STRENGTHS:

+ Clean hands
+ Contested game
+ Scoreboard impact
+ Strength
+ Toughness

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Field kicking
- Outside game

Hargrave offers a no-nonsense approach that cuts through the flair and athletic aura of other prospects. He's a tough inside ball winner who does the fundamentals relatively well, without being overly flashy. The 181cm midfielder-forward bases his game around the contest, boasting a clean set of hands and a solid frame to get the job done. He's effective when feeding others, can fend opponents off, and holds his own one-on-one.

There came a point where Hargrave was simply too dominant amongst his peers. He strung together some serious form both pre and post the National Championships, having games like his 35 disposals and three goals in Round 6, and 27 disposals and four goals in Round 10. He was winning possession at the source, racking up marks, and hitting the scoreboard. It was no real surprise, then, to see him win the league best and fairest in just nine outings.

While impacting in state colours was challenging given the Croweaters' overall struggles, Hargrave managed show his wares at League level. He averaged 15.2 disposals in six appearances and booted goals in four of them, looking physically ready for senior footy in a side which finished second-last. It came back to the fundamentals - win clean contested ball, compete hard, and take scoring opportunities when they present.

Hargrave's ability to beat out opponents is not just observed when the ground ball is in dispute, but also when jostling for marks. He uses his body well and is capable of absorbing contact to clunk the ball overhead. He is deceptively sharp on the lead, too, and finds space when resting inside 50. It's a factor which only helps compound his scoreboard impact, and Hargrave is a genuine goalkicking midfielder.

Although, scoring holds the bulk of weight when it comes to Hargrave's hurt factor. He isn't overly quick, nor does he carry the ball in large portions, and wins a lot of his ball at the source. Having been challenged to expand his outside game this year, he has done so and found more uncontested ball through hard running. The next step will be to convert his flat, direct kicks to grass into pinpoint delivery to teammates forward of the play.