Hawthorn defender James Blanck is understood to be finalising a new deal with the club, having joined the Hawks at Pick No.16 in the 2022 mid-season draft and seeing his first AFL contract near its end.
Blanck proved his abilities very quickly, playing every game from Round 15-23 last year for Hawthorn. This season, Blanck has played in every game since Round 9, featuring in three of Hawthorn's wins.
Blanck was recruited from the Box Hill Hawks, becoming one of the latest Box Hill players to be recruited by Hawthorn.
According toย AFL.com.au,ย the key defender is on the verge of landing a new deal at Bunjil Bagora.
Blanck would become only the second player of the seventeen players picked up in the 2022 Mid-Season Draft to be signed for 2024, the other being his teammate Max Ramsden.
Josh Carmichael, Sam Durdin, Jai Culleyย and Massimo D'Ambrosio are amongst some of the names who have not yet re-signed.
So far this year, Hawthorn has signed Will Day, Dylan Moore, Jarman Impey, and Cam Mackenzie, focusing on young players as the club rebuilds moving forward.
James Worpel is another key player out of contract at the end of this season, with Hawthorn commencing talks on a contract extension with the midfielder. Worpel is enjoying the form which saw him win the club's best and fairest in 2019, averaging 25.5 disposals, 4.2 tackles, and 6.5 clearances a game.
Forward Chad Wingard remains in limbo, having failed to play a full season since the reduced 17-round competition in 2020. Wingard has only played in seven games this year, with injury interrupting the first half of this season before being relegated to the VFL.
Hawthorn will play Gold Coast at Heritage Bank Stadium at 4:40 pm (AEST) on Sunday as they search for their fifth win of the season.
