Rising Hawks star James Worpel has been a key component in the Hawks’ ascent to a top four finish in 2018.

While the 19-year-old played three games between Rounds 6 and 9, Worpel returned to the side in Round 18, coinciding with the start of a six-game winning streak that shot the Hawks from 10^th to fourth on the ladder and secured them the double chance.

The well-built youngster impressed immediately in his return game, picking up a career-high 32 disposals as the Hawks cruised to a 72-point win over the Blues.

Important again as the side overcame Fremantle in Perth, Worpel saved arguably the most vital moment of his season until the Hawks’ critical clash with the Bombers in Round 20.

Sitting seventh – and with a logjam of teams trying to break their way into the top eight – the Hawks found themselves on the verge of a season-defining win, leading by four points with just minutes remaining in the game and Essendon pressing hard.

But matched up against dual All Australian defender Michael Hurley, Worpel managed to win a critical one-on-one inside the Hawks’ forward 50, keeping his feet when Hurley couldn’t, before running in and kicking the goal that all but sealed the game.

The moment helped shape the Hawks’ season and, if he wasn’t already, endeared Worpel to the Hawks’ faithful.

Read: Hawks' All Australian history

And as the Hawks continued to face crunch games, Worpel continued to step up in the big moments.

This time up against nemesis Geelong, the Hawks led by 13-points in the third term as Worpel found himself going to head to head with renowned hard-nut, Cats skipper Joel Selwood.

Approaching the ball from opposite directions, Worpel went harder and lower than Selwood, gathering the ball at speed before spinning out of trouble in a move that not only set up Jack Gunston for a goal, but announced Worpel as one of the hardest and best young midfielders in the competition.

Hawthorn hung on to an eleven-point lead in that match, lifting themselves into the top four as they headed towards September at full speed, while Worpel was rewarded with the round’s Rising Star nomination.

“I think we’re one of the oldest teams in the competition at the moment so us younger tiered boys are stepping up well which is good,” Worpel said after the nomination.

“I think my first couple of games were alright but not probably at the standard they needed to be, so I went back, played a bit of VFL, got a bit of confidence in my body and in myself.

“It’s just confidence building pretty much every game now.”

An impressive 27-disposal performance followed as the Hawks scraped over the line against St Kilda, including career highs in inside fifties (six) and clearances (five) while the former Geelong Falcon all but cemented his spot in the Hawks’ best 22 with another excellent display against the Swans.

The number 38 landed his fourth goal of the season as he pounced on a Sydney turnover in the first term before finishing with another 23 disposals as the Hawks yet again hung on to clinch a tight win over an arch-rival, sewing up a top four finish.

But while one of the competition’s brightest young players has stood up in the big moments over the last six weeks, Worpel will be put to the test even further as the September stage now awaits.