Ahead of Tom Hawkins’ 350th game on Monday, Phil Davis has named the star Cat as the player with the best forward craft he’s ever seen up close.
Hawkins will become the 24th VFL/AFL player to reach 350 games when he takes to the MCG on Monday against Hawthorn. The 35-year-old is already on his way to becoming an all-time AFL great and will break Geelong’s games record – held by Joel Selwood – later this season should he stay injury-free.
Davis and Hawkins played on each other plenty of times between 2010 and 2022 and, by and large, split the points.
The ex-GWS captain suggested it wasn’t just Hawkins’ size, but his connection with teammates that made him so hard to play on.
“I was intimidated for a while there, just the size caused me a lot of issues,” Davis told SEN’s Whateley.
“I found him incredibly difficult to play on. Apart from the size and the strength, the craft always stood out for me.
“In my time of playing, in terms of pure forward craft, Tom Hawkins and Jack Riewoldt were the two that stood out. And what separated Tom there for a while was the connection he had with his midfielders, particularly Mitch Duncan – I used to hate it when he had the ball – and Joel Selwood (as well), they’d kick it 15.1 metres and there was Tom.
“His timing of his lead, his ability to work, and his kicking got better and better… I think he had the yips earlier in his career and then he just became amazing.”
Hawkins is also poised to kick 800 goals in 2024, a figure he’s currently just 14 majors shy of.
A much-loved figure at Kardinia Park who continues to get better with age, Davis also respected the way Hawkins interacted with teammates on field.
“Always very much solution-focused and very supportive, I always thought he would have been great to play with,” Davis added.
“I always enjoyed playing on him. He got me a couple of times, I got him a couple of times, but he’s got better with age.”
Hawkins is coming off a four-goal starring display against Adelaide last week and in the same fixture against Hawthorn in 2023, kicked two goals from 15 touches.