AFL Daily: Hawks still searching for Sicily's best spot, rolling Footy news for Thursday, August 1, 2019

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson admits he is still trying to figure out where best to deploy James Sicily as statistics reveal the position where the fiery Hawk rates elite. RECAP TODAY'S FOOTY NEWS

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson admits he is still unsure whether James Sicily’s long-term future lies in defence or attack.

 

The four-time premiership coach said Sicily was still growing as a key-position player.

“We are trying to find out which players he can play on that suit him the best and suit us the best,” Clarkson said.

“So we are still exploring with that.

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“Mid-season we explored whether or not he would be a better option for us forward because we weren’t kicking enough goals.

“That’s what I am saying about where we are at as a club and a side right now, we are still in that exploration phase about what is best for the club, positions, personnel and methodology.”

Champion Data statistics show that Sicily is cementing his status as a future key defensive weapon.

In the past four weeks Sicily has played as a key defender for the Hawks and has conceded just five goals, with the most being two in his 56 minutes on Geelong spearhead Tom Hawkins in Round 18. 

But it is not just holding opposition forwards where the 24-year-old has impressed. In the past four weeks, Sicily has averaged 19.5 disposals a match and a kick-rating of more than 12 per cent, which ranks him as elite.

Sicily also averages 8.5 intercept possessions and four intercept marks a game — again putting him in the elite category. And he ranks above average for metres gained (276).

James Sicily

Asked if he saw Sicily as a key defender long-term, Clarkson said it could all depend on where the team needed him.

“I think so, but who is to really know?” Clarkson said.

“At the moment it suits our side to play him down back, but earlier in the season we were playing Tim O’Brien and centre half-back and then for a couple of weeks we needed him forward and he did particularly well there until he had to withdraw for last week’s game against Brisbane, which was unfortunate.

“It will all depend on the state of play in terms of where the side is at and where they are playing their best footy to play a role for us to help us play games of footy.”

Clarkson earmarked another key defender James Frawley for what he described as a “pivotal contest” on North Melbourne forward Ben Brown tonight at Marvel Stadium.

“It will be an important match-up, I would imagine they’d play against each other a fair bit,” Clarkson said.

“He has been in pretty good form himself, Ben Brown. That’s going to be a pretty pivotal contest I’d reckon.

“The best way to help James in that particular match-up is not to allow the supply from the middle of the ground.”

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Originally published as AFL Daily: Hawks still searching for Sicily's best spot, rolling Footy news for Thursday, August 1, 2019