HAWTHORN pulled off a recruiting coup on Thursday morning when it announced it had acquired the services of talented St Kilda ruckman, Ben McEvoy.
The number one ruck role became available at Waverley after the retirement of 2013 Premiership player Max Bailey and Recruiting and List Manager Graham Wright and his team wasted no time in searching for a quality player to fill the void.
McEvoy, 24, fit the bill as a ruckman with experience who is capable of assuming the number one ruck role at Hawthorn immediately and also allow David Hale to continue his role as a relief ruckman/forward.
The trade sees McEvoy join the Hawks in exchange for emerging midfielder Shane Savage and the Club’s first round pick, currently number 17 overall.
McEvoy has played 91 career games since making his debut in 2008 and has become one of the league’s best emerging ruckman with his tap work and contested marking his strengths.
He took 33 contested marks in 2013, ranked fifteenth in the AFL this season and the best of any number one ruckman in the league.
Wright says those attributes as well as his endurance that make him a welcome addition to the Hawks.
“He’s a 24 year old experienced ruckman who has played in grand finals, is a quality person and we think he can play six, seven or eight years for Hawthorn Football Club,” Wright told hawthornfc.com.au
“He’s got all of that (good tap work and contested marking) but he’s also got outstanding endurance as well – he plays a lot of minutes and we think he can mark the ball really well forward, which should be a good combination with ‘Haley’”.
“We were really keen to bring in some support for him and we thought Ben was that support and we think he’s an outstanding player and a quality person.”
Currently on holiday in Cambodia, McEvoy spoke to Hawthorn Coach Alastair Clarkson, who is also overseas on a study tour over the phone before agreeing to join the Club.
He will return from his holiday on Sunday and will be officially welcomed to the Club next week.
“He is really happy to join Hawthorn, it was a little bit of a whirlwind for him,” Wright said.
“He’s back in the country on Sunday and hopefully we’ll have him out here early next week.”
Wright hopes the trade that sees Savage depart the Club benefits both Hawthorn and St Kilda.
“Losing Shane was difficult, but he’d made it pretty clear at the end of the year that he wanted to seek opportunity elsewhere,” he said.
“He was still contracted but from our point of view we were able to do a deal with a club that really wanted Shane but also suited our needs, so hopefully it’s a win/win.”
A member of St Kilda’s leadership group in 2012 and 2013 and touted as a future captain, the leadership qualities the new Hawks ruckman possesses made the decision to add him to the 2013 premiership side an easy one.
“He was in the leadership group at St Kilda so that shows you the calibre of the young man, he’s a fantastic guy and at 24 years of age, we think he’ll add a lot to us,” Wright said.
“Bringing in good people is first and foremost. We want to know they can play football obviously, but brining in good people helps the group overall and we have that as part of our recruiting philosophy, whether it’s with young players or experienced players.
“Ben fits the bill there perfectly.”
