Hawthorn captaincy: James Sicily appointed the new skipper, Dylan Moore and Luke Breust his deputies

Hawthorn have a new skipper and two fresh vice-captains after a revamp of their on-field leaders. See all the details here.

Players wrestle after a marking contest between Connor Macdonald and Denver Grainger-Barras during the Hawks intra-club match at La Trobe University. Picture: Getty Images

Reigning Hawthorn best and fairest James Sicily will lead the club into a new era after being appointed captain on Friday.

Sicily takes over from the retired Ben McEvoy as part of a new look leadership team.

The one-time hot-head has matured significantly in recent years with the 28-year-old being the standout candidate for the position.

Luke Breust and Dylan Moore will serve as co-vice captains under Sicily, with Sam Frost, Jarman Impey and Mitch Lewis rounding out the leadership group.

James Sicily is the new Hawthorn captain. Picture: Getty Images

Sicily said it was a huge honour to lead the club and he was looking forward to guiding Hawthorn, which has the youngest playing list entering the 2023 season.

“I feel very privileged to be given the opportunity to lead this team,” Sicily said.

“It’s an enormous responsibility but I’m ready for the challenge and can’t wait to lead this group of players.

“To be backed by the players and the club, it’s a really special feeling.

“This club has invested so much effort, love and time into me as a person first and foremost to the point where I feel very comfortable with the opportunity to lead this club, and I feel so supported in the role by teammates, coaches, family and friends.

“The entire playing group is intent on taking our game to another level in 2023, and this has been reflected in the energy and intensity on the training track so far this pre-season so I can’t wait to get started in a month’s time.”

Sicily overcame a knee reconstruction suffered in 2020 to take his game to a new level last season, winning his first Peter Crimmins Medal.

Sicily will be supported by vice-captains Dylan Moore and Luke Breust.

Hawks CEO Justin Reeves said the club had great faith in Sicily’s capacity to lead this young group.

“The club is truly delighted to welcome James Sicily into an esteemed group of Hawthorn people as captain of the Hawks,” Reeves said.

“The respect James has built with his teammates, coaches and our broader Hawthorn family gives us great confidence that he is the right person to lead this club into its exciting future.

“He has a great love and passion for the game and, just as importantly, for Hawthorn Football Club and I’m extremely excited to see him make his mark with this honoured duty.

“Luke’s inclusion as vice captain is a testament to his natural leadership qualities, his loyalty and his commitment to this club during his 14 seasons at Hawthorn.”

HAWTHORN INTRA CLUB WRAP

Scott Gullan

The unsociable Hawks were at it again.

It has become a theme over the pre-season for some friendly infighting and there were plenty of scraps in the Hawks first official intra-club hitout in Bundoora.

Last week there was James Sicily and Sam Butler going at it, this time one of the bigger disagreements was between Denver Grainger-Barras and Connor McDonald.

A late spoil just before halftime saw the pair come together and there were soon plenty of others getting involved with the teams divided between the probables and possibles.

The worry for key defender Grainger-Barras was he started in the second team, which was mainly made up of Box Hill VFL players, and struggled to have any impact.

Denver Grainger-Barras was involved in plenty of scuffles. Picture: Getty Images

Dylan Moore was very impressive. Picture: Mark Stewart

MOORE PLEASE

There was no contract hangover for Dylan Moore who was clearly the superior forward for the night.

He was burning the turf particularly early, kicking three goals in the first half and setting up several others.

Moore’s career resurrection from almost on the scrap heap to being a key plank of the Hawks future was signed off last week when he put pen to paper on a three-year contract.

New recruit Fergus Greene, who was also almost lost to the AFL before being nabbed as a free-agent by the Hawks, continued to impress with two goals playing in the Jack Gunston role.

James Sicily lifts his left ankle after an injury scare.

The Hawthorn star is expected to recover quickly.

NO RISKS SKIPPER

The man who most think will be named captain in the coming days, James Sicily, was the only injury scare of the game.

Sicily came from the ground early in the third quarter after rolling his left ankle and was immediately ruled out of any more action.

The Hawks weren’t concerned afterwards saying he was taken off purely as a precaution.

Sam Mitchell would be very pleased with his new recruit Lloyd Meek.

RUCK ‘N ROLL

Former Docker Lloyd Meek already looks like being one of the best pick-ups of the off-season.

The big man looked the part in the ruck but it was his presence forward which would have made Sam Mitchell happy.

With Mitch Lewis missing the opening part of the season, the Hawks will need a big-marking presence deep and in the second quarter Meek showed he will fit the bill.

A towering mark and easy goal got the faithful excited and his combination with young gun Ned Reeves will be a valuable asset this season.

Another boom recruit, Karl Amon, got leather poisoning running up and down the wing.

Henry Hustwaite was a smooth mover in the intra-club.

Cam Mackenzie will be hoping to crack into the senior side for some AFL games in 2023.

WORTH THE WAITE

The two standout draftees in the game were Henry Hustwaite and Top 10 pick Cam Mackenzie who both showed exciting glimpses in the midfield.

Hustwaite, the No. 37 pick in last year’s draft, showed great poise in traffic with one enthusiastic Hawks fan calling it “Pendlebury-like”.

The Hawks most prized young gun Will Day continued to learn his trade in the midfield where he looks a natural fit for 2024.

Ex-Pie Callum Brown didn’t see too much of it in his bid to win the final spot on the Hawks list before the pre-season supplementary list deadline.

He started in the back pocket for the seconds which wasn’t ideal but he had support in the stands with his father, Gavin, the former Collingwood champion and North assistant, making the trek out to LaTrobe University.

Originally published as Hawthorn captaincy: James Sicily appointed the new skipper, Dylan Moore and Luke Breust his deputies