James Sicily used to patrol the Hawthorn backline and take intercept marks at will.
In his first year as Hawks skipper in 2023, Sicily was picked as the All-Australian back pocket despite the team only winning seven of their 23 games.
But as the team has evolved into a premiership contender under coach Sam Mitchell, Sicily's form has inexplicably got to the stage where he might be axed.
Why is the 30-year-old a shadow of the player he was once was?
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New players to Hawthorn
The additions of gun defenders Tom Barrass and Josh Battle during the previous AFL trade period were supposed to help Sicily in numerous ways.
With Barrass and Battle likely to take the two best tall forwards, Sicily was supposed to be freed up to excel further in his intercept defensive role.
On the flip side, it was expected Sicily could also be used to pinch-hit in attack with the Hawks now possessing so many quality tall defensive options.
However, in defence, Sicily appears to have lost all potency in his intercept, possibly due to the natural positioning of Barrass and Battle.
He was usually so assured in his ability to zone off and take intercept marks in contests, but now he lacks the confidence to attack the football and complete the mark.
In 2023, he averaged 10 marks a game in arguably his best-ever season, but this campaign, it is down to only a little over six marks a match.
When Sicily has been swung forward, he has also struggled to impact matches, kicking six goals in 11 games.
Weight of captaincy
There is no doubt that Sicily excelled as a player in his first year of captaincy with the All-Australian berth in 2023.
But there was a lack of expectations on the Hawks in that season as they finished a lowly 16th on the ladder.
After their barnstorming finish to 2024 and winning the first five game of 2025, Hawthorn have been talked about as premiership contender.
But since the upturn in the Hawks' form, Sicily has arguably declined in his ability to influence matches suggesting the captaincy may be weighing on him as the expectations rise on the team.
He is currently down six possessions a game on his All-Australian year (26.4 to 20.1), which is a huge drop in influence with ball in hand.
AFL legend suggests axing Sicily
Essendon great Matthew Lloyd believes Sicily is carrying a groin issue and he should take some time off rather than putting out his current performances.
"There's injuries you can play with, but groins you can't," Lloyd said on Footy Classified.
"I remember James Hird took one into a grand final in 2001 and he just couldn't push off. He played on Brad Scott and he just couldn't get off him.
"He's better off not playing."