Blake Hardwick started season 2025 in attack as Hawthorn began its campaign with a few underdone key forwards, but it was inevitable that at some point he would start in defence where he has spent most of his senior career. Even when beginning a game forward he will often drift back in red time, particularly when the Hawks midfield is giving up bulk clearances, in the manner of former teammate Jarryd Roughead. With Dear, Chol and Gunston now fit and available, coach Sam Mitchell has the luxury of sitting Dimma on the opposition's best small forward.
Blake Hardwick started season 2025 in attack as Hawthorn began its campaign with a few underdone key forwards, but it was inevitable that at some point he would start in defence where he has spent most of his senior career. Even when beginning a game forward he will often drift back in red time, particularly when the Hawks midfield is giving up bulk clearances, in the manner of former teammate Jarryd Roughead. With Dear, Chol and Gunston now fit and available, coach Sam Mitchell has the luxury of sitting Dimma on the opposition's best small forward.
Blake Hardwick is set for a more permanent move to attack this year with the Hawks recruiting extra defenders in the off season. He booted a big bag of five in one game last year but was otherwise not consistently used forward, and not a reliable conveyance when he did. He enters 2025 much like the rest of his team: with a lot of unrealised potential, a high ceiling but still searching for the low floor of output that their fans and fantasy owners crave. With Luke Breust fading away and Jack Gunston on his last legs, it's time for Dimma to shine brighter.
Blake Hardwick is a defender and a rebounder, but as a fantasy player you generally want more of the latter and less of the former. His role can mean a lot of work going the other way when the Hawthorn midfield are putting enough pressure on the oppo inside 50s to allow lots of crumbing for general defenders, but on other days he can be chasing tail for too much of the game as he tries in vain to quell the best small forward. This variability in scoring makes him close to irrelevant for salary cap competitions, and tricky to use for draft leagues as he is hard to predict.
Blake's 61
Finishing runner up in the Peter Crimmins Medal, rebounding defender Blake Hardwick lifted his possession and tackle outputs, including a stellar 22-touch, 10-mark performance against the Bombers in round 13. Integral to the Hawks defensive unit, Hardwick has now played 61 matches in succession to provide a reliable source of fantasy points. Take him speculatively in the latter rounds.
Hardwick kicks hard and long
After spending his junior career as a small forward, coach Alastair Clarkson has steadily developed Blake Hardwick into an effective medium sized defender. Taking over Luke Hodge’s former number at the beginning of the 2018 campaign, the youngster continued to develop with increases in disposals, disposal efficiency and metres gained. With Ryan Burton leaving this off season, the onus is on Hardwick to develop further in 2019. The latest rule changes gifting kick-in takers a simpler method to play on may well be beneficial to Hardwick’s disposal count. though James Sicily may be preferred in that role. Put him on your watchlist to see if this is enough to lift him into draftable range.
Tough yakka by Hardwick
A switch from wily goal sneak to hard-nosed defender meant Blake Hardwick donned the brown and gold 19 times in his second campaign after just one in his first listed year. The Hawks allowed him time to learn the craft, playing all matches consecutively even as form waned at various stages throughout the year. Expect to see less sub-10 disposal games as Hardwick improves his defensive and offensive duty management. Whilst it appears likely that Hardwick will improve, he may be someone worth waiting for as a free agent or at best, a late selection chosen as bench fodder.
