Hawthorn are in the box seat to recruit Chad Wingard, according to Triple M's Jay Clark.
Wingard has a year remaining in his contract with the Power but has been told he can explore his options this off-season.
The Western Bulldogs have been heavily linked to the 25-year-old, but Clark believes Hawthorn are the favourite to secure the Power star.
“The Hawks are absolutely on the front line,” Clark told Triple M’s Rush Hour.
“They won’t be prepared to pay Wingard as much potentially as the others, we know [Hawthorn coach] Alastair Clarkson has got a bit of a rule that no one gets anything more than with a six in front it so there’s no way he’s getting $800,000 at Waverley."
“The Bulldogs and Saints might be able to pay him a little bit more but since Cyril Rioli has left, there’s been a lot relying on [Paul] Puopolo, of course, and Breust who didn’t have great finals series."
“So you’d think that Wingard is looming as the addition to Hawthorn and that’s a bit of talent, that’s a handy addition to the forward line.”