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How to tune into Sport Nation“I love it”: The element of Hawthorn’s game that stood out to David King
Lachlan Geleit • March 10th, 2025 4:22 pm
David King was thrilled by how Hawthorn’s midfield operated in their 20-point Opening Round win over Sydney at the SCG.
The Hawks were simply too strong at the source against a quality Swans on-ball outfit, winning the clearance count 47-33 and the contested possession stat 133-121.
But what hurt the opposition most was Hawthorn’s ability to kick goals from the middle, with Will Day (three goals, 26 disposals), Lloyd Meek (two goals, 14 disposals), Conor Nash (one goal, 20 disposals) and Jai Newcombe (one goal, 19 disposals) all hitting the scoreboard.
While Day was the obvious standout of the entire match, King thinks that the entire collective of the Hawthorn midfield can begin to impact in the front half of the ground thanks to the luxury of depth and quality that they possess in the centre.
“It’s not just that I was impressed by Will Day, but we talk about the collective,” King said on SEN Breakfast.
“They’ve got these three mids, and there’s a big gap between having two gun mids and three gun mids.
“When James Worpel is playing the way that he is at the moment at clearances - and I know he’s going to miss a few weeks - but we’re looking at the bigger picture.
“Now they’re playing them in the forward half, inside the forward 50, you get a real opportunity now to see Will Day at his best.
“He doesn’t play deep forward, he plays that centre half-forward sort of area. Newcombe goes a bit deeper. I love it.
“I think they’ve got a 15-20 goal asset with these guys playing forward of the ball.”
Kane Cornes was another who loved the game of Day in particular, and he thinks that the 23-year-old should model Patrick Cripps in where he tries to impact on the ground.
Cornes: “He (Day) had 13 career goals leading into Friday night and he kicked three.
“If it’s a goal a game… Patrick Cripps is probably now nearly a goal a game.
“That’s what Will Day needs to be modelling his game on, that Cripps model where it’s just become so dangerous forward of the ball.
“If that happens (look out), and you’ve got so many avenues to goal with these small forwards they’ve got…”
Hawthorn’s midfield will hope to impress again when they face Essendon at the MCG on Friday night.
