Hawthorn's Forward Line Headache: Who Makes the Cut in 2027?

Hawthorn already carry serious forward depth heading into the back end of 2026, and the prospect of adding even more talent has a Hawks great raising the question every supporter will be wrestling with: how does it all fit?

The Logjam Nobody Saw Coming

The Hawks’ forward division is on track to become one of the most congested in the competition, with multiple established names already locked into spots — and further recruitment still on the table.

That’s a nice problem to have. Until it isn’t.

Managing forward line depth isn’t simply a selection headache — it’s a list management problem that ripples through contract negotiations, trade value, and team morale. If players aren’t getting game time, they start asking questions. And in a competition where contenders like Collingwood and the Brisbane Lions are constantly hunting disgruntled talent, complacency costs.

What Sam Mitchell’s Successor Inherits

Dylan Moore is already one of the most dynamic small forwards in the competition, capable of swinging through midfield when the Hawks need it. He’s the kind of player who survives any logjam. Others won’t be as fortunate.

The real pressure falls on the second and third tier of Hawthorn’s forward stocks. Add another key forward or prolific goal-kicker to the list, and somebody who considers themselves a senior player is suddenly watching from the interchange — or worse, from the stands.

Hawthorn’s football department has earned trust after rebuilding faster than almost anyone expected. But the million-dollar question isn’t just who gets recruited. It’s who gets managed out when the music stops.

The AFL Hub will track every Hawks trade move as the window approaches.

LF — Breaking news correspondent, australiafootball.com