Nick Hall at Hawks pre-season training on Monday night. Photo: Tim Warren.
The Harden Hawks have been back at training for the 2022 season for a few weeks now but their first test under new coach Nick Hall will have to wait as this weekend’s planned first-grade trial game against Southern Highlands has been cancelled.
The trial game was due to commence at 3 pm at McLean Oval, while the under 19’s were slated for a 1 pm start.
New Harden Hawks coach, formerly of the Young Cherrypickers, will be trialling a few different tactics in upcoming practice matches.
“We’re just going to play a simple style of footy to build our style of footy for this year,” Hall said.
“We’re going to build on what we did last year, but we’re going to be a pretty new side this year as well.
“There are lots of new faces and a few of the travellers from last year haven’t come back again, which is a blessing and a curse. They were good players, but it’s going to be exciting for us to see some of these new guys get a run.”
Nick also has a new game plan that he wants to implement with his fresh squad for season 2022.
“I’ve got a new style of footy, and I was going to probably embrace a bit more of what they did last year, but now with such a new side we’ll probably just grab a little bit more of my style of footy that I was used to as well over there.”
The Hawks have recruited various players from the Cherrypickers in the offseason, bringing in halfback Jacob Lucas, Steve Anderson, Tom Ecklehattan, Dylan Muggleton and Will Hills who was the best and fairest for Young’s reserve grade last year.
The Hawks have also recruited four new Samoan boys who are working over at the Young abattoirs.
Four new Samoan recruits join the Hawks for the 2022 season. Photo: Tim Warren.
“There are a few blokes who have come back into the squad who haven’t been around for a few years so it’s pretty exciting to see a lot of new faces who we haven’t seen for a while, and a few old faces,” Nick continued.
“I guess with all that new stuff, new coach, new players, we’re going to keep it simple, try to control the footy and try to win rucks and have a really simple structure and we’ve got some exciting footy we’ve already practised but you can’t do all that exciting stuff unless you get up with the footy.”
“We’re going to go in with a basic game-plan and expect things to fall apart five minutes in then we’ll focus on our attitudes and actions when we get tired, can we stick together and communicate, stay connected in defence rather than shooting up.”
The Hawks players have come back fit to training even considering COVID disruptions and some player’s availability halted until later in the pre-season.
The Hawks have 26 players in their squad for the 2022 season.
Fitness is one key indicator that coach Hall holds in high regard, with him focusing a large majority of the pre-season training on it.
The Harden Hawks will be celebrating their 100th year anniversary next weekend, with Hall saying it will be a wonderful motivator for the team.
Fitness training at Hawks pre-season. Photo: Tim Warren.
“What great fuel for us to soak up 100 years of history and all that sort of momentum, talk and vibe around the club. If we can soak up just some of that it will be great to take into our footy,” Hall continued. The Hawks season will commence their season next month, with round one slated for April.
Nick is excited to see all the new and old faces around the club come the start of the season.“I’m still keen to see all of the old Hawks faces and legends there which will start when we play a game and have a function,” he said.
“If anyone wants to be involved in the club, whether they are on-field trainers, coming to training and helping or just coming to talk around the club there are opportunities there.
The 47-year-old coach hasn’t entirely ruled out a playing comeback in 2022 but he says it appears unlikely.
“You never know, but if I’m coaching any good I won’t. There’s a lot of temptation to pull on a jumper and play with these blokes, so there might be the odd cameo,” Hall said.
Tim Warren
