Hawthorn midfielder Will Day has claimed the playing group has fully embraced the growing expectations heading into the 2025 season.

After starting 0-5 in 2024, Hawthorn finished the season 14-9, recording their first finals win since the 2015 Grand Final.

Day, who missed Hawthorn's finals campaign last year due to a collarbone injury, described the feeling among the playing group ahead of this season.

“Internally, we've raised our expectations,” said Day.

“We aren't sitting back, and we don't really look back at last season. We're not content with it at all – although the expectations around us are higher, I think ours are even higher than that.” 

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Hawthorn was one of the more energetic clubs in the recent off-season, trading for two key-position defenders, Josh Battle and Tom Barrass, to bolster a defence featuring All-Australian James Sicily.

Speaking on the impact of Battle and Barrass, Day said they have both already made a significant contribution to the playing culture.

“Obviously, they're great footballers, but I think their character has been something that's been pretty prominent as they've come in,” said Day.

“They're both just really good people, which I think, as a club, we're really big on – they've already made an impact around the club.”

Selected by the Hawks with Pick 13 in the 2019 draft, Day quickly established himself as one of the finer young midfielders in the competition, claiming his first Peter Crimmins Medal for a career-best season in 2023.

His 2024 was interrupted by a nasty collarbone injury in Round 23, which Day said he has fully recovered from.

“Pre-Christmas, we were taking it a bit easy and getting back into some contact, but now, post-Christmas, it has been really good. I'm back in 100% and feeling really good about it.”

The Hawks' pre-season kicks off on February 17 against Geelong at GMHBA Stadium, ahead of their Opening Round clash against the Sydney Swans.