HAWTHORN star Jordan Lewis says there’s no real secret behind his recent outstanding form.
Lewis has won praise from many this year who believe season 2014 has been his best after 10 years and two premierships with the Hawks and it’s little wonder why.
In the face of a mounting injury toll mid-way through the season that saw the Hawks without Captain Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell, Josh Gibson, Cyril Rioli, Brad Sewell and Brian Lake, the Hawthorn vice-captain has stood tall.
First it was in an amazing 38-disposal and two goal game in an undermanned Hawthorn outfit that lost to Port Adelaide in Round 10, then later it was his heroics against the Swans and Demons in crucial wins for the Hawks.
Such has been his outstanding form that he has received 23 votes from the coaches for the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year award in the last three weeks.
He picked up 10 for his brilliant performance against Sydney in which he led the Hawks to victory in the final term with 12 disposals in the last quarter and another 10 against the Demons while picking up a further three in between for his performance against the Bulldogs in Tasmania.
Lewis has been his team’s number one clearance player throughout the year, averaging 5.8 per game as well as the side’s leading disposal-getter with an average of 27 per game.
The secret behind his consistency – he has managed 21 or more disposals in all but one game this year – is there is no secret. It's just about achieving continuity in his football.
The dual premiership player has missed just one game, in Round 11 through injury but been an important part of Alastair Clarkson’s team in the other 18 to date.
He is thankful for an injury-free run not only in being able to play every week but also in being able to prepare well in his training and recovery.
“That’s it in a nutshell – I’m not really doing anything special,” Lewis told hawthornfc.com.au about his training and preparation routines.
“You obviously have to remain injury free and being able to train during the week and recover really well.
“You still have to try and provide options for your teammates (on the field) and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.”
Undoubtedly, the hard at it midfielder will be a key cog in Hawthorn’s machine heading into September and justly in the next three weeks, where the Hawks face a number of big challenges.
Hawthorn will travel to Perth on Saturday ahead of Sunday’s blockbuster against Fremantle at Patersons Stadium before returning to Melbourne for another season-defining clash against Geelong at the MCG in Round 22.
To end the home-and-away season, the Hawks face Collingwood in the final round before launching another September attack.
Lewis says he and his ever-hungry teammates are ready for the challenges that await.
“It’s going to be a really big challenge for us and something we’ll be ready for and be up to,” Lewis said of facing the Dockers.
“Good sides always want to test themselves against good sides to see if their game plan and structures stand up.
“We’ve got no doubt it’ll be a finals-like atmosphere and a finals-like game.
“What better way to prepare than with that three weeks out from the finals.”