James Sicily has produced one of his best performances for Hawthorn in a nail-biting six-point win over Sydney Swans in Friday night football at the MCG.
Sicily, a Western Jets product, patrolled the half back line for the Hawks, racking up 26 disposals to go with 14 marks.
The 22-year-old’s intercept marking and composure under pressure was a highlight for the Hawks.
So often the Swans forward moves were detonated because of Sicily’s ability to read the play and do it with courage.
Sicily was impeccable with ball in hand, going at 88.5% disposal efficiency from his 16 kicks and 10 handballs.
The former Keilor junior seems to have found a home in the Hawks backline after initially being recruited as a forward.
Still inexperienced with just 40 games to his name, Sicily has the potential to become an elite swing man for the Hawks, which makes him a valuable commodity in the modern game.
As a forward, Sicily averages better than a goal a game.
For now, Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson would be thrilled with how Sicily is applying himself as a backman, as he was undoubtedly one of the Hawks key players in a victory over the Swans that keeps their slim finals chances alive.
Sicily could be remembered as one of the steals of the 2013 AFL National draft.
The Hawks snared the young gun with pick 56, the last selection of the third round.
Sicily was so highly rated at the Western Jets that some coaches were surprised he fell so far in the draft.
No doubt Sicily benefited from Jets coach Torin Baker’s insistence that his players be tried out in various position and roles.
In an interview with Star Weekly in 2013, Jets region manager Shane Sexton tipped that Sicily’s value to an AFL club would be his versatility.
“If I was going to give him any advice, I’d certainly be suggesting he continue with the capacity to play in a number of roles,” Sexton said at the time.
“If you’ve got that artillery to do a variety of different things, it’s going to make you a more usable commodity.”
In his top age TAC Cup year, Sicily finished third in the Western Jets best-and-fairest, kicking 26 goals from 16 games, despite spending time back, forward and in the midfield.
Sicily’s form with the Jets was rock solid, so why did he slide so far down the draft order?
When you consider that Orazio Fantasia went to Essendon with pick 55 and Jayden Hunt was snapped up by Melbourne with pick 57, maybe it was just a super deep draft.
What is for certain, Hawthorn will not be ruing its decision to take a flier on Sicily late in the draft.
