IT'S TIME for the 'Jaw Dropper', or the 'Statement Maker', or the 'Head Turner'.

Regardless of what you call it, Hawthorn needs it.

The club's rapid rise has been remarkable. From a club seemingly stuck in football purgatory as it transitioned between the old and Alastair Clarkson, to the new and Sam Mitchell, the Hawks have zoomed from nearly-worst to nearly-first in no time.

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Hawthorn's speedy improvement has been powered by smart drafting and even cannier recruiting, the type that has put the Hawks on the cusp of greatness. For much of the first half on Friday night, the club's list management strategy was bearing fruit.

But as the energy sapped, and the excitement dulled, and the party soured through a second half where Geelong pulled clear, a brighter spotlight shone on the need for the next stage of Hawthorn's grand plan to be enacted.

In 2023, as the Hawks finished bottom three on the AFL's ladder, the likes of Mabior Chol, Massimo D'Ambrosio, Jack Ginnivan and Jack Gunston were the 'Win Builders' that made Mitchell's machine competitive again.

In 2024, as Hawthorn shot into the League's top eight and 'HokBall' was introduced in its earliest form, Tom Barrass and Josh Battle became the 'Need Fillers' that turned the Hawks into reliable and consistent winners again.

But this is a side ready to compete now. A first-half performance where Hawthorn dashed into an early 20-point lead – and a second-half effort where Geelong never quite converted its advantage into an unassailable one – was evidence of that.

And so comes the need for the 'Jaw Dropper', or whichever name Hawthorn's list management committee wants to use. The player that turns the Hawks from good to great, from a perennial top eight team into a fully-fledged premiership force.

On Friday night, Hawthorn looked a midfielder short. Will Day's long-term foot injury has made for a significant loss, leaving the onus of responsibility placed squarely on the shoulders of Jai Newcombe.

That's fine when Newcombe can deliver a performance against Greater Western Sydney a fortnight ago worthy of eight Gary Ayres Medal votes, or another outing against Adelaide last week deserving of all 10 from the coaches involved.

But, at the MCG, when Newcombe was held to just three disposals in the second quarter and five in the third, the Hawks faltered. The Cats had 10 of 11 clearances on either side of half time, and kicked six consecutive goals in that same period.

He wasn't necessarily tagged – Geelong tough nut Tom Atkins shadowed him at stages, but not continuously – he was just outnumbered. Patrick Dangerfield, Bailey Smith and Max Holmes were among those to eventually overwhelm him.

While in last week's semi-final win Newcombe had excellent assistance from young teammate Josh Ward in arguably his best game for the club, this week it was simply Jai or nothing.

Unfortunately, there was little help and it showed.

It's a midfield that might get lighter before it gets stronger, as well. James Worpel, the side's second option in Day's absence, is expected to take up a four-year free agency offer from the team that beat his Hawks in the preliminary final.

But you can't say Hawthorn won't be aggressive in targeting his replacement. Essendon's contracted captain Zach Merrett is the clear frontrunner, having already met with Mitchell as he agitates for a move away the Bombers.

Merrett is the perfect fit for both Hawthorn and Mitchell's system. As the Hawks sliced and diced through the Cats during a first-quarter onslaught, it was their foot skills that pierced through the defence of a slow-starting opposition.

It was easy to see how Merrett, a player capable of both prolific ball-winning and efficient left-foot kicking, could complement the brute force of Newcombe and Conor Nash as well as the brilliance of Day upon his eventual return next season.

Merrett will cost Hawthorn a pretty penny, both contractually and in a trade. But this is a Hawks side that offered up an 11-year deal to West Coast star Harley Reid earlier this season, and has continually placed its No.8 pick on the trade table.

It's an ambitious club that will chase more free agents next year – Port Adelaide's Zak Butters and Carlton's Sam Walsh loom large – just as it pursued the Dogs' Smith last season, before he ultimately elected for a move to Friday night's foes.

Melbourne superstar Christian Petracca has also bobbed up on Hawthorn's radar, a player that doesn't necessarily fit the Mitchell style as well as Merrett, but is still about as brilliant and as exciting as a 'Plan B' gets.

Time is on Hawthorn's side. Draft wins like Day, Ward, Josh Weddle and Nick Watson across the last six years have ensured the window will be open for some time yet. But perhaps the best thing about Mitchell is that he is impatient.

It's why he is the AFL's premier poacher, regularly and unapologetically meeting with rival players and top targets. It's a big factor in how he's masterminded one of the League's most exciting and swift ascents up the ladder, as well.

He will know there's no better time to strike than now, and no better time to leverage the club's attacking and attractive image than across the next month. It's a pitch he might have already made countless times this season.

It's also why if there's a jaw to be dropped, or a statement to be made, or a head to be turned across October's Trade Period, you can expect to see Mitchell's men front and centre.