Hawthorn forward Luke Breust says the 2019 season is the tightest competition he has seen throughout his nine years in the AFL system.
With three wins and three losses to their name so far this year, the Hawks currently sit in 11th place on the ladder.
But Alastair Clarkson’s side sits just one win behind the second-placed Fremantle.
An All Australian forward for the second time last year, Breust said the league had seemingly become increasingly competitive each year over the past few seasons.
“I think it’s been a pretty even competition over the past couple of years and, if anything, it’s gone to a whole nother level this year,” Breust told Macquarie Sports Radio on Thursday.
“I think the competition would be pretty happy with that.”
But less discrepancy between teams hasn’t led to greater scoring, in fact the opposite.
Breust, who sits 10th all-time in Hawthorn’s goal kicking, says he remains unsure why the level of scoring has not responded to the various rule changes brought in at the start of the year.
“I think teams are continuing to adjust with these new rules.
“Clarko mentioned post-game on the weekend that it is one of the most complex games in the world.
“So, when you do bring in new systems and new rules, it takes a little while to adjust and for teams to find ways to exploit that.”
