LLOYD Meek was a man in demand in October. Readymade ruckmen are valuable assets at that end of every season, but rarely simple to secure. It is why Sam and Lyndall Mitchell flew to Perth at the end of the season to sell Hawthorn's vision to the opportunity-starved Victorian.
The meeting wasn't the deciding factor, but it highlighted how serious the Hawks were in Fremantle's back-up ruckman who was stuck in the queue behind Doig medallist Sean Darcy, even before Luke Jackson returned home.
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Nearly 10 clubs were chasing the services of the 24-year-old after he was named in the WAFL team of the year, following a best and fairest winning-season for Peel Thunder, around a handful of games in Justin Longmuir's side.
Meek was contracted for 2023 and considered a required player by the Dockers, but with one of the premier young ruckmen in the game heading to the club, the writing was on the wall.
When the Hawthorn coach turned up in Western Australia, it didn't long for Meek to realise his future was best suited at Waverley Park. But you don't always get where you want to go. It took Jaeger O'Meara's late willingness to move back to his home state on deadline day for a deal to be struck between Hawthorn list boss Mark McKenzie and Fremantle counterpart David Walls, minutes before the Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period closed.
"Sam and Lyndall are incredibly impressive people. Their character and all values and everything he told me about the club has all been true," Meek told AFL.com.au.
"The prospect of coming to Hawthorn was really exciting. The stage the club is at, I can be a part of it and really help the club grow and build.
"He personally is an outstanding character who really puts his players first. He is so fresh out of the game, so he feels like another player. His ability to connect with the group and ability to hold players accountable … but you know he has your best interests at heart.
"When he and Lyndall came over, at one point I mentioned you guys don't have to come over – it's a long flight, I know you're incredibly busy – but for them to show the effort and commitment to us and show their interest screamed volumes before they'd even arrived."
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After being selected from the Greater Western Victoria Rebels at pick No.69 in the 2017 NAB AFL Draft, Meek arrived in the west as a project, taking until the opening round of his fourth season to earn a debut.
He played nine games in 2021 for a total of 15 across five seasons at Fremantle, developing from a skinny teenager who played WAFL reserves football in his first two seasons into a player many believe is capable of becoming a regular senior fixture at Hawthorn in 2023.
"It was a long process and a lot of thinking behind the scenes. There were other clubs that were really impressive. My gut feel was always heading towards Hawthorn," Meek said on a recent special edition of Footy Feed at Waverley Park.
"There was obviously a fair bit to deal with at Freo, a lot of mixed emotions, a lot of gratitude towards the Fremantle Football Club and what they were able to do for me.
"I wouldn't be able to tell you the amount of conversations my partner and I had for weeks on end. I'm just stoked that it's all been worked out and I'm here now."
Meek was forced to be patient at the Dockers, regardless of his dominant WAFL form. With Rory Lobb complementing Darcy in the ruck, opportunities were scarce. And while Lobb is now playing for the Western Bulldogs, the acquisition of Jackson forced Meek to take matters into his own hands.
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"I'd be lying if I said it [being starved of opportunity] wasn't frustrating. I think anyone in the same position – there were guys in the same position with me playing at Peel – and we were all frustrated," he said.
"A lot of wanting to explore opportunities and a lot of wanting to come to Hawthorn initially was based around that, until I heard more about the exciting group.
"I was stuck behind Sean Darcy and Rory Lobb, and with talk of Lobby leaving and Jackson coming, it probably didn't change a heap.
"At the end of the day, I was probably not going to be in the mix really in the best 22. I think everyone reaches a point in their career where you've got to try and build your own career not based off other people's injuries; that's what I was ready to do."
Hawthorn's long-time No.1 ruckman Ben McEvoy retired in August, but Meek isn't an automatic inclusion for Mitchell. Unlike most clubs, the Hawks don't have a clear standout ruckman at this point.
Ned Reeves showed he can play in 2022 before his season was cut short by a shoulder reconstruction. Max Lynch was recruited from Collingwood just over 12 months ago but struggled to remain on the park, while project ruckman Max Ramsden was recruited in the NAB AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft.
"The beauty of the sport is competition is everywhere. If you don't love that then you go backwards, especially in the ruck space. I can't wait to go to work with the two Maxes and Ned. Hopefully we can build a partnership where we can all complement each other," he said.
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"Working on the forward craft is a part of my game I've really committed to in the past couple of years. Hopefully I can flourish in that area.
"We all want to be No.1 and I know the other guys are thinking exactly the same thing, but at the end of the day whatever team balance works best I will fully commit to that."
Meek has made an impression in his first month at Waverley Park, turning up earlier than scheduled and banking a strong block ahead of Christmas. If you can't tell, the 203cm, 110kg beast from Mininera doesn't want to become accustomed to a Box Hill Hawks guernsey in 2023.
