‘Hawks Face Tough Decision: Is It Time to Bench Their Struggling Skipper?’

Despite a promising beginning to the season, Hawthorn has failed to recapture the explosive form they displayed in the latter stages of the 2024 season.

Currently on a two-game losing streak, they have dropped out of the top four, prompting Matthew Lloyd to highlight the various issues plaguing the team.

Lloyd contends that they are struggling to transition from a top-eight side into serious championship contenders.

“I’ve always perceived Sam Mitchell as having a firm grip on this team, but even he appears frustrated in the coach’s box at times,” Lloyd remarked during an appearance on Nine’s Footy Classified.

“I believe their defence is out of sorts. Players like James Sicily and Tom Barrass have not been performing to their usual standard.

“In recent weeks, their midfield has been overrun by both Gold Coast and Brisbane, while the forward line has been inconsistent. It seems they have problems in every area of the ground.

“Leigh Matthews often discusses the challenge of moving from merely making finals to earning a top-four spot, and at this point, Hawthorn appears quite distant from achieving that.”

Footy Classified is now available as a podcast! Subscribe/follow via Apple, Spotify or Google Podcasts

Captain Sicily has endured a challenging season, particularly with his kicking efficiency notably declining this year.

He has previously indicated that he is managing a groin issue, but Lloyd suggests that persisting with it may be detrimental to his performance.

“There are injuries you can play through, but groin injuries are different,” Lloyd remarked.

“I recall James Hird playing with a groin injury in the 2001 grand final and he struggled to gain any leverage. He was matched up against Brad Scott and simply couldn’t break free.”

“It would be better for him to sit out.”

This Friday night, Hawthorn faces another significant challenge as they take on Collingwood at the MCG.