Hawks warned of ‘cutting too thin’ on rebuild

HAWTHORN has been warned about cutting the playing list too deep in what shapes as a significant rebuild at the club.

The Hawks have already lost captain Ben McEvoy and Liam Shiels to retirement, while Jack Gunston is set to join Brisbane and Tom Mitchell’s name remains in trade circles.

Having looked at Hawthorn’s side in the final game of the 2022 season, Matthew Lloyd has some worries about what’s ahead for coach Sam Mitchell if there are only a handful of established Hawks left.

“If I was Sam Mitchell, I’d be very, very careful,” he said on AFL Trade Radio’s Trade Mornings.

“A mistake young coaches make is cutting too thin too early.

“So Tom Mitchell may find a new home, he may not, but if he goes and McEvoy the captain has retired, and Jack Gunston has already gone…

“I looked at their team in round 23 and you’ve got Blake Hardwick, who’s experienced, was in the back pocket, James Blanck was full-back, Denver Grainger-Barras was back pocket, Jack Scrimshaw half-back, Will Day half-back, Finn Maginness on a wing, Connor Nash half-forward, Ned Long half-forward, Connor MacDonald forward pocket, Max Lynch – just how young it is.

“Without Gunston, all there is is Luke Breust, Jaeger O’Meara, James Sicily and Hardwick, Liam Shiels is gone as well. It’s very young [outside of them].

“Dylan Moore is building, but he’s still pretty young and inexperienced. They had Jai Newcombe ruck-rover, he’s young, Josh Ward on the bench, Jack Saunders on the bench, Daniel Howe who got delisted played that day and Harry Morrison.

“They could fall further down next year if they go too young. You’ve got to be very careful.

“That is something that Sam has to be very aware of.”

Furthermore, Kane Cornes has concerns it might be too “savage” of a rebuild if so much experience is trimmed off the list.

He references Adelaide and North Melbourne as the cautionary tales of recent times.

“Jack Gunston’s gone and I’m interested in the makeup of what this means for Hawthorn,” Cornes said on SEN Mornings.

“Firstly, what a player he’s been, 11 seasons at Hawthorn after coming across from Adelaide. Three premierships, a best and fairest and has just been a gun across multiple positions.

“What a player he has been and what a pickup he will be for the Lions. It’s a terrific move for Brisbane.

“I wonder what it says about the Hawks because you lose Gunston, you lose Shiels, you lose McEvoy, potentially Tom Mitchell if he walks out the door.

“On the back of what Adelaide and North Melbourne have done, it feels like a savage rebuild really, at the Hawthorn footy club.

“I wonder whether they will be cutting too deep?

“Whilst Sam Mitchell’s first year was so impressive, I loved what he did, the game plan he implemented and the young players have been impressive, I get the feeling it could be a pretty tough year for the Hawks next year.”

The Hawks will add 124 games of experience to their list when Karl Amon joins from Port Adelaide in the free agency period which opens on Friday.

-BY ANDREW SLEVISON/ SEN