HAWTHORN has won its past four games to sit level on 11 wins with two teams in the top four, but the Hawks will need to win at least one – and more likely two – of three tough road trips in July and August to secure a double chance in September.
The Hawks travel to Perth this weekend to face Fremantle at Optus Stadium, ahead of a Friday night clash against Adelaide at Adelaide Oval in round 21 and a final round encounter with Brisbane at the Gabba, where they haven’t won at since 2016.
They also face ladder leaders Collingwood at the MCG in round 22. Before then, they host Port Adelaide in Launceston, then face Carlton at the MCG, before facing Melbourne at the MCG in round 23.
Hawthorn must win at least three more games to seal a finals berth, but they will need to upset some contenders on the road to secure a top four spot by the end of the home and away season.
If things continue to go to plan, Will Day will be ready to return for the clash against the Blues in round 20, providing the 2023 Peter Crimmins Medallist with five games to regain form and fitness before the finals.
But it is in attack where Hawthorn has some serious decisions to make. Sam Mitchell would have left Box Hill City Oval on Sunday afternoon thrilled with the performances of two key forwards, but with the knowledge he faces some difficult conversations.
Mitch Lewis impressed in his second game back from a knee reconstruction, finishing with 3.2 from 17 disposals and eight marks in his first full game for Box Hill, almost 12 months after he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament against Geelong.
The 26-year-old needed to get through these two games before being considered for AFL selection. Now he has done that, Hawthorn needs to make a call. Bring him in off a six-day break with travel, or give him another full game in the VFL?
Calsher Dear has taken a long time to get going this year after suffering stress fractures in his back in the pre-season, but now the 19-year-old is fit and firing at Box Hill.
A week after hauling in 12 marks against North Melbourne at Arden Street, Dear finished with 3.3 from 21 disposals and five marks at Box Hill City Oval on Sunday.
The father-son recruit was brought back into the senior team too soon earlier in the year and hasn’t played again since being subbed out of the loss to Gold Coast in Darwin in round 10.
Dear played alongside veteran Jack Gunston and Mabior Chol in both the elimination final win over the Western Bulldogs and the semi-final loss to Port Adelaide last September, kicking 3.4 in an unforgettable first final.
Gunston has kicked 38 goals this year and is averaging a career-high 2.9 per game (equal third in the AFL) from 13 appearances in his 16th season to put his name in contention for the All-Australian squad.
The 33-year-old was managed for the trip to the Northern Territory in May, but at this stage, the veteran is planning on facing the Dockers, travelling west a day earlier than everyone else, like he has in the past.
Chol played his 100th game on Saturday night and has exceeded expectations again this year to currently sit 10th on the Coleman Medal leaderboard with 32 goals.
The 28-year-old has kicked multiple goals eight times in 2025, stepping up in the absence of Lewis, who has managed only four AFL appearances since Chol arrived at Waverley Park at the end of 2023.
Hawthorn recruited Chol and brought back Gunston in the same trade period, sending a future second-round pick to the Suns with pick No.62 heading to Waverley Park. Brandon Ryan moved from Hawthorn, along with picks No.39, No.54 and a future fourth-rounder for Gunston, picks No. 47, No. 61 and a future second-rounder.
Those moves have reaped much more than anyone expected.
Max Ramsden has also improved this year and has now played the past four games for the Hawks, kicking a career-high three goals in the 85-point win over North Melbourne in round 16.
The 22-year-old was subbed out early on Saturday night, despite showing plenty, with the Hawks concerned about the Saints’ ability to transition the ball easily out of their defensive 50 with three talls.
Hawthorn completed a light training session at Scotch College for the second time in a matter of weeks on Monday and will ramp the program up for the clash against Justin Longmuir’s side later in the week.
They haven’t beaten Fremantle at Optus Stadium since the club’s first visit to Perth’s $1.6 billion stadium in 2018, losing the past four games against the Dockers on the road.
With seven games to cement a starting spot in September, Hawthorn faces some tough tasks on the road, and at selection, where bold calls are required to get the best mix right.
