Hawks appoint co-captains in historic first; Prestia, May ask for Sorrento brawl charges to be withdrawn

Hawthorn will enter a season with co-captains for the first time after appointing star midfielder and lifelong Hawks fan Jai Newcombe to lead the club alongside James Sicily.

Sam Mitchell informed Newcombe the club had come to the historic decision after discussions between Sicily and football manager Rob McCartney.

“It has always been a dream of mine to lead the club,” Newcombe said.

Sicily was appointed captain in 2023 and has proven to be a fine leader as the Hawks have risen up the ladder to play finals under Mitchell in 2024 and 2025.

He struggled for consistency as he battled a hip complaint in the first half of last season before rediscovering his form after an operation. He ended the season well but finished outside the top 10 of the club best and fairest for the first time since 2021.

Newcombe becomes the first player chosen in the mid-season rookie draft to become a club captain since the mechanism for selecting players was re-introduced in 2019.

The Hawks used pick No.2 in the 2021 mid-season rookie draft to add Newcombe to their list after he impressed for Box Hill in the VFL under Mitchell.

He quickly became one of the Hawks’ best midfielders, winning the 2024 best and fairest after being runner-up in 2022 and 2023. He has also established a reputation as a brilliant finals player and was fourth in last year’s best and fairest.

Sicily said he was looking forward to sharing the honour with Newcombe as well as being able to celebrate the highs and lean on him during the lows.

McCartney said the time was right to split the role.

“James has been, and continues to be, an integral leader of the club. After undertaking an internal process, we believe the co-captain model will deliver the best result for our group in the long term, as well as leverage the complementary strengths of two distinct leaders to cover the vast responsibilities required of a modern AFL captain,” McCartney said.

“Jai emerged as the clear candidate to step into the captaincy role alongside James. He leads by example, performs with elite consistency week-to-week, and has proven his ability to raise the bar on the biggest stages.”

The Hawks will once again be reliant on a big season from Newcombe after confirming Will Day would miss the first half of the season recovering from a shoulder operation and the loss of James Worpel to Geelong.
- Peter Ryan

May, Prestia ask court for brawl charges to be withdrawn

Two AFL premiership players say they were not present during a brawl at a coastal town as they fight to have criminal charges withdrawn.

Richmond’s Dion Prestia, 33, and Melbourne’s Steven May, 34, appeared at Dromana Magistrates Court on Thursday via videolink for a brief hearing.

They were charged with criminal offences in October, about 10 months after a brawl on Point Nepean Road in Sorrento on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.

Police allege two groups were involved in an altercation about 2am on December 27, 2024, with two men taken to hospital with injuries.

Prestia has been charged on summons with recklessly causing serious injury, intentionally causing injury and affray.

May has been charged on summons with affray.

However, both players deny they were present during the brawl and proclaim their innocence.

Their lawyer Tony Hargreaves told the court on Thursday he had provided detailed written submissions to police setting out why the charges ought to be withdrawn.

This included a witness statement, which claims neither Prestia nor May were present during the fight, he said.

Hargreaves said Victoria Police were considering their submission and asked for the case to be adjourned to February for a contest mention.

Prosecutor Alex Turner said the matter had just been referred to his unit and agreed to the adjournment.

Prestia and May, who remain charged on summons, will face Frankston Magistrates Court on February 20.

The pair, who started their AFL careers together at Gold Coast, previously released statements through their clubs proclaiming their innocence.

“I was not involved in the fight. I was not even physically present when it apparently took place,” Prestia said, in a statement issued by Richmond in October.

“I deny that I am guilty of these offences and will strenuously defend these charges.”

Melbourne said May had advised them he was not involved, and he would “strongly defend” the charge in court.

Both AFL clubs are supportive of the players.

Prestia is a three-time premiership player with Richmond, and won the club’s best-and-fairest award in 2019.

May played for Melbourne in the 2021 premiership and is a dual All-Australian player.

AAP