On Saturday night, Hawthorn Football Club will hold its 2014 best and fairest awards, the Peter Crimmins Medal.
hawthornfc.com.au takes a look at who might be in contention to win the Best First Year Player award.
Billy Hartung
In his first year on the list, Hartung exceeded expectations by playing seven games in his debut season, breaking into a premiership team in Round 7.
Hartung impressed immediately when he was thrown into the action early against the Saints because of an injury to veteran midfielder Sam Mitchell.
The highly-rated youngster showed why he was one of the top picks in last year’s National Draft, playing with good composure with his speed and elite foot skills a shining light.
He picked up 26 disposals in his debut and kicked a goal before impressing as the sub in the loss to Sydney in Round 8, with his speed important in helping the Hawks generate run.
Hartung was again good in Round 10, when he picked up 17 disposals in the loss to Port Adelaide.
He was unlucky to miss out on a finals berth after playing in the final home-and-away game against Collingwood.
Angus Litherland
After four years on the list, the athletic defender finally got his chance at senior level in 2014, playing 13 games.
He earned his senior debut in Round 2, coming in late for the injured Sam Mitchell and impressed immediately with his ability to perform under pressure in the nail-biting win over Essendon.
The athletic defender who’s athletic for his size (192cm) impressed for the Hawks with his desperation, composure in tight situations and penetrating kick that proved another weapon off half-back.
Rewarded mid-year with a new two-year contract, 2014 saw Litherland transformed himself into a genuine prospect for the future and is a chance to take home the Best First Year Player award.
His performance on GWS gun forward Jeremy Cameron was his best of the year and his game-saving tackle in the goal square was one of the standout moments of the season for the Hawks.
With the ability to play on both talls and smalls, Litherland’s flexibility is one of his biggest assets and a reason why he was able to play so many games this year, helping to fill the void particularly in the absence of Josh Gibson and Brian Lake mid-season.
Angus Litherland in action.
Mitch Hallahan
Taken in the same draft as Litherland, Hallahan too had to wait patiently for his chance at senior level and finally got it in Round 5.
After winning the J.J. Liston Medal as the VFL’s best player last year, Hallahan earned his debut after another strong start to the season.
Named as the sub against the Cats in his debut, Hallahan immediately showed what he could deliver as a hard-nosed clearance winning midfielder with excellent kicking skills.
When Sam Mitchell was injured in Round 7, Hallahan was thrown the challenge of shouldering more midfield responsibility and responded, picking up 25 disposals in an impressive performance against the Swans in Round 8.
20 disposals in the loss to Port Adelaide was also among his best of the six senior games he played before returning to the VFL where the remainder of his season was interrupted by injury before finishing strongly in the VFL finals.
Alex Woodward
He played just two games in his debut season but the fact he won the VFL’s J.J Liston Medal having played just 13 home-and-away games meant we couldn’t leave him out.
Woodward’s story is a remarkable one, overcoming two knee reconstructions to finally earn his senior debut in the crunch Round 18 win over Sydney at the MCG.
A hard at it midfielder, Woodward is a contested ball winner and showed he has no trouble finding the footy, winning 15 disposals in his second career game against the Bulldogs in Round 19.
