Hawks footy boss gives contract update on in-form free agent

Hawthorn football boss Rob McCartney says the Hawks are confident in re-signing restricted free agent Blake Hardwick.

Hardwick is one of eight restricted free agents in the AFL yet to sign on beyond 2024 and the Hawks have tabled a deal to the swingman.

The 27-year-old has been used both as a defender and forward in 2024 and McCartney says that Hardwick wanted to spend some time inside 50 - where he played as a junior - before making his call.

McCartney says that the club is comfortable where talks sit with Hardwick’s management group as the player hopes to build some long-term success at Waverley Park.

“I think you see how Blake plays with his connection to our club, our group and the journey that they've been on,” McCartney told SEN’s Crunch Time.

“He's been been part of that since 2016. He's come in on the end of our football club being quite successful … he wants to be part of something like that.

“We've got some really healthy talks with his management group. Blake wanted to make sure that he got the opportunity to experience a little bit of playing forward before he started the conversations around this next contract - it’ll be a significant one for him, of course.

“We're really comfortable that we'll keep working through that with his manager.”

Hardwick was first switched forward during Gather Round against Collingwood in Round 4, where he booted four majors after starting the game as a defender.

He most recently kicked a five-goal haul to go with 23 disposals in last Sunday’s one-point loss to Hawthorn, proving that he can be a real difference-maker at both ends of the ground.

McCartney lauded Hardwick’s versatility and wished the club had two of him - one to play in defence, and one to play up forward.

“He has always told the story that when he was in his under 18 year that he kicked 10-plus (goals) in a couple of games as a small forward,” McCartney said.

“He did start as a forward and I remember that because I was at the club in the development coaching space … it (playing forward) didn't quite reward him the way he would have liked as a young player, and he ended up as a back.

“But I've been saying to him, ’Is there any chance you're a twin mate? We’ll have the other one and we'll have one at each end’.

“He's outstanding at both ends of the ground.”

Hardwick’s 158th game for the club comes against Brisbane at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.