Ben McEvoy - the next Hawks skipper?

According toย The Herald Sun'sย Marc McGowan, the big man has emerged as a surprise contender to take over from Ben Stratton's title.

Stratton retired at the end of last season after two years in the role, leaving a leadership void at Hawthorn previously filled by the likes of Sam Mitchell, Luke Hodge and Jarryd Roughead.

While 2020 dual vice-captains Jaeger Oโ€™Meara and Tom Mitchell might seem like the obvious replacements and Jack Gunston, McEvoy it understood to have polled strongly in Wednesday's player voting.

McEvoy, who turns 32 later this year, has played 222 AFL games since making his senior debut for St Kilda in 2008.

He crossed from the Saints to the Hawks at the end of 2013 and went on to win two premierships in the brown and gold in 2014 and 2015.

McEvoy has been in the leadership group the last two seasons and is one of the most respected players at the club.

The ruckman-turned-defender comes out of contract at the end of the 2021 season and his potential appointment would be viewed as a short-term option.

McEvoy was joined in last year's seven-man leadership group by Stratton, Oโ€™Meara, Mitchell, Gunston, Liam Shiels and new Cat Isaac Smith.