Hawthorn defender James Sicily is confident, but don’t mistake that for arrogance

HE has given away plenty of free kicks, clashed with teammates on the field and is never far away from the action. But who is the real James Sicily? JON ANDERSON finds out.

James Sicily is right at home with the Hawks. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

AS he went about his work in a most tempestuous manner last Saturday night, resident Hawthorn irritant James Sicily caught the eye of an unknown admirer.

Some shook their heads as 22-year-old Sicily displayed a complete inability to deal with the constant attention of Carlton half forward Jed Lamb, but for David Rhys-Jones it was part of a learning process for a kid he related to from the first time he saw him.

In many ways Rhys-Jones was witnessing a kindred spirit, an extremely talented 187cm player who could apply his skill set to various parts of the ground, but one who played very much on the edge.

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When contacted in relation to similarities between he and Sicily, Rhys-Jones, 55, initially chuckled before expressing his appreciation of the boy from Keilor.

“I wasn’t that much of a pest, was I? I actually first saw him a couple of years ago in the VFL, when he was running around for Box Hill. You could see the talent then and he was never one to cop any sh.t. I thought he would go places. I liked the way he went about it from the first time I saw him,” said Rhys-Jones.

James Sicily wrestles Jed Lamb at the weekend. Picture: Getty Images

“He just has to learn how to be aggressive, not to take any sh.t and not give away free kicks. I hope they don’t drum too much of it out of him because it will affect him as a footballer. For me it was a rod I built for my own back.

“You would get a spud lining up on you, driving you mad. If you could get under someone’s skin, then you would do it anyway you could. And if you reacted it was the price you paid. I had blokes pinching me, standing on my toes, just driving me mad. It was because I reacted at a very early age that they kept doing it and Sicily will face the same treatment.”

As a player, Sicily has been a revelation this season after being moved from attack to defence half way through the year. In 2016 he produced a creditable 30 goals in 22 games but his intercept marking and extreme foot skills down back have played their part in the mid-season reinvention of the Hawks.

A product of Keilor and the Western Jets, Sicily was taken with Pick 56 in the third round of the 2013 National Draft. Gary Buckenara, who then worked for Hawthorn, spent time watching Sicily in his 2012-2013 TAC Cup years.

“What you saw against Carlton was what I saw at the TAC Cup quite often. He let guys get to him, and wore his heart on his sleeve. You could tell at times he lost his focus on the game,” recounted Buckenara.

“But he could kick the ball and do things off a step that not all blokes could do. He could kick the ball a metre off the ground and hit a bloke on his chest 40m away off one step. And he had such clean hands. I just thought he had a lot of upside.

“Yes, he has a level of immaturity that comes out now and then but he’s in the right environment to help him and eventually the penny will drop and his skills won’t disappear. They will sell it to him that it’s a pat on his back that clubs are putting attention to him, massage his ego.

“There are actually similarities with Dermott (Brereton) when he first came on the scene. Redhead, brash and fiery and often did silly things, especially early. I think James will mature a bit later than others and with that will come a more level-headed approach.

“But he’s always been suspect to being sucked in and it's a challenge for him, because everyone will try to do it. In time he will become a really good player.”

James Sicily jumps for a mark while playing for the Western Jets.

When at Keilor in his junior days, Sicily came under the watch of senior coach Mick McGuane, a Collingwood dual best and fairest whose football knowledge remains widely respected.

McGuane saw a skinny kid with huge talent and while considering it, didn’t play Sicily in the seniors. He has naturally viewed the progress since of a young man he genuinely likes.

“I first saw him as a 16-year-old boy in our under 18 program as a truly athletic, high marking special talent with a real X-factor about him. He didn’t appear to put an enormous amount of pressure on himself but watching him over the last couple of weeks he has to identify that if you’re playing good footy then they are going to come for you and test your mental ability,” said McGuane.

“We have asked him to come back to the club to reconnect at a junior presentation night and he did it happily. So if that is a sign of his character, to not forget where he came from, then he passed with flying colours. He’s quiet, unassuming. but confident.

“I’ll give you an example. A lot of people labelled Nathan Buckley arrogant in his Collingwood days but he wasn’t. He was confident, not arrogant, and don’t hold that against him. I think James is a bit like that and losing his emotions can add to that. He knows he’s a talent but he has to make sure he harnesses it in the right way so people don’t mistake his confidence for arrogance. It can be a fine line.

James Sicily running off the backline for Hawthorn. Picture: AAP Images

When playing with the Western Jets, Sicily played under the coaching of Torin Baker who remains in the role. Baker struggles to hide his pride when speaking of Siciliy, noting a young man who has worked very hard to get where he is now.

Like Rhys-Jones 35 years before him, Sicily was a skinny kid who lacked any obvious muscle development. But he knew what was required and put on a vital 12kg over two years.

“He is someone who brings real competitiveness to his footy which has him on the edge. Occasionally he may step over it but it’s part of what that makes him the player he is. It’s a matter of finding the right balance, which has also been the case with “Sic”,” said Baker.

“I coached him for two years. He wasn’t reported and we had very few issues with him, the odd push and shove, that was about it. He’s always had that special ability to mark and take some bold risks with his footy, such as not being frightened to hit that inside kick which some players might avoid. He has worked really hard for what he’s got and is a real success story of our program.”