Two Hawks are keeping a lid on their joy around a star teammate’s contract call, while there’s a fresh push for AFLW Origin.

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‘I THINK SO’: HAWKS DUO PUMPED FOR STAR’S CONTRACT CALL

Hawthorn duo Nick Watson and Jack Ginnivan had to contain their excitement amid reports star teammate Josh Weddle is on the verge of re-signing with the club.

Weddle late last year was reportedly offered a lucrative seven-year deal by Essendon, with the rival club contract worth around $10 million.

But AFL Media earlier this month reported “talks are underway” on a potential new Hawthorn deal for Weddle, who’s contracted to the club until the end of this year. 7News Melbourne on Monday night reported Weddle was expected to sign a new four-year deal to remain at Hawthorn through 2030, which would take him through to free agency.

Speaking at the 2026 AFL Auskick launch on Tuesday, Ginnivan was asked about Weddle’s potential re-signing, before being interrupted by Watson.

Ginnivan: “Yeah, well he’s an absolute gun, so obviously a few …”
Watson: “Not sure he’s put pen to paper yet. But I think so!”

Nick Watson of the Hawks, Jack Ginnivan of the Hawks, Jasmyn Smith of the Bulldogs and Ash Centra of the Magpies during the 2026 NAB AFL Auskick Launch. Picture: Josh Chadwick/AFL PhotosSource: AFL Photos

Ginnivan: “Yeah, but hopefully he re-signs, if he hasn’t already. But if he does, we saw (on Monday) how good he is. He’s an absolute weapon and he’ll be great to have.”

Weddle missed a crucial chunk of football with a back injury during the back end of the Hawks’ home-and-away season this year, but returned to have notable impact in their two finals victories.

The exciting utility has been a revelation in Hawthorn’s defence across the first few years of his AFL career, but is set to spend more time on the ball in 2026.

“We see it every day at training. He brings the energy and he brings the love within the group,” Watson said.

“All that talk went out about Essendon wanting to get him and stuff like that, but we know he’s a Hawthorn boy.

“He’s fast, powerful, can go through that mid now — can play anywhere, wing, half-back, wherever you want him, forward, he can kick goals.

“So he’s a special player and special talent. Hopefully he stays at the Hawks.”

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Hawks vs Cats: Pre-Season Highlights | 12:14

AFL’S EXPLORING 2026 WOMEN’S REP FOOTY

Two prominent young AFLW stars want the women’s game to be included in representative football after the successful State of Origin revival on Saturday.

It comes amid reports the AFL is keen to introduce women’s representative football in 2026.

7News Melbourne reporter Xander McGuire on Tuesday night that the league was exploring two avenues: A traditional Origin clash — which would see Victoria play either Western Australia or South Australia — and an Australia-Ireland clash, considering there were just under 40 players on AFLW lists in 2025.

McGuire said the AFL’s preferred slots for any rep games would be in June — during the AFL season byes — or late July/early August.

Collingwood’s Ash Centra and Western Bulldogs’ Jasmyn Smith on Tuesday both side there’s an appetite for marquee matches, even if they are played in the height of their off-season.

“Absolutely, I think it would be pretty cool, to see how many people were at the WA game a couple of days ago now,” said Centra, the 2024 Pick 1.

“Sixty-thousand, it would be cool to see if the women can pull that off.”

Jasmyn Smith would love rep footy to be introduced into the women’s game. Picture: Michael KleinSource: News Corp Australia

Smith, who played five games for the Suns before crossing to the Bulldogs at the end of 2023, would play for Queensland in a traditional state-against-state clash after growing up on the Gold Coast.

But the Bulldogs midfielder is happy to go one step further than a State of Origin, declaring a competition-wide interest in an Australia against Ireland clash.

“I think state v state would be really cool to see, but there’s also been a lot of talk about the Irish versus Australian team,” Smith said.

“There’s that talk at the moment as well.”

The AFLW pre-season doesn’t kick off officially until May, meaning the players have half of the year away from their clubs.

That time off leads Smith to believe there would be an influx of girls putting their hand up to play a game in February, saying it would be a major benefit to their fitness.

“Absolutely, I think we have such a long pre-season it would actually be beneficial to get a few more games under our belt in the off-season period,” Smith said.