A two-horse race beckons for Hawthorn’s Best First Year Player award at the Peter Crimmins Medal ceremony on Saturday night.
Despite the likes of Dylan Moore, Jackson Ross, Changkuoth Jiath and Harrison Jones showing their promise for Box Hill in a premiership-winning season, they were unable to break into the senior 22 in their first year on the list.
Of the six fresh faces that joined the Hawks through the 2017 drafts, only James Worpel and David Mirra were able to make their senior debut.
Playing 11 and seven games respectively, both Worpel and Mirra looked comfortable on the big stage and figure as the two candidates most likely to take out the award.
James Worpel
One way of quickly acquainting yourself with the Hawthorn faithful in your first year at the club is to stand up in big moments on the big stage. This is exactly what James Worpel did in 2018. The 19-year old showed little fear as he lined up against competition superstars such as Joel Selwood and Josh Kennedy, consistently putting his body on the line and relishing the heat of the battle. His sealing goal against Essendon in Round 20 as well as his courageous attack on the ball against Selwood in Round 21 will last long in the memory of Hawks fans. The Geelong Falcons product finished the year with 11 games to his name, averaging 17.6 possessions, 3.9 tackles and 3.5 inside 50s.
David Mirra
David Mirra’s journey to a spot on an AFL list is well-documented. Mirra finally realised his dream eight years after he was first eligible for the draft, and following a long history with the Box Hill Hawks which included a 2013 premiership medallion and four VFL Team of the Year honours. This year Mirra added another VFL flag to his list of achievements along with seven AFL games. The 27-year old proved a reliable defensive option for the Hawks in his first season while also averaging 16.4 disposals, 5.7 marks and 3.3 rebound 50s
