A bevy of Geelong connections are done and dusted for Teia Miles
SWITCHING allegiances to Hawthorn will come easy for the latest batch of Hawks draftees, even die-hard Geelong supporter Teia Miles.
The Hawks unveiled tall midfielder Daniel Howe, ruckman Marc Pittonet and back pocket Miles at Waverley on Monday, the trio's first day among their new teammates.
For 180cm Miles, arriving at Hawthorn via pick 49 means the severing of some strong family ties – at least in football terms.
His father Geoff played 20 of his 122 career games for Geelong, while Cats midfielder Mitch Duncan is the boyfriend of Miles' sister.
While he paid tribute to Duncan and his family, Miles left no uncertainty about where his allegiances now lay.
"I was mad Geelong, but not any more," Miles said.
"Every young player wants to be at a club like Hawthorn and we're all just stoked to be here.
"(Dad) and my sister's boyfriend Mitch have been fantastic. I probably wouldn't be here today without those two - and mum as well."
"I've been to most of the Geelong-Hawthorn games. When we lost (the 2013 preliminary final) it was a pretty crap feeling, but being here now and we've beaten Geelong, it's fantastic."
Pittonet's name was called one selection after Miles, with the giant 202cm ruckman quickly putting aside his support of the Kangaroos – although he might need to brush-up on his new team's colours.
"(I supported) North Melbourne. But I bleed yellow and brown now … gold and brown."
Excluding new Gold Coast forward/ruck Peter Wright, Pittonet was one of only two ruckmen taken in the national draft.
The Hawks liked his bash and crash style, which the Oakleigh Chargers product models on Greater Western Sydney's Shane Mumford and mobile Adelaide ruck Sam Jacobs.
"(I'm) physical and aggressive, similar to a Mumford, but I can do a lot more around the ground," he said.
"I try to think of myself as a merge of the two – hopefully half as good."
For Howe, a lifelong Richmond fan, hearing his name called with Hawthorn's first pick, No.31, came as a complete shock.
But the 191cm tall midfielder/defender fits the trend of big-bodied on-ballers and his elite kicking put him squarely in Hawthorn's sights.
The Murray Bushrangers star finished second in the NAB AFL Draft Combine kicking test, hitting the target with an elite 28 from 30 attempts, ensuring he will fit in well among the back-to-back premiers' quality ball-users.
While cracking a game next season could be a challenge the Hawks' draftees, it didn't worry Howe on his first day as an AFL footballer.
"I'm not really thinking about that at the moment," he said.
"I'll just take it day-by-day and if an opportunity arises I'll try to take it."
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