If every AFL team could steal one player: Hawthorn Hawks

The Hawks were happy to clear out top-rated talent this off-season to further turn their attention toward youth and development.

The likes of Tom Mitchell, Jack Gunston and Jaeger O'Meara all departed for rival clubs ahead of the 2023 season, giving Sam Mitchell the ability to attack the draft and further trade avenues to bring in players that will be part of their list revamp.

In an ideal world where the Hawks would be able to 'steal' any rival player, look at the talent that the brown and gold club would most want on their list amid their rebuild.

This exercise assesses each AFL team's list needs and names four players that club could steal if contracts and salary caps weren't a factor. 

List needs

Youth. The Hawks have made it clear they're starting from scratch under Sam Mitchell, and while plenty of their premiership puzzle pieces are already part of their 2023 list, a few more additions will help them on their way back up the ladder for the years ahead.

Searching through the league's most promising players, we then need to divide any enticing target to a particular void in Mitchell's squad, with several positions likely to be of interest.

An athletic forward in the frame of Jack Gunston would be toward the top of the Hawks' wish list, with a partner for Mitch Lewis sure to be a welcome addition if they were to find the perfect player.

Another area in the Hawks' forward half would be on the flank, with a half-forward threat that can rotate through the midfield another area the Hawks could place some attention toward.

Their inside midfield ensemble for the future looks to be cemented, with Jai Newcombe set to lead the charge while his deputies in Josh Ward, Cameron Mackenzie, Henry Hustwaite and Cooper Stephens also look to strut their stuff.

But perhaps a wingman that can slot onto the outskirts of this burgeoning midfield group might be where the Hawks look next.

Below we name four targets Hawthorn would love to 'steal', and name the one player that would top their list.

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Max Holmes

Holmes was arguably the best wingman in the AFL in the latter stages of the 2022 season, proving to be a key cog in the home stretch for Geelong as he stood up come September ni his two finals appearances.

The speedy Cat showed great ball-winning and attacking traits in his sophomore season of 2022, framing as another great pickup for Geelong as they too look toward the future.

But in this exercise, would the Hawks ponder moving for Holmes and plucking him out of Kardinia Park if they had the power to?

Given a wing option would be attractive for Sam Mitchell to consider, a young and emerging outside midfielder doesn't get much more tempting than Max Holmes.

Mitch Georgiades

Searching for a young forward to pair with first-string tall Mitch Lewis, Georgiades would slot into the vacancy left by premiership spearhead Jack Gunston.

Georgiades shot onto the scene at Alberton in 2020 to quickly become a sizeable piece of their premiership push before booting 32 goals from 21 games in just his second season in the system.

In 2022 Georgiades took more of a backseat role as Todd Marshall took major steps in his development, an ascending trend that Georgiades is hoping to follow in the coming years.

A move to the Hawks would see the reliance on Georgiades sharply increase, with the Western Australian instantly becoming a top target for Hawthorn's fledgling midfield.

Working in tandem with the aforementioned Lewis and the likes of Dylan Moore, Chad Wingard and Jacob Koschitzke, Georgiades would quickly become a key puzzle piece in Hawthorn's rebuild.

Shai Bolton

There may be no player more exciting in the league that can slot into the forward third of the field or through the middle than Richmond's Shai Bolton.

While already at an A-grade level, Bolton is yet to reach his ceiling in the yellow and black, promising to be their new star figure as the Tigers also look to return to the premiership fight.

A midfield-forward threat like Bolton would be a perfect target for the Hawks, who, in reality, stand as no chance to secure the high-flying Tiger off the back of his new five-year deal.

But in this exercise, where contracts are thrown out the window, the Hawks would love to pinch Bolton from Punt Road.

Errol Gulden

Gulden has quickly emerged as one of the more versatile young stars of the competition, able to play through the middle, on the wing or as a roving forward that can quickly impact the scoreboard.

After a stellar maiden season in the AFL, the energetic Swan again showed plenty of poise in the top flight this year to be among Sydney's best throughout their grand final campaign.

With the Hawks testing unchartered territory with their rebuild, a player that can fill multiple roles and offer a reliable service like Gulden might just be the ideal target the Hawks are after.

Gulden, at 20 years of age, would immediately add to Hawthorn's midfield pack and can rotate as a forward in place of a Dylan Moore or Chad Wingard.

Verdict

The Hawks have their backline for the future locked in, while the same can probably be said about a majority of their midfield group as several young names remain unproven in their early years at the club.

While a tenacious half-forward like Shai Bolton or Errol Gulden could be of great value for Sam Mitchell, another forward target to pair with Mitch Lewis looks to be the next piece of business the Hawks are needing to sort.

The addition of someone like Georgiades would go a long way for the Hawks, who still require several more seasons before they find themselves back in the premiership race.