Blake Hardwick
Blake Hardwick (born 5 February 1997) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He grew up in Mitcham attending Nunawading Primary School and Mullauna Secondary College. Early career. Hardwick was the leading goal kicker in the 2015 TAC Cup season, and kicked twelve, ten and eight goals against the Bendigo Pioneers, Geelong Falcons and Western Jets respectively. He was drafted by the Hawthorn Football Club with their third selection and forty-fourth overall in the 2015 national draft. AFL career. He made his debut in the nineteen  point win against in round 19, 2016 at Aurora Stadium in Launceston, he recorded eight disposals and kicked a behind. Hardwick earned a Rising Star nomination in Round 15, 2017 after a string of solid performances. Finishing the game with 19 disposals at 94 percent efficiency, 5 tackles, and 3 marks, in a 24 point win over . On August 14, 2017, Hardwick signed a two-year contract extension keeping him at Hawthorn until the end of 2019. Entering into his third season, Hardwick's guernsey number was changed from 37 to the 15 previously worn by Luke Hodge following the  latter's move to Brisbane at the end of the 2017 season. He played every game of the 2018 AFL season kicking his first goal at AFL level and finishing second in Hawthorn's best and fairest award, the Peter Crimmins Medal behind 2018 Brownlow medallist, Tom Mitchell. In 2021 Hardwick played his 100th career game for Hawthorn. He once again finished runner up in the Peter Crimmins medal behind Tom Mitchell. Statistics. "Updated to the end of round 6, 2022." !| Career ! 108 !! 6 !! 7 !! 1167 !! 616 !! 1783 !! 470 !! 256 !! 0.1 !! 0.1 !! 10.8 !! 5.7 !! 16.5 !! 4.4 !! 2.4 || 0  Notes Honours and achievements. Individual