Hawthorn eyeing off Port Adelaide re-match as Hawks star Nick Watson looks to improve on stellar 2024 season

Hawthorn star Nick Watson already has his sights set on “revenge” against Port Adelaide following the controversial finals clash that ended the Hawks’ AFL flag dream last season.

The Power were fined $20,000 for coach Ken Hinkley’s taunting of Hawks players after the siren in his side’s tense three-point semi-final victory in September.

“I think everyone’s pretty keen to get their revenge back,” Watson said on Wednesday

Hinkley launched a verbal attack on Jack Ginnivan and was involved in a fiery exchange with James Sicily as the two teams lined up for a guard of honour for 300-gamer Luke Breust.

The fallout dragged on, with Sicily later decrying Hinkley’s actions, while Hinkley admitted he regretted approaching Ginnivan and was punished by the league for “conduct unbecoming”.

Hinkley traced his reaction back to Ginnivan’s social media comment before the match, which, he said, fuelled Port’s motivation for the sudden-death final.

Ginnivan, responding to an Instagram post by Sydney ruckman Brodie Grundy, wrote “see u in 14 days”, referring to the preliminary finals.

The AFL jumped on the storyline, scheduling the next meeting between the sides as a blockbuster finish to Gather Round in April next year.

It is one of a suite of prime-time fixtures the “Hollywood Hawks’‘ have been handed in 2025 after emerging as the competition’s great entertainers last season.

Watson did not hesitate on Wednesday - three months out from Hawthorn’s opening-round clash with Sydney - when asked which of those fixtures he is most looking forward to.

“Definitely a couple of the early games, and that Gather Round clash against Port will be pretty good,” Watson said.

“Just because of what they did to us last year.”

After a stunning surge back into the top eight last season, Hawthorn shape as genuine premiership contenders under Sam Mitchell next year.

The Hawks have been bolstered by high-profile additions Josh Battle and Tom Barrass, and are eager to make a mark early in the season to set up a flag push.

“The (hunger’s) definitely there and it’s just good to see everyone’s faces back (at pre-season training) and smiling,” Watson said.

“We’ve got two big recruits in Battle and Barrass to (supplement) our back-line.

“We had a strong year last year, but we’re not satisfied yet. We’ve all got that hunger and desire to go one better, and that all starts from now really.”

Watson shone in his debut season as a key figure in the Hawks’ so-called “rascal pack”, delivering 25 goals from 18 games.

His tally included seven majors in two finals appearances, following an early-season ankle concern and a short stint in the reserves.

The 19-year-old is eager to improve his consistency and stay injury-free in 2025, saying he is putting more time into his recovery and preparation, while hoping to enjoy the benefits of a full pre-season campaign over summer.

“I obviously had a few hiccups during my first season, but (I just want) to improve off that,” Watson said.

“It’s my second year now, so hopefully I can go a bit better than last year.”

Watson and Ginnivan cancelled a planned kids’ football clinic in October, calling in sick the morning after Hawthorn’s best-and-fairest event.

Watson brushed off a question about the incident on Wednesday, while helping unveil “The Nth Pole’‘ family Christmas activation at Marvel Stadium.

“I’m not going to go into too much detail about that, but there’s definitely rescheduling and hopefully we can do it some time soon,” he said.