Hawthorn’s predicted Round 1 line-up: Fergus debut but no space for Mackenzie or Weddle

The Hawks are in full-blown rebuild mode which means head coach Sam Mitchell is likely to give plenty of opportunities to the youngsters, which should be music to SuperCoachers’ ears.

Author: Dylan Bolch @BolchDylan

Herald Sun journalist and Hawks fan Dylan Bolch offers up the lowdown ahead of Round 1.

Defence

The backline is probably Hawthorn’s strongest line.

New skipper James Sicily is the most relevant SuperCoach option here, fresh off a season average of 113.5 points per game. Sicily was a pillar of consistency last year, amassing 16 scores of 104+ points, with his lowest score being 84 back in round two. He’s a fantastic premium option yet again.

Outside of Sicily there isn’t a lot of Fantasy/SuperCoach relevance, but Changkuoth Jiath is as exciting as they come and might be a decent Draft pick.

Midfield

Ned Reeves looks like he will shoulder the burden of the ruck load alongside Lloyd Meek, whilst Jai Newcombe well and truly has the keys to this midfield.

Karl Amon will slot onto a wing after crossing the border, whilst Will Day has been touted for more midfield minutes after spending the infancy of his career in defence. Day may be worth a mid-priced punt in your defence but is more likely a Draft smokey.

Can James Worpel bounce back to his Peter Crimmins Medal winning ways? The 24-year-old averaged 97 Fantasy and SuperCoach points per game in 2019 and if he can reach those heights once more, there’s some serious value here.

With Tom Mitchell and Jaeger O’Meara gone, there’s some SuperCoach points to go around at the Hawks.

Draftees Cam Mackenzie and Josh Weddle are serious chances for Round 1, pending performances in the practice match against Collingwood.

Forward

There’s still a lot of quality in this forward line, but the loss of Mitch Lewis is a heavy blow.

Fergus Greene is a short-priced favourite to replace the departed Jack Gunston making him a decent rookie option, whilst Jacob Koschitzke will slot in alongside Greene and the resting ruck.

Dylan Moore could take his game to another level in 2023 but that may coincide with the speedster earning additional midfield minutes. He could be a cheeky point-of-difference play if you don’t want to go with the grain and select the likes of Josh Dunkley, Tim Taranto or Connor Rozee.

Bench

Finn Maginness showcased his wares as a talented tagger in 2022 and is likely to assume that role again this season, honing his craft before in theory following a similar trajectory to Jack Steele (Hawks fans would be stoked if he turned out like that!).

Jarman Impey is a true utility whilst the coaching staff love how Conor Nash throws his weight around in the centre of the ground.

Ex-Cat Cooper Stephens will try to break into the midfield group but has had a recent concussion setback meaning he has probably fallen down the pecking order a little bit.

Players competing for a spot in the backline include Denver Grainger-Barras and Lachie Bramble, whilst small forwards Tyler Brockman and Sam Butler are likely to see some senior game time in 2023, too.