Young Hawthorn key defender James Blanck has signed a two-year contract extension with the Hawks, keeping him with the club until the end of 2026.
Senior coach Sam Mitchell made the announcement at a team gathering during the Hawks’ pre-season training this week.
The 23-year-old was selected in the 2022 Mid-Deason Draft and made his debut in Round 15 of the same year. He has made 24 appearances for the Hawks since his debut, and he was immediately tasked with facing some of the competition’s greatest forwards.
Blanck is one of a growing number of Hawks players who began their careers in the Box Hill VFL before moving up to the AFL.
Mark McKenzie, Hawthorn’s National List and Recruiting Manager, expressed satisfaction that another Box Hill youngster was performing well and progressing at the AFL level.
“We knew when we picked up James that he had the potential to make it at AFL level, and it’s been really satisfying to see the way he has gone about putting in the hard work in recent times,” McKenzie said.
“In just his first season and a half, James has proven a tremendous ability to negate the influence of many of the competition’s top important forwards while also supporting our defence.
“Having only turned 23 at the end of last year, James is still relatively young for a key defender and will only keep improving, we believe he has the foundations for an exciting future ahead at our football club.”
During the trade period last year, the Hawks attempted to sign free agent Ben McKay and Geelong’s Esava Ratugolea to help strengthen their backline. Despite being unsuccessful, the Hawks are confident that Blanck can continue to develop and play an important role in the club’s back six.
