Operations Chris Fagan, Stratton’s role at the Hawks isn’t measured by the amount of disposals he collects.
Complementing the likes of tall defenders Brian Lake, Josh Gibson, and rebounding players such as Taylor Duryea and Grant Birchall, Stratton averaged 10.8 disposals per game.
He ranked second at the club for one-percenters, with 5.6 per game.
Stratton’s consistency was recognised with a sixth-placed finish in the Peter Crimmins Medal, while the popular Hawk won the Best Clubman award.
One of the club’s emerging leaders, Stratton signed a three-year contract extension midway through the season, which will tie him to the club until the end of 2019.
GM - Football Operations Chris Fagan says...
“‘Stratts’ is one of those blokes who will just do a role for the team,” Fagan said.
“We’ve had that saying this year, Play Your Role, and he’s the ultimate play your role player in our team.
“Nothing’s ever too much trouble for him, he’s happy to sacrifice his game for others and doesn’t worry about kicks, marks and handballs.
“He’s very much about what he has to do help the team win, and then he goes out and does it. He’s done jobs on players like Eddie Betts, Michael Walters and Jamie Elliott, because he’s got the leg speed and agility to shut them down, and he can play on the tall players as well.
“Like Isaac Smith, his leadership has really developed as well this year.”
In the news
VIDEO: Ask a Hawk: Stratton
NEWS: Señor Stratton
NEWS: Stratton signs three-year extension
