Former St Kilda and North Melbourne midfielder Nick Dal Santo has labelled Hawthorn's veterans "slow" following the club's poor turn out against Collingwood on Friday night, per Fox Sports.
The Hawks managed to boot just 3.9 (27) in their 32-point loss to the Magpies at Giants Stadium, the club's lowest score since 1964.
The Hawks have featured as one of the oldest side's this season with close to half their starting lineups made up of 30+ year-old players who may be past their best.
Dal Santo said Hawthorn have lacked motivation and speed across their three losses this season on Fox Footy's The First Crack.
“There’s a handful of players that if they put up too many more of these performances … they can’t have these guys in the team,” Dal Santo said.
“Their age just gives you an idea of where they’re at in their career and, ultimately, probably their best football is behind them. So the follow up question is: Who’s the next group coming through and who’s going to be their nucleus for the next charge to play finals and to ultimately win a premiership? Because I don’t see it happening right now with this particular team.
“Frawley is 32, Paul Puopolo is 32, Smith 32, Stratton 31, ‘Big Boy’ McEvoy 31, Burgoyne who was rested but late 30s and Henderson’s 31. So when you look at that and you put in that performance (on Friday night) and go back a few weeks with the performance they put in against the Cats, if you’re one those individuals, you don’t want to do that too often, because changes have to be made – and Alastair Clarkson has been known for making these really hard calls.
“You can’t keep doing that and be slow, use the ball sideways, really conservative, not be aggressive, not take on the game – and then not defend and then not score. When you put that all together, you go through those names, you can’t keep picking that same team time and time again and expect to get a different result."
Dal Santo urged Alastair Clarkson to take advantage of the current season's format and give vital minutes to young players.
“If you’re ever going to give a young guy an opportunity – so you get shortened games so therefore they’re not exposed to the longevity of the old formats – I’d love to see some of these younger players playing more prominent positions,” he said.
“I know it’s really hard to push out a (Tom) Mitchell out of the middle, because clearly you need these mature bodies and these experienced heads around. But just to start adding a different player, like a Harry Morrison, chime in a different position every now and then give him a little bit more time on ball.”
Speaking alongside Dal Santo, Western Bulldogs great Bob Murphy said that a number of Hawks players are past their best.
“There’s certainly a couple in there who seemed to be coming towards the end.
“I think Hawthorn have been hurt by the shortened quarters as much as any side. They’re probably the side that would like to grind it out more than any other side.”
