PERTH, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 11: Sam Mitchell, Senior Coach of the Hawks looks on during the 2022 AFL Round 13 match between the Fremantle Dockers and the Hawthorn Hawks at Optus Stadium on June 11, 2022 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Hawthorn will be a curious club this year as they embark on another season of rebuilding under senior coach Sam Mitchell.
An off-season of further personnel change has left the Hawks on the verge of containing their spiral toward the foot of the ladder, ready to spring back up in the coming years as their younger ranks continue to cut their teeth.
Carrying the youngest and least experienced side into 2023, the Hawks will find it tough most weeks before the green shoots start to appear.
With a focus on youth, a handful of new faces joining the cause, and Mitchell's senior coaching career still in its infancy, we list five burning questions for the Hawks heading into their second season under their club great.
Surrendering the experience of highly-valued veterans Liam Shiels, Ben McEvoy, Jack Gunston, Tom Mitchell, and Jaeger O'Meara in the off-season means Sam Mitchell's Hawks aren't expected to mount much of a challenge in 2023, with many pundits writing his side off before their first game of the year.
However, pertaining to a relative benchmark this season, Hawthorn's foremost goal would surely be giving the club's youth as much exposure and experience as possible during a season in which the Hawks aren't slated to generate a finals assault.
After eight wins and 14 losses in his maiden season at the head coaching helm, Mitchell would have aspirations to improve in his sophomore campaign. But what is a realistic win-loss aim for this year to be considered a 'pass' amid an ongoing rebuild?
After the aforementioned mass list changeover, winning eight games again this upcoming season would have to be considered a reasonably impressive feat. In all reality, it's hard to see the Hawks even scraping that surface, particularly when acknowledging the fact they play 2022 finals outfits Melbourne, Fremantle, and the Western Bulldogs twice throughout the year.
However, with Essendon, North Melbourne, the GWS Giants, and Adelaide among their first six matches of the year, there is a window for some early brown and gold victories
The past two off-seasons have seen the Hawks sign a pair of fringe ruckmen in Max Lynch (Collingwood, 2021) and Lloyd Meek (Fremantle, 2022) to add further competition and depth for incumbent tall Ned Reeves.
Following Ben McEvoy's decision to retire at the end of last year and the acquisition of Meek, the first-string ruck spot is seen to be well and truly up for grabs.
Through the pre-season, both Meek and Reeves have emerged as the standout pairing for Sam Mitchell to consider, with Lynch and Mid-Season Draft recruit Max Ramsden placed as reinforcements.
With Mitchell working with a two-piece ruck tandem, expect both Meek and Reeves to evenly share their time between the centre square and in attack to start the season, with the latter role designed to alleviate their forward woes in the absence of Mitch Lewis.
But what happens when Lewis returns from injury? Mitchell could look to only make his attacking third taller and keep both rucks in the rotation, or may look to demote one of either Reeves or Meek and call on Lewis or Jacob Koschitzke to pinch-hit.
Koschitzke's own place at selection may be questioned if he is unable to impress in Lewis' place, with Irishman and fringe midfielder Conor Nash another supporting ruck piece for Mitchell to consider.
The Hawks gutted their senior talent in midfield, seeing Tom Mitchell and Jaeger O'Meara depart as Sam Mitchell''s focus turned to the future.
The new-aged Hawks midfield will be led by Jai Newcombe and James Worpel as their two most senior figures, while top 10 draft picks Josh Ward and Cameron Mackenzie will hold key roles in support.
While getting minutes into each of their younger ranks will be key for development, what can be made of Dylan Moore's role with the midfield group?
The lively half-forward was a constant feature among centre bounce stoppages in the second half of last year and thoroughly impressed, but heading into the new season Moore looks likely to resume a role in the front third.
The speedy small forward was a standout for Hawthorn across the pre-season, but his best efforts came at half-forward, acting as a conduit between midfield and attack while having a large impact on the scoreboard as well.
With recognised midfielders needing more minutes in the middle, and Sam Mitchell planning to experiment with the likes of Will Day as an onballer, Moore may be better placed in attack.
A key concern in the wake of Jack Gunston's departure was the void left open in Sam Mitchell's forward arc.
While some degree of that gap will be plugged by the arrival of Fergus Greene, much of the weight will shift to Jacob Koschitzke and if he can compete as a second-string forward.
Koschitzke will start the season as Mitchell's main man in attack in the absence of Lewis, laying out a platform for the key forward to prove his worth and pedigree.
But if Koschitzke fails to excite, where can Mitchell look next?
The raw talent of Emerson Jeka is yet to stake his claim after spending last season honing his defensive craft, while injury has also kept the young swingman in the company of Lewis in the club's casualty ward.
Mitchell may be forced to rely on one of his ruckmen to assist Lewis down forward, with the club's next focus at the draft needing to be directed toward a tall attacking prospect.
After a dominant two years in the VFL with Box Hill, Fergus Greene was handed a second chance in the top flight and became the latest to make the move to Bunjil Bagora from Middleborough Road.
Greene notched up 53 goals from 17 appearances for Box Hill in 2022 to earn himself an AFL list spot through delisted free agency, hoping his second stint at the top level is more successful than his five-game tenure at the Western Bulldogs.
The 25-year-old joins a Hawks unit that is starved of goalkicking talent outside of top forward Mitch Lewis and veteran Luke Breust.
Yet to make his maiden appearance in brown and gold, Greene is seen as a potential saviour for Sam Mitchell's plans in attack off the back of an impressive pre-season run and his VFL form.
But what should Hawks fans expect from the Sandhurst native this year?
The delisted free agency pool has proven to be a goldmine for multiple clubs in recent years, with Geelong plucking Tyson Stengle from the open market and turning the small forward into an All-Australian in his first year back in the AFL.
While a 50+ goal season will go well beyond expectations for Greene in 2023, a campaign that places the medium-sized target on an All-Australian trajectory for the years to come isn't out of the question.