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| PLAYER
PROFILE
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| Position: |
Half Forward Flank |
| Number: |
17 |
| Games: |
149 |
| Goals: |
159 |
| Born: |
Feb 10 1976 |
| Height: |
183 |
| Weight: |
88 |
| From: |
East Fremantle, WA |
| First Played: |
1996 |
| Nickname: |
Danny Chook |
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The most successful of all of Ken Judge's East Fremantle raids, Chick arrived as a wiry, slight half forward flanker, but transformed himself and his game in his 149 outings for Hawthorn.
Drafted at pick 25 in 1995, Chick was immediately into the action in Round 1 of 1996 against Fitzroy. He played in every game bar one in his debut season, and averaged more than a goal a game in his first four seasons on the forward line.
Judge tried Chick out in defence in 1999 as he started to mature physically. The move proved a success, as Chick's appetite for the physical contest shone out. He further improved as a footballer when taken under the wing of Bohdan Babijczuk, who harnessed the power athlete in Chick.
Four years of hard work paid dividends in 2000 when Chick played his best ever season. A slumping Shane Crawford saw the midfield cupboard bare, and Chick was called on to lead the charge. He responded by playing every game, leading the league in tackles, averaging seventeen possessions per game and winning the Club Champion award (jointly with Nick Holland).
Chick carried his form into 2001, and while there was some fall-off in performance, he performed when it counted and won the award for Hawthorn's best player in the finals.
It was revealed through the 2001 off-season that Chick had carried a debilitating finger injury through most of the last three seasons, and in a selfless show of commitment, Chick had the problem digit amputated to help improve his ball handling and form.
2002 was a relatively poor season for Chick, despite leading the club in goals and tackles. He spent most of the season up forward and failed to impact games as he did in the previous two years. His long-held desire to return to his home state was heightened by the tragic death of his brother, and Hawthorn granted Chick's wish to return home by trading him to West Coast at the end of the 2002 season.
Chick's contribution to the Hawthorn Football Club was a worthy one, and it is unfortunate that he could not manage one more game that would have meant automatic Life Membership of the club. |
| Club Champion - 2000 | | Rising Star Nominee - 1996 (Round 10) | | Leading Goalkicker - 2002 (31) |
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