Isaac Smith says off-season changes at Hawthorn have been ‘a breath of fresh air’

New recruits, new coaches and a new captain soon to be announced, key Hawthorn figures believe change is as good as a holiday as the Hawks plot their 2019 assault.

Hawks recruit Tom Scully at pre-season training. Picture: Getty Images

Change is as good as a holiday according to key figures at Hawthorn who are relishing a fresh injection of energy and rejuvenation as they plot their 2019 assault.

A new captain looms after Jarryd Roughead last month announced he would be passing the reins to a teamate in a voting process to be conducted in the new year, former player Sam Mitchell and Chris Newman have joined the coaching ranks and the likes of Chad Wingard and Tom Scully have been welcomed to the fold.

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Swingman James Sicily has declared it the biggest overhaul in his five years as a Hawk, while captaincy candidate Isaac Smith described the changes as “a breath of fresh air”.

“It’s really nice,” Smith said.

“Change is as good as a holiday and even our coaching group — there’s only two in our coaching group that have been there for a year. (Darren) Glass, (Chris) Newman, (Sam) Mitchell, (Scott) Burns (have all joined over the past 15 months).

“It’s a bit of a change and probably a bit of a freshen up — that breath of fresh air. You’re sad to lose the other guys, but life goes on and it should be good.”

Hawthorn captaincy candidates Isaac Smith (left) and Liam Shiels train at Xavier College. Picture: Getty Images

Hawthorn will travel to Mooloolaba this week for its annual training camp.

Sicily, 23, admitted the initiation process could be difficult with so many new faces.

While he had completed the team’s first unified training session this week alongside Scully, he had yet to find an opportunity to officially introduce himself.

“This has probably been the biggest turnover of players since I’ve been here. It is exciting,” Sicily told the Herald Sun.

“It’s hard introducing each other and meeting each other all in one day so we need to get around some of the boys.”

But he is anything but daunted by the transformation.

“It is (a raft of changes), but for me it’s exciting because there’s a little bit of unknown,” he said.

“Scull will come out and his ankle could be fine and he’ll be a star like he was.

“With Chad, he’s an All-Australian and won a best-and-fairest in his first year of AFL footy.

“There’s not really any nervousness about it. What makes it exciting is it’s (a case) of ‘who knows?’.”