The 15 smart list calls Hawthorn made to bring them back into finals calculations

Hawthorn haven’t done everything perfectly since their dynasty in 2013-15, but 15 clever list decisions have brought them back into finals calculations - and maybe flag contention soon.

Once upon a time you won the flag, took your medicine and bottomed out so hard it took a decade to regenerate.

And yet footy has so many different levers in 2024 that if you absolutely nail your lines you can bounce back hard.

The Hawks haven’t done everything right since the premiership run – think the gigantic parcel of picks they shipped off for Jaeger O’Meara.

And yet here are the 15 smart list decisions that have got Sam Mitchell’s side back in finals contention – and maybe flag contention in the not-too-distant future.

Jack Scrimshaw has taken his game to a new level this year. Picture: Getty Images

1. Jack Scrimshaw

Hawthorn has only a single top-five pick on its list and only seven players drafted in the top 10, which pales into comparison with Gold Coast (eight top five picks, 11 top-10 picks).

But as the club continued to finish mid-table it took a series of punts on high draft picks it believed had elite talent. Former No.1 picks Tom Scully and Jon Patton came quickly, but the Hawks struck gold with Jack Scrimshaw.

Every club knew the No.7 draft pick was unsettled on the Gold Coast after four games in two years, but the Hawks gave up a third-round pick and got a fourth-rounder back. Hawthorn believed his talent shone out and could be harnessed if coached and developed properly.

He still took four and a half years to turn from a flighty halfback into a fullback, but it is a masterstroke that solves their defensive needs.

Changkuoth Jiath is starting to find his form again. Picture: Getty Images

2. Changkuoth Jiath

Born in Ethiopia and having moved to Morwell as a six-year-old, Jiath wasn’t drafted as a Hawks NGA player so automatically became a Category B rookie.

It was a free shot at the stumps for the Hawks, who knew how raw he was but could see his extraordinary athleticism. The challenge for Jiath was balancing out his training – smashing drills and maxing out his efforts, but then tiring or getting injured.

It’s why he’s only played 51 games since debuting in 2019 with only one consistent season – 16 games and 324 possessions in 2021.

Finally back from injury he played the best game of his six this year against West Coast – with 18 possessions, seven marks, seven intercept possessions. The world is his oyster if he can get his body right.

The Hawks have uncovered a gun ruckman in Lloyd Meek. Picture: Getty Images

3. Lloyd Meek

When he didn’t set the house on fire in his first year at the Hawks, it was an open question whether he was worth the trade. But Hawthorn traded Jaeger O’Meara to Fremantle and even paid some of his salary to get him off their books. In exchange they got Meek – fresh off his highest-ranked game of the season (145 ranking points, 16 touches, 14 hit-outs to advantage against the Eagles) and a future second-rounder. O’Meara moving on gave the club the chance to play the likes of Josh Ward, Will Day and James Worpel.

4. Josh Weddle

Everyone knew Josh Weddle could run like the wind after finishing his junior career training with 800m queen Tamsyn Lewis. But the Hawks were also desperate to add multiple early picks in the 2022 national draft. They had just done the Meek deal, which garnered the extra second-rounder. And in Victorian utility Weddle they saw high-end talent, an ability to play multiple roles and the mindset of a player who could make changes in games. He could change his role and he could move on from bad moments and adapt quickly.

They spoke to him three times across that year and knew with his athleticism he would play early and could lock down in defence, play wing, back and hopefully midfield.

When the draft got to pick 18 – they had taken Cam Mackenzie at No.8 – they offered a deal to Sydney they eventually accepted.

They did it knowing they had the extra future second-rounder from the Meek deal.

They traded their pick 27 and future second and thirds into the Weddle deal, fully aware those future picks would be pushed back by 2023 academy and father son selections.

In the end they got a steal – a likely 250-gamer in Weddle for picks 28, 32 and 47.

Will Day has excelled since returning from injury. Picture: Getty Images

5. Will Day

So often to get a generational mid you need a top-three selection. The Hawks got some luck with Will Day (pick 13, 2019 national draft) in that it was a stellar draft with Matt Rowell, Noah Anderson, Caleb Serong, Luke Jackson, Lachie Ash, Hayden Young and academy pick Tom Green in the top 10. Kosi Pickett was taken the pick before Day at No.12 with Miles Bergman and Cody Weightman afterwards at 13 and 14. He’s now the best player at the club.

