Four Hawks have been named in the Smithy’s VFL Team of the Year.

Four Hawks have been recognised for their stellar VFL seasons with a spot in the 2025 Smithy’s Team of the Year.

AFL-listed Hawks Henry Hustwaite, Ned Reeves and Jai Serong, have earned selection, alongside VFL-listed Kye Declase.

Henry Hustwaite has had a career-best year in the VFL, playing 17 games with Box Hill and rightly takes his position in the centre of the all-star side.  

The 21-year-old midfielder averaged 29.4 disposals and nine clearances per game, collecting 30-plus disposals in 10 of his 17 games.

His best games by the numbers came in Round 2 against North Melbourne where he collected a career-high 38 disposals and had 12 clearances. Plus his most recent outing in the Hawks Semi Final clash with the Lions, he finished with 37 disposals and 11 clearances.

Ned Reeves’ status as the most dominant ruckman in the VFL in 2025 had been confirmed by his starting selection in the team of the year.

Reeves played 17 games at the level this season, averaging 38 hitouts, 14.6 disposals a game and booted 15 goals for the season. Astonishingly, the 26-year-old has racked up more hitouts than any other opposing ruckman in each game this year.

His best games to date were in Round 4 against Geelong where he recorded 50 hitouts, 15 disposals and a goal. As well as Round 17 against Williamstown, with 40 hitouts and three goals, two of which came late in the fourth to seal Box Hill’s victory. And in the Hawks Preliminary Final, he recorded a career-best 55 hitouts.

Jai Serong had another standout season with Box Hill, earning himself a spot at centre half back in the team of the year.

The 22-year-old has played 20 games this season, missing just one game. Playing across both half-back and the wing, Serong has averaged 21.4 disposals and kicked six goals.  

On four occasions, he finished with 20-plus disposals and 10-plus marks in Round 8 against the Gold Coast Suns (28 disposals, 11 marks), against the Brisbane Lions in Round 9 (26 and 12), Round 15 against Sandringham (27 and 10), and in Round 17 against Williamstown (25 and 11).

Kye Declase has proved a valuable pickup for Box Hill in 2025, further emphasised with his selection in the team of the year off just 16 games.

Declase is a versatile winger and averaged 18.7 disposals and slotted 19 goals for the year, cementing his spot on the wing among the highest-ranked players in the VFL.

The 28-year-old kicked multiple goals on five occasions, with his best games coming in Round 5 against Port Melbourne with 26 disposals and two goals, and in Round 14 against North Melbourne where he had three goals and 13 disposals.

View the full 2025 Smithy’s VFL Team of the Year below. 

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