There are just four players on the Hawks list who have spent at least a year at the club but are yet to make their senior debut.

We’ve taken a look at this quartet and what it will take for them to get their chance at AFL level in 2021.

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Harry Pepper

Pepper came on board at the Hawks after the club selected him as a Category B rookie.

A talented basketballer in his junior sporting days, Pepper’s natural athleticism is there for all to see.

Speed, agility and a vertical leap that belies his 180cm height - the Gippsland Power product spent the majority of his first season at the club developing as a small to medium-sized defender.

Coaches are in agreeance that he is a highly coachable type who is keen to learn and build his game.

The 2020 season was a challenging one for the entire industry but, for first-year players especially, there were major hurdles in being able to fast-track development.

Pepper figures to be a beneficiary of a more ‘normal’ year in 2021 and onlookers will watch with interest to see how he performs with more consistent opportunities to get on the park and play some games.

Jacob Koschitzke

Two years into his AFL journey, Koschitzke is the next Hawk yet to be sighted on an AFL field to date.

The 20-year-old has had his fair share of impediments in reaching this goal so far though, with major shoulder surgery this time last year hurting his ability to have a clean run in 2020.

Standing at 196cm tall, Koschitzke’s potential at senior level is obvious.

He spent time in the key posts at either end of the ground throughout the various reserves scratch matches last year.

In what position Koschitzke settles in this season remains to be seen, but the youngster should take a lot of confidence in the fact his body is as fit, healthy and strong as it has been.

There are key position spots up for grabs this year, will Kosi be ready to put his hand up?

Ned Reeves

Like Koschitzke, Reeves has also now completed two campaigns in the brown and gold.

At 208cm tall, Reeves is the definition of a project ruckman - he was never going to come in and make an immediate impact.

But the development that the giant ruckman has undergone, especially throughout 2020, should leave Hawks fans very interested to see how things pan out.

Reeves added more tricks to his game last year, with his post hit-out follow-up work a noticeable feature of his improvement.

His ability to impact in the air throughout the scratch matches last year was also eye-catching as he pulled down a number of contested marks.

Ben McEvoy and Jon Ceglar are the two players that sit between Reeves and his chance at a senior debut, but it will be interesting to see how things develop within the Hawks ruck stocks throughout 2021.

Emerson Jeka

Upon his arrival at the club after the 2019 draft, Jeka didn’t take long to make an impression on his new teammates and coaches.

Clutching a number of towering contested grabs throughout the pre-season, the former Western Jet turned heads in his first summer as a Hawk.

As 2020 transpired, Jeka didn’t quite take the next step and force the match committee’s hand in terms of a look in at senior level.

His workrate and ability to find ways to impact games were questioned at times last year, but there were natural areas of improvement for a key forward in his first year in the AFL system.

Returning to pre-season this summer, Jeka looks to be fit and firing.

Like Koschitzke, he will be vying for an opportunity in some of those key position spots this year.