HAWTHORN Recruiting and List Manager Graham Wright has added speed to the Club’s list at the 2013 NAB AFL Draft by selecting speedsters Billy Hartung, Dayle Garlett and James Sicily on Thursday night.
From the Dandenong Stingrays, Hartung was taken with the Club’s first selection, number 24 overall and is a slick midfielder with good skills.
Garlett was taken at number 38 from Swan Districts and is an exciting forward that can play in the midfield and possess great speed and skills while Sicily is a half forward also with good speed and is known for his overhead marking ability.
Each will be given time to develop in season 2014 but Wright believes Garlett could potentially make an impact at senior level next season.
“They’ve all got serious football talent, they’re all quick, they’re all highly skilled and they can all find their own football - that mix into our group is vitally important,” Wright said of the trio after the draft.
“We’re not expecting anything major of them in the next year or so, maybe Dayle would be the most likely just because he’s a year older than those guys.
“We think he might be able to come in and have an impact if he’s able to get through the training and play the pre-season games.
“(But) the other two boys will be given every opportunity as well.”
Much has been said about Garlett after he was overlooked in last year’s National and Rookie Drafts but Wright and the Club are excited about the speedster joining the Club.
“We’re rapt to get Dayle at number 38, we thought that was an appropriate selection for him,” he told hawthornfc.com.au
“There’s no doubt he’s got some serious football talent and we’ve been in constant contact with him over the last couple of years and felt really comfortable with the selection.”
With an experienced group of midfielders already at the Club, Wright said the Hawks were keen to add to its midfield depth on Thursday night.
The Club too, was focused on selecting players known for the running capabilities with the new interchange cap in effect from 2014.
Hartung in particular is known for his endurance after breaking the AFL Draft Combine record, previously held by 2013 premiership player Bradley Hill.
The Dandenong Stingrays prospect recorded a score of 16.6, eclipsing Hill's rating of 16.1.
Criticised at times for a perceived lack of pace, the speed of the trio is just a bonus to their ability to cover the ground.
“You need to be able to run to play the game, that’s our feeling,” he said.
“You need to be able to cover the ground, you need to be able to stay on the field because of the limit in rotations.
“We were really keen to bring guys in that can run and the fact they all have speed is great but they’re all highly skilled as well and we think they’ll be exciting players for us.
“We were after midfielders, so two of them certainly filled that need but James at a high half forward was all about talent – we just though he was the most talented player at that pick.”
Wright added the Hawks were happy with their selections on Thursday night.
“We’re really rapt to get those three guys and we think they can all have a big say in our future in the next few years,” he said.
