What Will He Bring: Cooper Hynes

After waiting patiently for over an hour on Night One of the 2024 National Draft, the Western Bulldogs entered the draft scene at Pick 20, and used their first selection to recruit Dandenong Stingrays co-captain Cooper Hynes.

Starting the night placed at Pick 17, the Bulldogs’ first selection slid down the order slightly due to several matched bids in the early part of the draft, but the recruitment of Hynes capped off a solid night’s work for the club, who earlier executed a trade with Brisbane to add Pick 27 to their draft hand, in exchange for Picks 35 and 48.

THE PLAYER:

Name: Cooper Hynes

Height: 190cm

Position: Forward/Midfield

Club: Dandenong Stingrays

WHAT THEY SAID:

“A medium midfielder/forward who is a powerful contested ball winner around stoppages and dangerous when he goes forward with his innate goal sense and strong overhead mark. He had an exceptional year with the Dandenong Stingrays, averaging 24 disposals (11 contested), 4.7 clearances and kicking 23 goals in 15 matches. Finished runner-up in the Morrish Medal and also for the Stingrays’ best and fairest award, as well as being selected in the Coates Talent League Team of the Year. Carried that form into the National Championships for Victoria Country, averaging 17 disposals at 79 per cent efficiency and averaging a goal a game against the best young players nationally.” – AFL Talent Ambassador Kevin Sheehan

2024 SEASON:

Named co-captain of the Dandenong Stingrays at the start of the season, Hynes shouldered the responsibility with aplomb, being at the heart of the Stingarys’ run to the Preliminary Final, booting 23 goals across his 15 games while also averaging 23.7 disposals. His exploits were rewarded with selection in the Talent League’s Team of the Year, while also finishing runner-up in the Morrish Medal.

Hynes also completed a full National Carnival for Victoria Country, averaging 16.8 disposals, 4.8 marks and a goal a game across four matches, including the U18 Championship decider, where he recorded 14 disposals and as Country lost to Victoria Metro after the siren.

WHAT WILL HE BRING: 

Ask any draft expert about Cooper Hynes, and the common theme is the word ‘power’. A strong-bodied utility, Hynes has a good balance between making things happen through brute strength, but also possesses the creative guile to set up opportunities in a more subtle manner. While it is easy to get carried away by the aggressive nature of how Hynes shrug tackles and bursts through stoppages, he also has a knack of showing real composure when it comes to his distribution, and his capacity to lower his eyes and find the shorter option when going forward has improved significantly in 2024. Although this should not be mistaken for a lack of confidence in his own ability; Hynes is one of the most naturally-gifted players in this year’s draft, and most certainly has the confidence and the creative nous to hit up more difficult kicks if they present.

But if his power is the trait that brings the admirers, his endurance (or lack thereof) is what attracts the doubters. While Hynes has made great improvements in his aerobic capacity over the past two seasons, considerable improvement in this area is still required if he is to establish himself as a full-time midfielder in coming years. It’s why Hynes would be more likely to cut his teeth as a forward early in his career, while he continues to build his endurance. In fact, AFL.com.au’s Riley Beveridge revealed that in a recent conversation he had with Hynes, the new Bulldog sees himself as more of a forward than a midfielder at this stage of his career, and there’s no doubt his 190cm frame would likely make him a difficult matchup for opposition defenders.

For the Bulldogs, the challenge would then be trying to find room for him in a forward line that is already blessed with a significant amount of height, with the likes of Aaron Naughton, Sam Darcy and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan already regulars in the Bulldogs attack. It will be interesting to see where Hynes is deployed in his first few games for the Bulldogs, and how he fits in with those around him, particularly if he is added to the Bulldogs glut of talls up forward.