CLAREMONT forward Hamish Davis has announced himself since debuting at WAFL League level, and made a splash in his maiden finals outing over the weekend. His game-high four goals helped the Tigers end East Fremantle’s premiership defence, setting up a semi-final clash with Peel Thunder.

While few were high on Western Australia’s depth of draft talent this year, Davis has emerged as a likely candidate. His running patterns and versatility at 190cm are promising traits, and he has showcased a happy knack for hitting the scoreboard with seven majors in his last two senior appearances.

Davis earned the promotion on the back of a consistent Under 18 National Championships, and perhaps more pressingly, a dominant 40-disposal performance in Round 15 of the Colts competition. Now, he has the remaining finals series to play out and the National Draft Combine ahead of him.

We put the 18-year-old’s latest performance under the Player Focus microscope.

Claremont, Western AustraliaForward-Midfielder

Hamish Davis

Height: 190cm

Weight: -

DOB: 02-05-2006

PLAYER FOCUS

2024 WAFL League: Elimination Final
East Fremantle 7.13 (55) def. by Claremont 12.7 (79)

#4 Hamish Davis (Claremont)
Stats: 21 disposals, 4 marks, 1 tackle, 2 inside 50s, 4 goals

FIRST QUARTER:

Davis made a positive start to proceedings despite East Fremantle’s fruitless control of the territory battle, producing his most prolific of the four quarters disposal-wise. The frantic nature of the contest saw him rush his first possession – a hack kick inside 50 – but Davis handled the hot footy well.

His ability to cover ground seamlessly was evident from the get-go, as he ventured high up the field and looked to be a link in Claremont’s chains out of defence. He was forced into moving the ball on quickly by hand, but waxed well with teammates who trusted the youngster enough to use him.

For all his work between the arcs, arguably Davis’ best moment came inside attacking 50. He reacted quickly to a pop-up kick between he and East Fremantle defender Jack Cleaver, who he outmarked one-on-one with his arms outstretched overhead. Unfortunately, his 40m set shot fell short.

SECOND QUARTER:

Davis continued to be an outlet for Claremont with his willingness to work up the ground and help sweep the ball forward in waves. His side turned the tide, though the pressure gauge remained high, meaning Davis had a couple of off-balance kicks. Still, his work rate hardly wavered.

The 18-year-old was part of the Tigers’ breakaway in a ball movement sense, but also made East Fremantle pay with his first goal. He caught the Sharks defenders napping after Jye Bolton took a strong mark, waltzing into the hole inside 50 unattended to mark and slot the set shot.

THIRD QUARTER:

After a long stint on the bench to start the second half, Davis very nearly produced a three-goal quarter. He got straight into the action inside 50, receiving the ball near the boundary and centring a snap kick which he could have directed towards the big sticks.

Later, Davis had another chance in the pocket as he latched onto the bouncing footy and attempted a checkside shot, though he hit the belly and it sailed across the face. A more conventional kick over the mark proved his preferred method, eventually finding the goals after a forward 50 entry landed in his lap.

FOURTH QUARTER:

The highlight of Davis’ game came in the form of his third goal early in the final quarter. He hit the ball at speed and collected cleanly below his knees, not breaking stride as he stormed inside 50 and slotted the ball home on the run. It was an incredibly sharp piece of play.

He once again proved to be dangerous when left unattended, though that can also be attributed to his hard running. Claremont moved the ball end-to-end and Davis tracked the play in transition, ending up all alone in the goalsquare for Kieran Gowdie to give him the joe-the-goose assist.

CLOSING THOUGHTS…

Davis has been wonderfully consistent across his six senior games to date, but to finally break through and hit the scoreboard like he has over the last fortnight would feel most rewarding. Much like he was for WA’s Under 18s, he remains a useful link player whose running patterns and versatility are elite.

Although, the difference in his play at WAFL League level is that his 190cm frame isn’t as physically advanced compared to mature bodies, so he is not as imposing a marking influence as he is in the Colts. Still, he has adjusted to be an effective link in the chain and utilise his ground coverage in transition.

Such a tall and mobile player getting his hands on the ball multiple times in one passage of play is an exciting prospect. His ability to sneak forward and hit the scoreboard, or work opponents over throughout the game is another AFL-level asset which will have recruiters looking closely.

Should Davis continue in the same vein, he shapes as a useful high forward who may have scope to run through midfield or up on the wing. The consensus is WA has only one top 30 prospect – Bo Allan – but Davis and a couple of others cannot be too far off that mark.

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