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What Jai Newcombe expects from “vital” Hawthorn recruits Battle and Barrass
Lachlan Geleit, SEN • November 8th, 2024 2:11 pm
Hawthorn star Jai Newcombe expects new brown and gold additions Josh Battle and Tom Barrass to immediately impact in 2025.
Battle joined the club via free agency from St Kilda and Barrass landed at the club in a last-minute trade deal with West Coast, with both highly rated key defenders tipped to sure up Hawthorn’s defensive structure.
With Battle finishing top three in St Kilda’s best and fairest last season and Barrass a premiership-winning former All-Australian, Newcombe has now doubt that they’ll bring a level of quality to the defensive 50.
“I think we expect from them the quality that they've been producing at AFL level for a number of years now,” Newcombe told SEN Breakfast.
“It is going to be no different for us, they’re going to be vital pieces I think in defence in really controlling what goes on down there.
“I'm really looking forward to hopefully being on the receiving end of them cleaning up and sending the ball forward.”
With Barrass and Battle arriving, some Hawks that played a lot of footy in 2024 will make way for the duo in the best 23, but Newcombe can’t see Sam Frost being one of those omissions after the athletic defender enjoyed a career-best campaign last season.
Newcombe expects the 31-year-old to love the assistance he’ll receive from his new teammates, particularly when it comes to battling the competition’s best forwards in the air.
“I haven't spoken to him directly about it, but I think ‘Frosty’ will love the help down there,” Newcombe said.
“He's probably doing a lot of the work on the bigs this year without a great deal of help in terms of key size down there.
“He did a great job this year, it was absolutely amazing to work alongside him and see his development with his strong and consistent performances this year.
“I think he'll love the help.”
Hawthorn now turn their attention to the 2024 AFL Draft where they hold picks 33, 71 and 77.
