Boumann ready-made for Hawks defence
Posted by Brent DiamondOct 26. 2011 7:05 am
HAWTHORN is confident former Western Bulldogs defender Jarrad Boumann will be the perfect back-up for its defence next season after gaining him in a trade for next to nothing last week.
With injuries to key defenders Stephen Gilham and Ben Stratton last season, the Hawks weakened defence appeared to be one of the reasons they came up short against Geelong and Collingwood in September.
It gained Boumann, who was pre-listed by Greater Western Sydney, in a trade for pick 56.
Hawks development coach Damian Carroll said Boumann has become a more “mature” player since being delisted by the Bulldogs at the end of 2010.
“He still needs to put on a bit of size and strength and really get that strength up to play on the key forwards but he has great agility and he’s a great fit,” Carroll said.
“I think the penny as just dropped for him that these chances don’t come around too often.”
The Box Hill Hawks have been the most successful VFL club in getting players drafted since the beginning of their alignment with Hawthorn.
If skipper Sam Gibson and David Mirra get drafted as rookies which is expected, it would take the total of players drafted to 23 in 11 years. Of course that includes current Hawthorn midfielder Sam Mitchell, who was a Liston Trophy winner.
Carroll said both Gibson and Mirra have attracted a lot of interest from clubs and would be ready-made AFL players.
The trend of clubs recruiting mature aged players continued during last week’s trade period with Northern Bullants goalsneak Ahmed Saad and Terry Milera (SANFL) heading to St Kilda and Steven Morris (SANFL) heading to Richmond.
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One Person has left comments on this post
Played great footy at Willi too and really should have been given a go by the Doggies in his three years there. Great pick up there by Hawthorn.