The 2022 Hawthorn Football Club season was the club's 98th season in the Australian Football League and 121st overall, the 23rd season playing home games at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the 22nd season playing home games at the University of Tasmania Stadium, the 1st season under head coach Sam Mitchell, and the 2nd and final season with Ben McEvoy as captain. This was the first season without Alastair Clarkson as coach since 2004. Hawthorn finished in thirteenth place with a 8–14 improving on their record from the season before. Luke Breust led the club goalkicking for the fourth time finishing the season with 40 goals.
Club summary The 2022 AFL season was the 126th season of the VFL/AFL competition since its inception in 1897; having entered the competition in 1925, it was the 98th season contested by the Hawthorn Football Club. Tasmania, iiNet, and Nissan continued as the club's three major sponsors, as they had done since 2006, 2013, and 2019 respectively, while Adidas will continue to manufacture the club's on-and-off field apparel, as they have done since 2013. Hawthorn will continue its alignment with the Box Hill Hawks Football Club in the Victorian Football League, allowing Hawthorn-listed players to play with the Box Hill Hawks when not selected in AFL matches.
Season summary 26 August 2021 – Adrian Hickmott joins the club as an assistant coach. Hickmott had previously spent 10 years with serving a number of roles most recently being the midfield coach, alongside Mitchell the pair helped lead West Coast to the 2018 AFL premiership. While Chris Newman re-signed with the club until the end of the 2023 season.
1 September 2021 – Craig McRae departs the club after 1 season having been appointed as the next senior coach of .
8 September 2021 – Lachlan Bramble signs a two-year deal to remain at the club until the end of the 2023 season.
9 September 2021 – Dylan Moore signs a two-year deal to remain at the club until the end of the 2023 season. Andrew Collins joins as the new head of development coach. Collins was previously an assistant coach working alongside Mitchell with .
13 September 2021 – David Hale joins the club as an assistant coach. Hale had spent the previous 6 seasons as an assistant coach with , and was also an interim coach for 1 game in 2019. While Brendon Bolton departed the club to join McRae at Collingwood.
16 September 2021 – Hawthorn announces that they've extended their deal to play at University of Tasmania Stadium until the end of 2022.
23 September 2021 – Robert Harvey joins the club as an assistant coach. Harvey had spent the previous 10 seasons with as an assistant, and was the interim coach for 9 games during the 2021 season.
7 October 2021 – Daniel Howe signs a one–year deal to remain at the club until the end of 2022. Finn Maginness signs a two–year deal remaining at the club until the end of 2023.
