HAWTHORN has been warned about cutting the playing list too deep in what shapes as a significant rebuild at the club.<\/p>\n
The Hawks have already lost captain Ben McEvoy and Liam Shiels to retirement, while Jack Gunston is set to join Brisbane and Tom Mitchell\u2019s name remains in trade circles.<\/p>\n
Having looked at Hawthorn\u2019s side in the final game of the 2022 season, Matthew Lloyd has some worries about what\u2019s ahead for coach Sam Mitchell if there are only a handful of established Hawks left.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I was Sam Mitchell, I\u2019d be very, very careful,\u201d he said on AFL Trade Radio\u2019s Trade Mornings<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cA mistake young coaches make is cutting too thin too early.<\/p>\n \u201cSo 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\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cI looked at their team in round 23 and you\u2019ve got Blake Hardwick, who\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n \u201cWithout Gunston, all there is is Luke Breust, Jaeger O\u2019Meara, James Sicily and Hardwick, Liam Shiels is gone as well. It\u2019s very young [outside of them].<\/p>\n \u201cDylan Moore is building, but he\u2019s still pretty young and inexperienced. They had Jai Newcombe ruck-rover, he\u2019s young, Josh Ward on the bench, Jack Saunders on the bench, Daniel Howe who got delisted played that day and Harry Morrison.<\/p>\n \u201cThey could fall further down next year if they go too young. You\u2019ve got to be very careful.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is something that Sam has to be very aware of.\u201d<\/p>\n Furthermore, Kane Cornes has concerns it might be too \u201csavage\u201d of a rebuild if so much experience is trimmed off the list.<\/p>\n He references Adelaide and North Melbourne as the cautionary tales of recent times.<\/p>\n