THE GAP is closing by the week, but Lloyd Meek still has more WAFL games to his name than AFL appearances. He spent far more time playing for Peel Thunder than Fremantle during his five years in Perth. When he started 2024 at Box Hill, another season of state league football loomed. But things changed on Easter Monday.

Meek has never been gifted a game; such is the life of a back-up ruckman trying to cement a permanent spot. He was stuck behind Aaron Sandilands and then Sean Darcy at the Dockers. Then he was edged out of the No.1 spot by Ned Reeves in his first year at Waverley Park. 

The 26-year-old played 15 games in five seasons for Fremantle, around 44 WAFL games and nine reserves appearances for Peel. He featured 16 times for Hawthorn last year, splitting the role with Reeves. Things changed at the start of April.

Meek was recalled against Geelong in round three and has proven to be one of the most improved players in the land this year, playing 20 games in 2024. Only two ruckmen have averaged more hitouts this year – Reilly O'Brien (42.8) and Jarrod Witts (37.5) – than Meek (36.2), while only O'Brien (12.2) has averaged more hitouts to advantage than the Hawk (10.6). 

The 203cm beast from Mininera, the farming district west of Ballarat, announced himself during the winter months, before producing the most dominant display of his career in his biggest game yet in last Friday night's elimination final win in front of 97,828 people at the MCG. 

"Seven years of hard work have got me here. I have been working towards this for so long, so I don't think I've come out of nowhere. It's what I have always wanted," Meek told AFL.com.au after the 37-point win over the Western Bulldogs. 

"To be honest, I am a big believer in personal development and getting better each day. I come into the club and try and have a really good attitude, high work ethic and get to work with the coaching staff. Once I got a few games under my belt my confidence grew, then you build that connection with the mids really grows and you form that love for one another and you know where each other is going to be. There are a million things that add up to me going a bit better this year. 

"I think deep down I did (think I could play at this level). Don't get me wrong, there are definitely doubts. I had some moments running around in the WAFL reserves where I thought, 'Far out, this is going to be a long road.' I knew I had to get better. I think deep down I wouldn't still be doing it if I didn't believe I could get there. It is nice that the fire was burning strong and I got there eventually. I've got plenty more room to grow, plenty more steps to take. I'm not going to stop."

Meek's role on All-Australian ruckman Tim English was a key reason why the Hawks were rarely challenged by the Bulldogs after quarter-time. Meek amassed 46 hitouts to English's 21, 23 touches to 15 and seven score involvements to two. With an extra week to prepare, the Ballarat Grammar product went to work on English's tape and nailed the brief in the first final of his career.

"(I did) heaps (of preparation), to be honest. Obviously, he is an outstanding player. His weapons are run and spread and carry. I tried not to in the first week, I tried to keep it normal. I'm a big student of the game, I love the game and I'm passionate about it," Meek said, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hovered over our shoulder in a heaving Hawthorn changerooms.   

"I love the position and the combative nature of rucking. I try to keep notes and watch a lot of vision. I watched vision from last time. Everyone has a different weapon, a different strength, so I just try and adapt to each player."

Hawthorn has made a handful of shrewd trade plays in the past two off-seasons – and in recent weeks – that have helped accelerate the rebuild at Waverley Park. Sam Mitchell has been a central figure in the list makeover, working with recruiting boss Mark McKenzie and GM Rob McCartney. 

Before new talent and acquisition manager Jarryd Roughead helped secure commitments from Tom Barrass and Josh Battle last month, the Hawks plucked Massimo D'Ambrosio from Essendon for pick No.61 and a future fourth-round pick last October, along with Mabior Chol and pick No.62 for a future second-round pick, Jack Gunston in a deal for Brandon Ryan and Jack Ginnivan in a complex deal that saw them shuffle back six picks and swap a future third for a future fourth.

But none have been as impactful as Meek. He was the final deal done in the 2022 Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period, moving from Fremantle along with a future second-round pick in exchange for Jaeger O'Meara and a future fourth-round selection. Karl Amon had already moved from Port Adelaide as a free agent during that window. Meek had options. He could have stayed in Perth and moved to West Coast. Melbourne was one of a handful of other suitors, but it was a pitch from the Mitchells in his home which sealed the deal. 

"To be honest, I reckon after half an hour I knew I was going to Hawthorn. He is an outstanding person. He finds such a good balance of knowing what players think and what players need to hear versus driving standards, pushing you to get better, forming the connection and the love around the club," Meek said.

"In his pitch I think he was over for like four hours. I could really see his vision. At the end of the day I was looking for an opportunity and I felt like Hawthorn was the place I could really compete for that. I loved the sound of the hard-working culture and the boys that he had already. It sounded like something I wanted to be a part of. Lyndall was important too. They do such a great job. She is not getting paid by the club, but she does a great job building connection with all the partners."

Hawthorn has recovered from 0-5 to still be alive in the second week of September, winning its first final since the 2015 Grand Final. Now it heads across to South Australia to face a vulnerable Port Adelaide outfit, which is facing consecutive straight-sets exits after being annihilated by 84 points against Geelong last Thursday. 

The Hawks will have to cope without key defender Sam Frost for the rest of the season after he was ruled out on Sunday due to a stress fracture in his foot – and most likely without reigning Peter Crimmins medallist Will Day against the Power – but Meek is confident the Gen Z oomph can carry Hawthorn all the way this month. 

"I think anything is possible. You can see the energy and the spirit we play with at the moment. I'm not going to put a ceiling on anything," he said.

"We're striving to just get better and better. We'll stick to what we do and I feel like our advantage is the energy we play with. We love that big stage. Hopefully we can see that keep coming to life. Big task over in Adelaide."

Not many at Hawthorn have improved more than Meek this year. He is always reading books, always listening to podcasts, always hunting for nuggets. Those incremental gains have tipped Meek over the edge in a defining year for not just the hulking ruckman, but the club.