Hawks recruit proves doubters wrong, pumped to play with ...
At 170cm, many feared Nick Watson's height would count against him but after being taken at pick No.5 by Hawthorn, he's ready to show the footy world what he's capable of
www.afl.com.auI don’t have real-time access to live news right now. Here’s what I can share based on recent public information up to 2025–2026:
- Will McCabe is a Hawthorn Hawks defender who was drafted with Pick 19 in the 2023 AFL National Draft and is the son of former Hawk Luke McCabe. He entered the club with high upside due to his height (about 197 cm) and aerial ability.[2][3]
- In early reports around his entry, there were expectations he would develop into a key defender for Hawthorn, with emphasis on his speed, intercepting presence, and potential to become a long-term contributor for the club.[3][2]
- Earlier injury notes from 2024 indicated McCabe faced back-related bone stress that delayed his debut season, with the club planning his development path behind more senior players. There were other defensive injuries around the Hawks at that time, but McCabe’s timeline focused on recovery and progress toward senior selection.[1]
If you’d like, I can look up the latest updates again and pull a concise summary with sources, or I can focus on a specific aspect (e.g., debut status, injury updates, or contract details) if you specify.