The Hawks forming a new-look midfield in 2026

Hawthorn’s midfield was the main aspect holding things back in 2025, according to many a critic.

New co-captain Jai Newcombe was the figurehead in the middle last year in the absence of the injured Will Day. He was largely supported by James Worpel, the emerging Josh Ward and Conor Nash.

The 2025 season of the Hawks was extremely promising until they were comfortably beaten by Geelong in the Preliminary Final, and many felt their major shortcoming was in the middle of the ground.

So with Day sidelined for yet another lengthy stint and Worpel now at the Cats, who will step up?

Nash has highlighted a trio of players who he believes will take the Hawks to the next level in the middle.

“There’s going to be major opportunities. We know last year the midfield wasn’t up to scratch a lot of times, so there’ll be changes,” Nash said on SEN Breakfast.

“Connor Macdonald is moving beautifully in there. He’s pretty much playing full-time in there now.

“In match play he has been using his outside run and burst from stoppage.

“Josh Weddle is another one who moved in there as well and is going beautifully. He’s one of those players who can just kind of play anywhere really.

“He’s a serious asset to have and one that we’ll certainly use in the midfield this year.

“Cam Mackenzie has taken huge strides again this pre-season. We’re going to see quite a different midfield this year at Hawthorn and we’re looking forward to it.”

Nash was also glowing in his appraisal of Newcombe who has joined James Sicily as joint skipper.

He said leadership was always a key asset of the 24-year-old’s game.

“He’s perfect for the role. He’s been a natural born leader, he’s a tough unit,” Nash said of ’Newc’.

“Over the last few years he’s really developed his ability to give honest feedback. A real knack of a captain is being able to do it when it’s toughest, and we saw it last year in the finals series how pivotal he is.

“I think he’s going to work beautifully alongside ‘Sis’ (Sicily). They both bring different qualities.

“Since the day he stepped in he’s been a man on young shoulders. We’re rapt to have him and couldn’t be happier that he’s in that position.”

Irishman Nash, now an Australian citizen, has seen his own game elevate since he was given a midfield chance.

He credits senior coach Sam Mitchell for throwing the opportunity his way during their time together at the Box Hill Hawks.

“During COVID (2020) and 2021 when I was playing as a half-forward at Box Hill under Sam,” he said of his first midfield chance.

“It’s well documented that he is the one that said we need to change something here. He said we’re going to give you a crack in the midfield, it will suit you and you might be able to use your size. Kind of from there it was taking off.

“Then in 2022 when he got the reins (as AFL coach) fully is when it really started to click. Personally, I still didn’t think I belonged in there because usually the midfielders were your big stars. We had the likes of Jaeger (O’Meara), Tommy (Mitchell) and Liam Shiels in there.

“It probably wasn’t really until 2023 when a few games in when myself, ‘Newc’ (Newcombe), ‘Daysy’ (Day) and Worpel were playing together regularly that I started to see some results and felt this is the spot for me.”

Now 120 games into his AFL career, Nash recalled how he first appeared on the radar of the Hawks when he was paying Gaelic football and rugby union in County Meath as a schoolboy.

“I’ve only found this out in recent years because the man (in Ireland) who saw me has since moved on,” he said of his Hawthorn discovery.

“They had a guy on the ground who they pretty much employed to go around and look at school football. He was from Cavan which is the next county over.

“He would go around, get together a list of names, take vision for them and from there they’d start the process. Each year they used to have about five names and then whittle it down to one that they might want to take a punt on.

“Conor Glass was in the batch before me, then I came along and that’s how it happened.”

Nash and the Hawks meet Worpel and the Cats in a practice match at Dingley on February 16 before taking on the Western Bulldogs at Whitten Oval in the AAMI Community Series on February 27.

Their season proper kicks off in Opening Round against GWS on March 7.