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, kicking 12, 10 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 44th overall in the 2015 national draft.

AFL career
Hardwick made his debut in a 19-point win against in round 19, 2016, at Aurora Stadium in Launceston, recording eight disposals and kicking a behind.

He earned a Rising Star nomination in Round 15, 2017, after a string of solid performances, finishing the match with 19 disposals at 94 per cent efficiency, five tackles and three 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 his third season, Hardwick's guernsey number was changed from 37 to the 15 worn previously by Luke Hodge following the latter's move to Brisbane at the end of the 2017 season.

He played every game of the 2018 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 Mitchell.

Statistics
Updated to the end of round 18, 2024.

! colspan=3| Career ! 164 !! 21 !! 13 !! 1838 !! 915 !! 2753 !! 787 !! 369 !! 0.1 !! 0.1 !! 11.2 !! 5.6 !! 16.8 !! 4.8 !! 2.3 || 0
 * 2016 || || 37
 * 1 || 0 || 1 || 5 || 3 || 8 || 1 || 3 || 0.0 || 1.0 || 5.0 || 3.0 || 8.0 || 1.0 || 3.0 || 0
 * 2017 || || 37
 * 19 || 0 || 1 || 160 || 114 || 274 || 89 || 53 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 8.4 || 6.0 || 14.4 || 4.7 || 2.8 || 0
 * 2018 || || 15
 * 24 || 3 || 1 || 219 || 175 || 394 || 107 || 57 || 0.1 || 0.0 || 9.1 || 7.3 || 16.4 || 4.5 || 2.4 || 0
 * 2019 || || 15
 * 22 || 2 || 2 || 258 || 124 || 382 || 99 || 69 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 11.7 || 5.6 || 17.4 || 4.5 || 3.1 || 0
 * 2020 || || 15
 * 16 || 1 || 0 || 139 || 67 || 206 || 45 || 21 || 0.1 || 0.0 || 8.7 || 4.2 || 12.9 || 2.8 || 1.3 || 0
 * 2021 || || 15
 * 20 || 0 || 2 || 312 || 106 || 418 || 108 || 41 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 15.6 || 5.3 || 20.9 || 5.4 || 2.1 || 0
 * 2022 || || 15
 * 22 || 0 || 0 || 267 || 99 || 366 || 114 || 42 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 12.1 || 4.5 || 16.6 || 5.2 || 1.9 || 0
 * 2023 || || 15
 * 23 || 2 || 1 || 314 || 153 || 467 || 147 || 45 || 0.1 || 0.0 || 13.7 || 6.7 || 20.3 || 6.4 || 2.0 || 0
 * 2024 || || 15
 * 17 || 13 || 5 || 163 || 74 || 237 || 77 || 38 || 0.8 || 0.3 || 9.6 || 4.4 || 13.9 || 4.5 || 2.2 ||
 * - class="sortbottom"
 * 2022 || || 15
 * 22 || 0 || 0 || 267 || 99 || 366 || 114 || 42 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 12.1 || 4.5 || 16.6 || 5.2 || 1.9 || 0
 * 2023 || || 15
 * 23 || 2 || 1 || 314 || 153 || 467 || 147 || 45 || 0.1 || 0.0 || 13.7 || 6.7 || 20.3 || 6.4 || 2.0 || 0
 * 2024 || || 15
 * 17 || 13 || 5 || 163 || 74 || 237 || 77 || 38 || 0.8 || 0.3 || 9.6 || 4.4 || 13.9 || 4.5 || 2.2 ||
 * - class="sortbottom"
 * 17 || 13 || 5 || 163 || 74 || 237 || 77 || 38 || 0.8 || 0.3 || 9.6 || 4.4 || 13.9 || 4.5 || 2.2 ||
 * - class="sortbottom"
 * }

Notes

Honours and achievements
Individual
 * leading goalkicker: 2016
 * 2× Peter Crimmins Medal runner–up: 2018, 2021
 * most courageous player: 2022
 * most promising player: 2018
 * AFL Rising Star nominee: 2017