14 October 2021 – Hawthorn signs a three-year deal to extend their partnership with iiNet until the end of 2024.
20 October 2021 – Jackson Callow and Jack Saunders sign one–year deals to remain at Hawthorn until the end of 2022.
7 February 2022 – Denver Grainger-Barras signs a two–year deal to remain at Hawthorn until the end of 2024.
8 February 2022 – Jack Scrimshaw signs a two–year deal to remain at Hawthorn until the end of 2024.
9 February 2022 – Changkuoth Jiath signs a two–year deal to remain at Hawthorn until the end of 2024.
16 February 2022 – Hawthorn signs a five–year deal to extend their partnership with Nissan until the end of 2027.
15 April 2022 – Ned Long signs a one–year extension to stay at Hawthorn until 2023.
17 May 2022 – James Sicily signs a five–year deal to remain at Hawthorn until the end of 2027.
21 June 2022 – Conor Nash signs a two-year deal to remain at Hawthorn until 2024.
24 June 2022 – Mitchell Lewis signs a four–year deal to remain at Hawthorn until the end of 2026.
Playing list changes
Trades 13 October 2021 To 3rd round pick, 2022 AFL draft (via ) To Jonathon Ceglar 4th round pick, 2022 AFL draft 13 October 2021 To Max Lynch 3rd round pick, 2022 AFL draft (via ) 4th round pick, 2022 AFL draft (via ) To 3rd round pick, 2022 AFL draft (via ) 3rd round pick, 2022 AFL draft
Free agency
Additions Date Player Type Old club Deal Ref 26 October 2021 Fionn O'Hara Category B-rookie Signed a two–year deal
Departures Date Player Type New club Deal Compensation Ref 7 October 2021 Tim O'Brien Unrestricted Signed a two–year deal None
Draft
AFL draft Round Overall pick Player Recruited from ref 1 7 Josh Ward Northern Knights 2 23 Sam Butler Greater Western Victoria Rebels 2 26 Connor MacDonald Dandenong Stingrays 4 53 Jai Serong Gippsland Power
Rookie draft Round Overall pick Player Recruited from ref 1 5 Ned Long Northern Knights
Mid–Season draft Round Overall pick Player Recruited from ref 1 6 Max Ramsden Sandringham Dragons 2 20 James Blanck Box Hill Hawks
Retirements and delistings Date Player Reason Ref 2 February 2021 Tom Scully Retired 16 April 2021 Jonathon Patton Retired 19 August 2021 Shaun Burgoyne Retired 7 September 2021 Keegan Brooksby Delisted 7 September 2021 James Cousins Delisted 7 September 2021 Damon Greaves Delisted 7 September 2021 Michael Hartley Delisted 7 September 2021 Harry Pepper Delisted 15 October 2021 Oliver Hanrahan Delisted
2022 player squad
Community series Rd Date and local time Opponent Scores (Hawthorn's scores indicated in bold) Venue Report Home Away Result 1 Friday, 25 February (3:00 pm) 22.9 (141) 19.27 (141) Draw Morwell Recreation Reserve Report 2 Sunday, 5 March (1:10 pm) 9.15 (69) 14.10 (94) Lost by 25 points Devonport Oval Report
Home & Away season Rd Date and local time Opponent Scores (Hawthorn's scores indicated in bold) Venue Attendance Record Report Home Away Result 1 Sunday, 20 March (1:10 pm) 11.12 (78) 8.10 (58) Won by 20 points Melbourne Cricket Ground 38,297 1–0 Report 2 Saturday, 26 March (7:10 pm) 7.14 (56) 19.6 (120) Won by 64 points Adelaide Oval 30,267 2–0 Report 3 Sunday, 3 April (1:10 pm) 11.8 (74) 11.7 (73) Lost by 1 point Melbourne Cricket Ground 66,317 2–1 Report 4 Sunday, 10 April (3:20 pm) 10.13 (73) 22.10 (142) Lost by 69 points Melbourne Cricket Ground 30,926 2–2 Report 5 Monday, 18 April (3:20 pm) 14.8 (92) 11.14 (80) Won by 12 points Melbourne Cricket Ground 48,030 3–2 Report 6 Monday, 25 April (12:30 pm) 10.8 (68) 16.13 (109) Lost by 41 points University of Tasmania Stadium 14,107 3–3 Report 7 Saturday, 30 April (4:35 pm) 13.13 (91) 11.15 (81) Lost by 10 