The Hawks lost Tom Mitchell before the season even begun with a broken leg. And it seemed to have an effect on the group in the early parts of the season, consistently winning one week and losing the next before hitting a section where they lost four in a row and seemed almost out of the race.
After that losing streak though, the Hawks went on to win 6 out of their last 8 games and made a serious push for the finals but fell just short, finishing ninth on the ladder and one win outside the final eight.
Off Season
In: Sam Frost (Melbourne), Michael Hartley (Essendon), Jonathon Patton (GWS), Will Day (pick 13, West Adelaide), Finn Maginness (pick 29, Sandringham Dragons), Josh Morris (pick 57, Woodville West Torrens)
Out: Jarryd Roughead (retired), Grant Birchall (Brisbane Lions), Marc Pittonet (Carlton), Kaiden Brand (delisted), Teia Miles (delisted), David Mirra (delisted), Darren Minchington (delisted), Tim Mohr (retired), Ryan Schoenmakers (retired)
Off-season grade: B-
The Hawks found a way to land key forward Jon Patton from GWS, with his fitness potentially the biggest barometer on Hawthorn's upcoming season.
Patton didn't feature last year for the Giants, but has shown a strong pedigree when fit and firing. The Hawks have filled the void left by the retired Jarryd Roughead with Patton's services arriving through the door.
The addition of Sam Frost will add depth to Alistair Clarkson's backline, but whether he gains minutes within the first team will remain to be seen.
The same can be said about Essendon reject Michael Hartley, with the Hawks gain either a masterstroke or a handy player for Box Hill.
While he isn't new to the club, the Hawks will welcome Tom Mitchell back into the team for 2020, with the Brownlow medalist looking to join the likes of Jaeger O'Meara and James Worpel in the heart of the ground.
As for draft inclusions, the Hawks failed to many headlines, but will have high hopes for first round selection Will Day. Days development may require more than a season to break into the AFL.
Second round pick Finn Maginness has impressed over the off-season and will hope to find some game time under Clarkson.
Defining Period
If the Hawks believe they are a strong contender to return to September, they must master the ability to cause upsets.
Hawthorn face Brisbane, Geelong, Collingwood, West Coast and the Bulldogs in their opening seven rounds, with a positive record a must to set up a strong finish to their season.
Four of those match-ups will be played in Melbourne, with the West Coast clash falling into the hands of the Hawks in their beloved Tasmania.
Four or five wins in this opening period and the Hawks are every chance for being near the top of the mantle and perhaps holding a spot within the top eight.
Best 22
B: Ben Stratton, James Frawley, Jack Scrimshaw
HB: Blake Hardwick, Sam Frost, James Sicily
C: Tom Scully, Tom Mitchell, Ricky Henderson
HF: Jack Gunston, Mitchell Lewis, Chad Wingard
F: Luke Breust, Jonathon Patton, Jarman Impey
FOLL: Ben McEvoy, Jaeger O’Meara, James Worpel
I/C: Tim O’Brien, Shaun Burgoyne, Liam Shiels, Isaac Smith
Champion Data says:
"As been the case for a decade, Hawthorn has a list profile that suggests they are in it for the now, with the third oldest and second most experienced list. Given how well they finished last season, and with the inclusion of Brownlow Medalist Tom Mitchell, it makes sense that they should be considered a top-four contender."
Strengths and Weaknesses
Hawthorn's defence ranked as one of the strongest in the competition for 2019, allowing the third least amount of points against, while also ranking highly for 1-on-1 win %, marks inside 50 (against) and % shot at goal accuracy (against).
The Hawks conceded an average of 72.8 points per game last season, the third best in the league and their second lowest record since 1971.
Just 16% of Hawthorns turnovers resulted in scores, ranking as the second best in the league thanks to their strong running stock and depth.
While the backline is firing, their forward line and midfield efficiency has become alarming for Alistair Clarkson.
Last season, The Hawks ranked 11th offensively, scoring over 90 points on just three occasions.
Their forwards lacked consistency but their midfield dropped the ball, ranking as the worst side for clearances and second worst for bounce clearances.
Prediction: 8th
The Hawks will have September in their sights, and so they should. A strong campaign in 2019 that fell short due to lack of depth and injuries, but 2020 has shown a new horizon for Hawthorn as their list looks set to stack up against some of the elite in the competition.
If the game is down to the wire, they're the club best positioned to get the job done as long as Clarkson is still at the wheel.
