Will Hayward

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Will Hayward

| image = Will Hayward 2017.3.jpg

| image_size = 200px

| caption = Hayward playing for Sydney in March 2017

| fullname = William O. A. Hayward

| nickname = Wilbur

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|10|26|df=y}}

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = 186 cm

| weight = 84 kg

| originalteam = {{SANFL NthA}} (SANFL)

| draftpick = No. 21, 2016 national draft

| position = Forward

| debutdate = Round 2, 2017

| debutteam = {{AFL Syd}}

| debutopponent = {{AFL WB}}

| debutstadium = Etihad Stadium

| currentclub = {{AFL Syd}}

| guernsey = 9

| years1 = 2017–

| club1 = {{AFL Syd}}

| games_goals1 = 169 (210)

| statsend = round 6, 2025

| careerhighlights =

AFL Rising Star nominee: 2017

}}

William O. A. Hayward (born 26 October 1998) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Sydney Swans

He was drafted by Sydney with their second selection and twenty-first overall, a priority draft pick,{{cite web|url=http://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/2016-11-25/pick-21-hayward|title=Pick 21: Will Hayward|publisher=Sydney Swans|date=25 November 2016|access-date=16 April 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2019-gold-coast-melbourne-reportedly-to-present-to-afl-commission-next-tuesday-for-help/news-story/eb0ff2b07643de7430346ba70502ce2a|title=AFL 2019: Gold Coast, Melbourne to present to AFL Commission next week|publisher=Fox Sports Australia|date=22 August 2019|access-date=23 August 2019}} in the 2016 national draft.{{cite news|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/just-six-south-australian-players-selected-in-2016-afl-draft/news-story/7cf23dfe385fa771742d07116182a90f|title=Just six South Australian players selected in 2016 AFL Draft|last=Homfrey|first=Reece|date=25 November 2016|work=The Advertiser|publisher=News Corp Australia|access-date=4 April 2017}} He made his debut against the {{AFL WB}} in the twenty-three point loss against the {{AFL WB}} at Etihad Stadium in round 2, 2017.{{cite news|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/afl/teams/sydney/sydney-swans-name-three-debutants-for-grand-final-rematch-against-western-bulldogs/news-story/df1b193a0190d22b7a038c2db602be6e|title=Sydney Swans name three debutants for Grand Final rematch against Western Bulldogs|last=Cordy|first=Neil|date=30 March 2017|work=The Daily Telegraph|publisher=News Corp Australia|access-date=4 April 2017}}

Hayward received the AFL Rising Star nomination for round 23 after kicking three goals in the Swans' 81-point win over {{AFL Car}} at the Sydney Cricket Ground.{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-08-28/three-kicks-enough-for-coachs-pet-rising-star-hayward|title=Three kicks enough for 'coach's pet' Rising Star|publisher=Australian Football League|work=BigPond|first=Marc|last=McGowan|date=28 August 2017|access-date=28 August 2017}}

After a great start to the 2024 season and coming out of contract, there was a lot of speculation about what he would do next.{{cite web|url=https://www.sen.com.au/news/2024/05/06/free-agent-swan-will-only-move-to-contenders-as-usd800k-price-tag-emerges/|title=Free agent Swan will only move to contenders as $800k price tag emerges|website=SEN|date=6 June 2024}} In June 2024, he signed a 5 year extension.{{cite web|url=https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/1570868/hayward-extends-for-five-years|title=Hayward extends for five years|website=Sydney Swans|date=6 June 2024}}

Statistics

Updated to the end of the 2022 season.{{cite web|url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/W/Will_Hayward.html|title=Will Hayward|work=AFL Tables|access-date=25 August 2022}}

| 2017 || {{AFL Syd}} || 9

| 17 || 22 || 13 || 106 || 47 || 153 || 50 || 44 || 1.3 || 0.8 || 6.2 || 2.8 || 9.0 || 2.9 || 2.6 || 0

| 2018 || {{AFL Syd}} || 9

| 23 || 28 || 18 || 173 || 101 || 274 || 91 || 71 || 1.2 || 0.8 || 7.5 || 4.4 || 11.9 || 4.0 || 3.1 || 0

| 2019 || {{AFL Syd}} || 9

| 13 || 12 || 16 || 89 || 58 || 147 || 43 || 35 || 0.9 || 1.2 || 6.8 || 4.5 || 11.3 || 3.3 || 2.7 || 0

| 2020{{efn|The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.}} || {{AFL Syd}} || 9

| 16 || 10 || 3 || 87 || 74 || 161 || 54 || 37 || 0.6 || 0.2 || 5.4 || 4.6 || 10.1 || 3.4 || 2.3 || 0

| 2021 || {{AFL Syd}} || 9

| 20 || 28 || 15 || 134 || 74 || 208 || 81 || 60 || 1.4 || 0.8 || 6.7 || 3.7 || 10.4 || 4.1 || 3.0 || 2

| 2022 || {{AFL Syd}} || 9

| 25 || 34 || 22 || 198 || 103 || 301 || 112 || 74 || 1.3 || 0.8 || 7.9 || 4.1 || 12.0 || 4.4 || 2.9 || 0

|- class="sortbottom"

! colspan=3| Career

! 114 !! 134 !! 87 !! 787 !! 457 !! 1244 !! 431 !! 321 !! 1.1 !! 0.7 !! 6.9 !! 4.0 !! 10.9 !! 3.7 !! 2.8 !! 2

Honours and achievements

Individual

AFL Rising Star nominee: 2017 (round 23)

Personal life

Hayward was educated at St Peter's College, Adelaide, starting in grade three in 2007 and completing his final year in 2016.{{Cite web |date=2022-05-25 |title=Hayward to reach a milestone |url=https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/1135271/hayward-to-reach-a-milestone |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=sydneyswans.com.au |language=en}}

He played his junior football for Walkerville Junior Football Club in Adelaide’s inner east, as well as for his school.{{Cite web |date=2017-08-28 |title=Hayward's star rises |url=https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/82598/haywards-star-rises |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=sydneyswans.com.au |language=en}}

References

External links

{{Sydplayer}}
{{AFL Tables|ref=W/Will_Hayward.html}}
[http://www.sydneyswans.com.au/player-profile/will-hayward Profile at Sydney Swans]

Category:1998 births

Category:Living people

Category:Sydney Swans players

Category:North Adelaide Football Club players

Category:Australian rules footballers from South Australia

Category:People educated at St Peter's College, Adelaide

Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen