Blake Hardwick is set to chalk up his 50th AFL game this Sunday against the Blues.
Originally drafted as a forward after leading the TAC Cup goal tally in 2015, Hardwick has been reborn as a lock-down defender since donning the brown and gold.
Picked up with the 44th selection in the 2015 National Draft, he made his first appearance in Round 19 the following year – his sole AFL outing of his debut season.
2017 saw Hardwick pick up the pace; he played 19 games, averaging 15 disposals, three tackles and five marks a game, while setting the standard for his teammates in terms of disposal efficiency (85 percent).
But in 2018, the man affectionately known as ‘Dimma’ took things up a notch, cementing himself as one of the best young players in the competition. Averaging 16 disposals, six intercept possessions and 16 pressure acts a game, Hardwick’s courageous and hard-nosed approach saw him finish runner-up to Tom Mitchell in the Peter Crimmins Medal count.
He has started 2019 in a similar vein, and has solidified his status as a player to watch in the years to come.