points Melbourne Cricket Ground 39,425 3–4 Report 8 Saturday, 7 May (7:25 pm) 16.12 (108) 11.15 (81) Lost by 27 points Marvel Stadium 33,042 3–5 Report 9 Saturday, 14 May (1:45 pm) 14.10 (94) 17.15 (117) Lost by 23 points Melbourne Cricket Ground 40,663 3–6 Report 10 Sunday, 22 May (3:20 pm) 18.9 (117) 17.10 (112) Won by 5 points University of Tasmania Stadium 12,007 4–6 Report 11 Saturday, 28 May (7:40 pm) 18.13 (121) 7.12 (54) Lost by 67 points TIO Stadium 7,516 4–7 Report 12 Sunday, 5 June (2:10 pm) 10.8 (68) 10.12 (72) Lost by 4 points Melbourne Cricket Ground 43,939 4–8 Report 13 Saturday, 11 June (2:10 pm) 14.11 (95) 12.10 (82) Lost by 13 points Optus Stadium 39,428 4–9 Report 14 Bye 15 Friday, 24 June (7:00 pm) 19.11 (125) 12.11 (83) Lost by 42 points Marvel Stadium 32,505 4–10 Report 16 Sunday, 3 July (3:20 pm) 11.6 (72) 7.8 (50) Lost by 22 points GIANTS Stadium 4,812 4–11 Report 17 Sunday, 10 July (3:20 pm) 13.8 (86) 8.6 (54) Won by 32 points Marvel Stadium 18,880 5–11 Report 18 Sunday, 17 July (1:10 pm) 15.12 (102) 12.5 (77) Won by 25 points Melbourne Cricket Ground 22,598 6–11 Report 19 Saturday, 23 July (1:45 pm) 11.9 (75) 19.7 (121) Won by 46 points Blundstone Arena 9,713 7–11 Report 20 Saturday, 30 July (4:45 pm) 10.15 (75) 9.9 (63) Lost by 12 points Marvel Stadium 25,348 7–12 Report 21 Saturday, 6 August (1:45 pm) 10.10 (70) 8.15 (63) Won by 7 points University of Tasmania Stadium 9,022 8–12 Report 22 Sunday, 14 August (1:10 pm) 20.8 (128) 9.13 (67) Lost by 61 points Melbourne Cricket Ground 59,338 8-13 Report 23 Sunday, 21 August (1:10 pm) 10.4 (64) 12.15 (87) Lost by 23 points University of Tasmania Stadium13,105 8–14 Report
Ladder
Awards, records and milestones Awards AFL awards Jai Newcombe – AFLCA young player of the year
Club awards Peter Crimmins Medal – James Sicily Lethal award – Jai Newcombe Most improved player – Mitchell Lewis Most courageous player – Blake Hardwick Most promising player – Ned Reeves Best clubman – Dylan Moore
Records
Club records Most tackles: Liam Shiels – 1,426 Most goal assists: Luke Breust – 224 Most rebound 50's in a season: 179 – James Sicily Most rebound 50's in a single game: 15 – James Sicily (Tied with Luke Hodge, and James Sicily)
Milestones Round 1 Jack Gunston – 400th AFL goal. Mitchell Lewis – 50th AFL goal. Finn Maginness – 1st AFL goal. Connor MacDonald – AFL debut. Josh Ward – AFL debut. Max Lynch – Hawthorn debut. Sam Mitchell – 1st AFL game as coach, 1st AFL win as coach.
Round 2 Connor MacDonald – 1st AFL goal. Josh Ward – 1st AFL goal.
Round 3 Jack Scrimshaw – 50th AFL game. Chad Wingard – 50th game for Hawthorn.
Round 5 Luke Breust – 450th AFL goal. Jack Gunston – 200th game for Hawthorn.
Round 7 James Sicily – 100th AFL game. Jack Scrimshaw – 50th game for Hawthorn. Jackson Callow – AFL debut.
Round 8 Max Lynch – 1st AFL goal.
Round 9 Chad Wingard – 200th AFL game, 50th goal for Hawthorn. Sam Butler – AFL debut.
Round 10 Sam Butler – 1st AFL goal. Sam Frost – 1st goal for Hawthorn.
Round 12 Luke Breust – 250th AFL game. Liam Shiels – 250th AFL game. Changkuoth Jiath – 1st AFL goal.
Round 13 Dylan Moore – 50th AFL goal. Sam Frost – 50th game for Hawthorn.
Round 15 James Blanck – AFL debut.
Round 17 Tom Mitchell – 100th game for Hawthorn.
Round 19 Mitchell Lewis – 50th AFL game.
Round 21 Jack Gunston – 400th goal for Hawthorn. Ben McEvoy – 250th AFL game. Dylan Moore – 50th AFL game. Jai Serong – AFL debut.
Round 22 Jarman Impey – 150th AFL game. Jai Serong – 1st AFL goal.
Round 23 Conor Nash – 50th AFL game. Ned Long – AFL debut. Jack Saunders – AFL debut, 1st AFL goal.
References