6. Massimo D’Ambrosio

The Hawks tracked D’Ambrosio from the moment they missed out on him in the 2022 mid-season draft – the Dons took him at pick three, the Hawks took ruckman Max Ramsden at pick 6. Despite early promise. he was played as the sub or overlooked in 2023 at Essendon so the Hawks swooped, loving his silky left foot and promise as a wingman. He is averaging 20 touches, kicking at 72 per cent, and is only 21 years of age.

Karl Amon has been a terrific recruit for the Hawks. Picture: Getty Images

7. Karl Amon

The Hawks might have lost the battle over free agents like Ben McKay but they beat St Kilda to Amon despite his mother, Katrina, working at Moorabbin as Indigenous player development manager. It’s been a clever, low-risk pick – Amon playing excellent footy on a wing then into defence where he is an elite metres-gained player, averaging 23 touches.

8. Jai Newcombe

Plenty was spoken about with his mid-season draft contract demands to scare off rivals, which came about when the Hawks hoped to secure him with their second selection in the 2020 national draft. By draft night everyone knew the Hawks wanted him so they took him with their No.2 overall selection.

They had been able to play him at Box Hill so knew how good he was.

The Roos went for Jacob Edwards as the key tall they needed but he vanished without a trace. He is 66 games in and hasn’t yet turned 23. James Blanck is out with a knee injury but was another mid-season recruit secured through Box Hill.

9. Connor Macdonald

Melbourne has been the king of the mid-round pick but the Hawks selected Connor Macdonald at pick 26 in the 2021 national draft and he hasn’t missed a beat.

He’s played 56 games, missing only three so far, and plays in a tough position as a high half forward.

Yet he averages 16 possessions, a goal and a score assist a game.

The Hawks were searching for impeccable characters in Mitchell’s first season and in hindsight could have picked Josh Gibcus over Josh Ward in that draft’s top 10. But Macdonald will be a 200-gamer and he’s only 21.

Cam Mackenzie is improving in his second year. Picture: Getty Images

10. Cam Mackenzie

The Hawks believe 2022’s No.7 draft pick Mackenzie is developing nicely. The inside extractor went to work over summer developing a tank and did enough to be able to play on a wing given the centre square spots are largely taken.

So he only averages 15 possessions but the Hawks believe there is huge upside in the 20-year-old.

11. Nick Watson

You have to love the audacity of last year’s No.5 overall pick Nick Watson. He came into the Eagles game with 5.15 for the year. Five goals from 24 total shots at goal. And yet despite only kicking 1.2, he still shooshed the Optus Stadium crowd after his goal. You can’t take your eyes off him. Was it the right selection? We are going to have a heck of a lot of fun debating that, as we watch his career unfold. Ryley Sanders has been an excellent accumulator but not an out-and-out star, while Caleb Windsor (pick 7, Melbourne) looks a jet. If Watson had gone at 60 per cent goal accuracy – or say 15.12 instead of 5.15 – it would be a different story. But Hawks fans wouldn’t swap him for the world.

Mabior Chol is playing some of his best football. Picture: Getty Images

12. Mabior Chol

It has been a superb year for the former Sun, with 22 goals and an average of 4.9 score involvements and 3.2 tackles. The challenge is to do what he could not at the Gold Coast and continue the trend into his second season at the Hawks. But when you consider the future second-rounder tied to Brisbane that the Hawks traded now sits at pick 31 (and will push closer to 40), it’s a steal of a deal.

13. Jack Ginnivan

You know the score. The Hawks traded back from 33 to 39, gave up a future second for the Pies future third, and swapped future fourths. If the Pies and Hawks can finish somewhere similar on the ladder they will get a future 200-gamer for a drop of six picks in the 2023 national draft and a drop from a second to third-round pick in the 2024 national draft.

Conor Nash is likely to re-sign with Hawthorn. Picture: Getty Images

14. Conor Nash

The Hawks don’t like to nab Irishmen and transplant them into Melbourne without a heap of work before to ensure they are ready to flourish. So they were in touch with Nash from the age of 15 working with him and Conor Glass so they would be ready for the rigours of the AFL. They could never have known the 198cm key position player would turn into a mid who tags and plays ruck. The Hawks are thrilled Glass, who played 21 AFL games, is back dominating Gaelic footy after scoring in Derry’s All Ireland championship win in January. And Nash is working towards a fat free agency contract after two excellent years.

15. Mitch Lewis

Sometimes you just get lucky. As the Saints battle with Max King’s inconsistencies, the Hawks found a key tall for the future in Mitch Lewis at pick 76. They knew he had talent, but no recruiter believed he could lead a forward line like this.

Originally published as The 15 smart list calls Hawthorn made to bring them back into finals calculations