The positional magnet Hawthorn must upgrade to improve in 2025

After Mabior Chol’s struggles in finals, Champion Data’s Daniel Hoyne believes it’s the one positional spot Hawthorn needs to upgrade ahead of 2025.

The Hawks are already improving their key defensive stocks, set to add Tom Barrass and Josh Battle in the trade period, but it’s that key forward role that Hoyne is watching.

Hawthorn fell narrowly short of making a Prelim, losing to Port Adelaide by three points last weekend.

“The one magnet that I’m going to find most interesting over the season is what Sam Mitchell does with Mabior Chol,” Hoyne told SEN’s Sportsday.

“Sam Mitchell spoke on AFL 360 months ago about Calsher Dear and said the number one attribute you need is just to compete ahead of the footy.

“Mabior Chol’s finals series, that would be extremely disappointing watch that back.

“Rory Lobb destroys him in the first final. Took six intercept marks, but we’re a results based industry and he gets away with that performance.

“Then you see what Brandon Zerk-Thatcher did to him on the weekend, he was quite jittery in week one of finals, he completely destroyed him again – three intercept marks, won some one-on-one contests.

“Chol’s two finals, he took one mark inside 50 and won one ground ball inside 50.

“I reckon that is going to be fascinating and you wonder if that’s what Damien Hardwick saw and didn’t want him at Gold Coast straight away and let him go from Richmond.

“That would be really frustrating watching that back. There were some opportunities, even out of position, but your assets as a team are on the deck and Port Adelaide’s weakness was on the deck – just get it to the ground.”

Key forward Mitch Lewis only played four games in 2024, tearing his ACL. He would be the clear inclusion if he can get back to his best in 2025.

James Sicily could also potentially spend more time forward given their bolstered defence.