POWERFUL. Aggressive. Raking right boot. Readymade.
These are the characteristics of wannabe Hawk Luke Meadows, the former West Perth midfielder who is in the running to join Hawthorn in the Pre-season Supplemental Selection Period (SSP).
Meadows, who stands 185cm and weighs 86kg, signed with the Hawks' VFL affiliate Box Hill after his name wasn't called out in the national or rookie drafts in November.
The late-blooming 24-year-old, who switched from the half-back line into the midfield in the past two seasons, is playing in Hawthorn's intraclub match at Waverley Park on Wednesday evening.
He averaged more than 25 disposals and five tackles and placed ninth in the Sandover Medal as the Falcons reached the WAFL Grand Final last year.
Meadows finds himself with a surprise opportunity to be on an AFL list as soon as this season, with the Hawks set to have at least two openings.
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"I haven't spoken directly to (Hawthorn) about it; it's only just been through my manager. As far as I know at the moment, I'm just playing for Box Hill," Meadows told AFL.com.au.
"My game is definitely developing, but as for the other stuff, I haven't really thought too much about it. Ideally, it would be great, but I still have to go to work and still have to go to uni.
"I've definitely found my footy has improved since I've come across here and I'm excited to be at Box Hill.
"Anyone playing footy aims for the highest level and if it was to happen to me, I'd be very happy. But I don't want to say too much at this stage."
Beanpole ruckman Ned Reeves is on track to have his AFL dream realised the same way, as a replacement for retired Hawks premiership player Will Langford, who will be on the inactive list this year.
Reeves has trained with Hawthorn since the pre-season resumed in the New Year, whereas Meadows has spent his summer at Box Hill under coach Max Bailey.
Meadows' potential shot would likely be as cover for Tom Mitchell as the reigning Brownlow medallist recovers from a broken leg sustained in a training incident in mid-January.
Hawks football boss Graham Wright conceded on Tuesday that Mitchell "won't play for the remainder of 2019".
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West Perth captain Aaron Black, the 2014 Sandover medallist, told AFL.com.au that Meadows was capable of making an immediate impact at the elite level.
"He works extremely hard. I don't think I've seen someone at WAFL level look after their body and develop their body the way he has," Black said.
"He's added a heap of weight, has that powerful component to his game, he kicks it a mile and kicks it really well.
"When he gets the footy he attacks for five to 10 metres rather than feeding off, so he's a really powerful dude.
"Being a bit taller, he can catch it and when he's played forward he's been able to kick a couple of goals, so I think he's readymade."
Richmond signed another West Australian, Sydney Stack, via the SSP on Monday, while Carlton added Michael Gibbons and Matthew Cottrell to its list last week.
The Blues, Melbourne, Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney all have one spot available, but are expected to wait until the mid-season draft to fill their vacancy.
This year's SSP period ends on March 15.
