IT'S no secret that Hawthorn has some of the best kickers of the football in the AFL.
But where do they stack up in comparison to other clubs?
Hawthorn’s ability to hit targets by foot has remained a cornerstone of the Hawks’ success under Alastair Clarkson, and the club has focused on drafting young players with elite kicking skills to continue this trend.
Champion Data’s kick rating system - which is calculated by how often a player hits the target as opposed to how often they are expected to hit the target - ranks some of Hawthorn’s players among the best in the business when it comes to kicking.
Grant Birchall has led the way for the Hawks for a number of years now in this department.
He has the best overall kick rating at the club in the last five seasons with a rating of +5.2%, ranking him seventh across all players in the competition.
Brendan Whitecross, despite having had an unlucky run with injuries, also features in the top 20 kickers in the competition, with a ranking of +4.6% that sits him at 14th overall.
Former Hawk turned Bulldog Matt Suckling has a kick rating of +4.8% over the last five years, which sits him equal-ninth overall.
Jack Gunston’s set shot accuracy is well documented, and his dead-eye disposal in front of goal ranks him second on the list for set shot accuracy over the last five seasons, with a kick rating of +9.8%.
All footballers know that it’s important to be able to kick on both feet, and the Hawks possess some of the best in this department, with Ben Stratton (+2.2%) and Sam Mitchell (+1.2%) placed fifth and sixth respectively for kick rating on their opposite foot in 2015.
Some of the Hawks’ other stars have also proved their value with ball in hand over the last five seasons.
Bradley Hill has developed into one of the best outside midfielders in the AFL, and his kicking has played an integral part of that, recording a rating of +7.6% in 2015, which ranked him third overall across all players.
Cyril Rioli has also featured in the list of the best kickers before, having ranked fourth overall in 2012 with a kick rating of +8.9%.
But the Hawks don’t just rely on a handful of quality kickers. As a team, Hawthorn had the best overall kick rating of any side last season at +2.1%.
Their accurate kicking around the field and in front of goal meant that Hawthorn ranked first for points scored in 2015, averaging a massive 111.5 points per game.
The Hawks will be hoping that their outstanding disposal can serve them well once again in 2016.
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