IT’S fair to say that trying to pick Hawthorn’s best and fairest at the midway point of 2016 is probably not the easiest of tasks.

And that’s because there have been more than a handful of impressive performers.

Grant Birchall got asked the question on CrocMedia on Tuesday night, and said there were three players he thought would be around the mark.

“Definitely Sam Mitchell early on in the season, will probably be winning it quite comfortably,” Birchall said.

“But I think Jack Gunston in the last month or so has really performed well. Isaac Smith… has been going quite well (too).

“I think those three probably stand out.”

Those three aside, there’s sure to be a couple of others in the mix at the midway mark.

Jordan Lewis has hit his straps over the past month, while there’s been a number of impressive performances from forwards such as Cyril Rioli, Paul Puopolo and Luke Breust.

And don’t forget the defenders.

Josh Gibson has won the Peter Crimmins Medal twice already, and has barely put a foot wrong in 2016, while Ben Stratton (April’s Audi Player of the Month) and fellow lock-down defender James Frawley continue to perform in the back six.