James Blanck Biography

James Blanck signs a two-year extension with Hawthorn to remain at the club until the end of 2026.

Life has changed pretty dramatically for James Blanck. This time last month he was covered in dirt landscaping backyards in the eastern suburbs during the week, before running around for Box Hill in front of a few hundred people on the weekend. Last Friday night he went to work at Marvel Stadium.

The 21-year-old became the fourth player from the 2022 NAB AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft to get a game at AFL level when he faced the Western Bulldogs.

"It obviously plays on your mind after a few years of not getting drafted. Last year I was in some pretty average form at VFL level, so it has been a pretty big journey to get to where I am now. That makes it so much more special to me," Blanck said.

"They had some big names in that forward line, but at the end of the day, it's just footy, you've got to back yourself, back that I know what I'm doing. I went in with confidence. Obviously, I've got a bit to work on still, but I didn't feel too far off it which was pretty cool."

James Blanck makes his AFL debut for Hawthorn at Docklands Stadium with 10 disposals (5 kicks and 5 handballs), 2 marks and a tackle in a 42-point loss to the Western Bulldogs.