By Jake Niall
The giddy optimism surrounding Hawthorn entering this year was based largely on the momentum that the Hawks generated in their “Hokball” run in 2024 – the feeling they were a team with an unusual self-belief that bordered on cockiness.
Then, the Hawks recruited a pair of genuine tall defenders, Tom Barrass and Josh Battle, in a move that turned a weakness into a prospective strength.
Hawthorn’s Will Day looms as a huge difference maker in season 2025.Credit: Getty Images
But, much as Barrass and Battle should improve the backline, the more crucial inclusion to the team that went on that intoxicating charge – yes, infuriating, if you follow Geelong or Essendon – was already on the books.
Will Day wasn’t part of the finals team, having suffered an ill-timed collarbone injury in round 23. Had he played in the finals, I doubt that Ken Hinkley would’ve been taunting pesky Jack Ginnivan after the siren, and had they played the Swans in an SCG preliminary final, who knows what may have transpired?
In the first game of 2025, we were reminded what a difference this particular Day makes to a team that has many six or seven out of 10-level footballers, but few eights or nines.
Josh Battle and Tom Barrass belt out their new club song.Credit: AFL Photos / Getty Images
James Sicily, as a backman – you can’t call him a “defender” given his offensive style – is a player who compels the opposition to devise strategies to curb him, the mark of an elite player. On this opening night at the SCG, Sydney’s run-on in the third quarter was caused, in no small measure, by Dean Cox’s placement of Will Hayward in a negating role on Sicily, and James Jordon keeping Day company.
Day conjures a goal out of nothing.Credit: Channel Seven
To half-time, Day had booted three goals, had five clearances and been the most influential player afield, ahead of robust ruckman Lloyd Meek, who eclipsed Brodie Grundy – in part by sneaking off to boot two goals when Grundy wasn’t on the field.
“It’s been something I’ve been trying to work on,” said Day of his goalkicking.
Hawk folk may have inhaled sharply when Day went off in the third term, looking sore. Happily for the brown and golds, it was “just cramp”, as he later confirmed. “[I was] just getting back to match fitness, [and] hadn’t played obviously at the back end of last year, so hopefully that’s the end of that.”
He added of his absence from the finals: “To look on from the sidelines when I was having so much fun in the middle part of the year was a bit frustrating. But I was proud of the boys, and now to be back fully fit I’m so excited.”
Day agreed that his Hawks were chockers with confidence/belief. He didn’t see a problem with that, either.
“Yeah we do. I think internally, [we’ve got] so much confidence. Without the outside expectation raising, I don’t think it’s fazed us too much and we’ll just keep going forward.”
The Hawks were more than a happy team in the rooms after their 20-point triumph over the 2024 grand finalist [14.12 (96) to 11.10 (76)], knowing that they’ve been handed a difficult early fixture, at least based on last year. They were rapt with Battle and especially Barrass, who conceded a few goals to Joel Amartey – one from a pretty soft free – but gained in surety and influence in the second half.
“Big TB has won a lot of key contests,” said coach Sam Mitchell of Barrass. “He just got better and better.” Battle, matched to Tom Papley for periods despite the former’s height, “looked comfortable” in Mitchell’s assessment.
It was apparent that the Hawks had picked a smaller team, with only one genuine tall forward, Mabior Chol (Calsher Dear and Mitch Lewis being injured), and the surprise choice of Sam Frost as substitute – hard rain was forecast and duly fell for a while – was based on their view that they needed an insurance tall.
In Sicily, though, the Hawks have perhaps the AFL’s best break-glass option for sending a “defender” to the forward 50-metre arc. Relocated to the goal square for the final term, he booted the sealer, gift-wrapped another goal, and made Sydney defenders uncomfortable whenever the footy was kicked near him.
James Worpel was the only downbeat note, the midfielder subbed off after leaving the field in the second quarter with what Channel Seven speculated was syndesmosis – a Greek word meaning “bad high ankle sprain.” Mitchell was hopeful the injury wasn’t syndesmosis.
The Swans suffered for the loss of Errol Gulden’s pace, class and laser left boot. They can take comfort in their third term surge that reduced a 27-point deficit to under a kick, and in the explosive brilliance of Chad Warner and Nick Blakey’s run.
Cox began his senior coaching career with a defeat that may or may not prove portentous. For if we have absorbed anything from 2024, which the Hawks started at 0-5 and the Lions 0-3, it is that it doesn’t necessarily pay to be first out of the gate.
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