BACKS
Sam Armstrong
I played with Sam in the under-18s TAC Cup competition for the Oakleigh Chargers. We played together for a couple of years in the backline and I loved that he always had my back during a game. He was hard at the ball and I always admired the way he went about his footy.

Trent Croad
Out on the ground I always walked taller or felt more confident when Trent was around but footy wasn't the only thing he schooled me on. He taught me a lot of other things outside of footy, like how to match good wines with good food and how to cook gourmet barbeques.

Brent Guerra
I played with Brent at Port Adelaide as well, so that's six years now that we've played together. I've never seen a harder player at the ball or the body, and to top it off he has a beautiful left-foot kick.

HALF-BACKS
Jason Roe
I played with Jason at North Adelaide in the SANFL straight out of the under-18s. I admired how he always attacked the ball. Jason was a mentor for me and would help me out if I was struggling. He really helped me for my first couple of years when I was transitioning from under-18s to senior football.

Ryan Vernon
I played high school footy with Ryan at Whitefriars College. He was a great reader of the play and fearless in any contest he entered. We actually had to play against each other in the TAC Cup competition which was a bit strange for both of us.

John Law
My first backline coach in under-18s. John taught me how to be a defender because throughout my junior and school days I had played as a midfielder and forward. It was a challenge to switch to the backline because I had to learn to watch my opponent and react to them.

CENTRES
Cameron Antonino
I played junior footy with Cam and he was the type of player who could run all day. He always had a lot of possessions and was very efficient with his ball use.

Sam Mitchell
When I first came to Hawthorn, Sam took me under his wing. He taught me a lot about professionalism and the kind of lifestyle an AFL footballer should have. He also shared a few tips with me on diet and things like how to prepare for matches.

Clinton Young
I really respect Clinton for the way he goes about his footy at Hawthorn, but also for the way he lives his life. We're very good mates at the footy club and I really admire him.

HALF-FORWARDS
Mitchell Nibbs
I went to high school with Mitch and he would have had an amazing highlights reel! Mitch got his licence earlier than most because his grandma lived in Tasmania, so he basically drove Cam Antonino and me to under-18s training every week for two years. I really appreciated Mitch doing that, otherwise I would have had to take a train and two buses to get to training.

Lance Franklin
Buddy is probably the best player I've ever played with and he is an absolute inspiration out on the ground. He likes playing practical jokes around the club and loves a good laugh, even if it's at himself. He's always there to help out our teammates and would do anything for us.

Jordan Hill
One of my best mates from Whitefriars College and captain of our footy team. Jordan was such a good team leader on the field. He also had excellent skills and a great left-foot kick.

FORWARDS
Peter Sowersby
Peter was someone who I was very competitive with throughout high school. We always pushed each other at training sessions and both had dreams to go on to bigger and better things. His family always followed Hawthorn and have been a great supporter of mine throughout my career.

Andrew Gilham
I've never actually played in a team with my younger brother so it would be great if we could play together one day. We would kick the footy in the back yard for hours when we were growing up. He's a smart footballer who can take a great pack mark and is a great goalkicker down at East Doncaster Football Club.

Cyril Rioli
A great player who is incredibly dangerous up forward and can kick goals from just about anywhere. He is great to have on the team, not just for his highlights reel but also because he is a very unselfish team player.

FOLLOWERS
Luke Hodge
An inspirational leader at the Hawks who is always hard at the ball. The 2008 Norm Smith Medallist is not only very skilful but one of the most courageous players I have played with.

Chris Gilham
My cousin Chris had a lot to do with my junior development as a footballer. Chris played in the TAC Cup competition a couple of years before I did and he taught me a lot about playing in that competition and what was required of me. He's now the assistant coach of VFL side Werribee and has aspirations to coach at a higher level.

Charlie Russo
Charlie was my junior footy coach. He coached me in under-10s, 12s, 14s and 16s and was probably one of the biggest influences on me in terms of my development as a junior player. He had a lot of belief in my ability and gave me the confidence to chase my dreams.

INTERCHANGE
John Lamont
My under-18s coach for two years at the Oakleigh Chargers. He taught me a lot about what was required to take that next step up to AFL level. Things like fitness, professionalism, and weight training as well as teaching me how to research and prepare for your opponents each week. John was a great, disciplined coach.

Stephen Anderson
A really good friend of mine from primary school and high school. Stephen was a great teammate to play footy with but has been one of the greatest supporters of my AFL career. He always calls to see how I am. Even when I moved away to Adelaide we'd always keep in contact, and still to this day we have a very close friendship.

Daniel Sciubba
Daniel and I played footy together at Our Lady of the Pines Primary School. We both played up forward and he was a great shot at goal. One game we kicked 13 goals between us; I kicked six and he kicked seven goals. He visited me a lot when I was playing in Adelaide and was a vital part of my support network.

Adam Woods
I played footy with Adam throughout primary and high school. In fact, he still plays for Whitefriars in the VAFA. He has also been a big supporter of my football career, which means a lot to me.

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.