Hawthorn head of development, former player Andy Collins excited by rookie sons of his former teammates

Hawthorn picked up two sons of former stars in their 2023 draft haul and a teammate of both is excited to watch them develop as the Hawks prepare for the 2024 season.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 20: William McCabe is seen with Michael Tuck after being selected at number 19 by Hawthorn during the 2023 AFL Draft at Marvel Stadium on November 20, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The father-son rule in the AFL has to be one of Andrew Collins’ favourites, with the Hawthorn legend watching on as some of his teammates’ sons start coming through the ranks at Waverley Park.

Now the Head of Development at the Hawks, Collins keeps a close eye on the new recruits that are fresh out of the junior pathways.

Within the group of four draftees that include top-five pick Nick Watson are two father-son selections, Will McCabe (taken with pick 19), and Calsher Dear (taken with pick 56), the sons of 138-game Luke McCabe and the late Paul Dear, who played 123 games in brown and gold.

Collins, who played alongside both McCabe and Dear during his 212-game career at Hawthorn, said it was “really exciting” to work with his close friends’ sons.

Will McCabe was taken as a father-son selection by Hawthorn – he is pictured with Hawks legend Michael Tuck on draft night. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“The beauty of Paul, Luke and myself, we were teammates and great friends,” he said.

“I was very close with (Paul) and to have his son (at the club is great) after all the illness we all saw Paul go through.”

Dear is a raw 195cm key position prospect who is “a lot more athletic” than his dad, but has already shown glimpses of untapped potential during Hawthorn’s match simulation.

He is coming from a long way back, according to Collins, having made a late switch to football after a promising junior basketball career.

“To see Calsher transform from a basketballer really, to a serious footballer, again to see him in our first match simulation, we had (Mitch) Lewis down one end and Dear down the other end and Dear was very impressive,” he said.

“(He is) taking the game on, very tough. (He) has a great leap, has a great ability to keep his feet after the leap, so he lands on his feet, similar to Mitch Lewis, really good when the ball hits the ground, tough kid.

“I think he’s another tall talent come into our football club.

Calsher really hasn’t been playing serious football, he really didn’t come through that pathway system at under 18 footy, he played a little bit at Sandringham but he’s been a basketballer that played local footy for Beaumaris.

Current Hawthorn head of development, Andy Collins in his playing days for the Hawks.

“And only started to take football serious at that 18 years of age, and to see what he’s doing on a training track, particularly in the match simulation, he’s come along quicker than I thought.”

While Dear is unlikely to press for senior football early, with Hawthorn set to run with Mitch Lewis, new recruit Mabior Chol and returning Jack Gunston in the senior side, McCabe comes into the squad likely behind only James Sicily, James Blanck, and Sam Frost in terms of key defensive stocks.

Collins said McCabe’s quick development and versatility meant he could feature early and often in 2024.

“It’s nice to get some size at the Hawthorn Football Club. Will is surprisingly taller than dad, a lot taller than dad, which is really nice, a 195cm, 196cm athlete,” he said.

“Beautiful aerial skills, great jump, one of those blokes that has a hang time that is more than ordinary, so he’s developing very quickly.

“His athleticism is really exciting, his aerial skills are really nice.

“I think he has the ability to play key position eventually … but like a young Peter Knight he had this running ability that Will McCabe has, and he’s quite explosive.

“He can play tall and small straight away, and so anyone of those six defensive roles is very capable straight away.

“He’s a very exciting talent.”

Originally published as Hawthorn head of development, former player Andy Collins excited by rookie sons of his former teammates