THE Olympics officially kicks off on Saturday morning (Australian time), and there will be plenty of people altering their sleeping patterns for the next two weeks to watch as many events as possible.
With so many diverse sports to choose from at Olympic level, we thought we’d see if any Hawthorn players would be able to turn their specific skill sets to sports other than Aussie Rules.
Which Hawks do you think could go to Rio?
Archery – Jack Gunston
Gunston and is known as one of the best shots for goal in the business, so he could certainly turn his hand to a sport where accuracy is key.
Archery is all about analysing the conditions, a keen eye and steady hand, and the Hawthorn sharp shooter certainly possesses all of those qualities.
Athletics – Isaac Smith, Bradley Hill, Billy Hartung
Athletics is a major highlight of the Olympics and there are definitely some Hawthorn players who would not look out of place on the running track.
It’s common to see Smith, Hill and Hartung burning up the turf on the MCG in the brown and gold, so it’s not hard to imagine them doing it in green and gold.
There is a real rivalry in the preseason when it comes to who is the best time trial runner at the club, so we think any of the 400, 800 and 1500 meter events would suit them perfectly.
Soccer – Sam Mitchell, Liam Shiels, Matt Spangher
The soccer ball makes a regular appearance at Hawthorn training sessions, and these three players can always be found joining in with some round ball practice.
Australia are not competing in football at these Olympics, but Mitchell, Shiels and Spangher could certainly mix it with the Rio locals on Copacabana beach.
High jump – Cyril Rioli, Paul Puopolo
Having Rioli and Puoplo compete in high jump is a no brainer, given they have soared to take a number of huge marks already in 2016.
They dynamic forwards have already received five Mark of the Year nominations between them in 2016, showing they have no problem in being able to leap tall objects in a single bound.
Volleyball – James Sicily, Tim O’Brien
Volleyball players need a good mix of agility, vertical leap, height and hand-eye coordination, and these two young Hawks fit the mould perfectly.
Both O’Brien and Sicily have found their niches as a marking forwards this year, and they could definitely apply their aerial prowess to the volleyball court.
Rugby 7’s – Luke Breust, Kurt Heatherley
Breust split his time between AFL and rugby league growing up in Temora in New South Wales, so he already has plenty of the necessary skills to be a crafty Rugby 7’s player.
Heatherley, a Kiwi-born rookie, grew up surrounded by rugby so it seems only natural he could slot into the Rugby 7’s team – perhaps more naturally than Jarryd Hayne.
