After career-best form coinciding with his club's rise into premiership contender status, Hawks favourite Jarman Impey will run out for his 200th AFL game against Carlton on Thursday night.
Hawthorn come into the clash two-and-zip after getting the better of reigning grand finalists Sydney with a 20-point win in Opening Round, and leading for all but the opening exchanges against Essendon last Friday.
Speaking to fan-podcast Hawk Talk last week, Impey credited his side's climb up the ladder after a winless month-plus start in 2024 to a whole-group buy-in to the process, a close bond, and maturity within a young group after finding their backs against the wall.
Hawthorn quickly became a scary task amongst the competition, winning six of seven games before the bye and just two losses from round sixteen before missing out on a preliminary final birth by three points at the hands of Port Adelaide.
Impey put together some of the best work of his 11-year career, averaging 18 touches across 25 games off the half-back line through the campaign.
It was also his first year in Hawthorn's leadership group.
"It's going to be a special moment, a special moment for family and friends (after) the journey that I've been on since a young kid," he said of his 200th game.
Impey overcame an ACL in his second year at the Hawks, among other injury setbacks which interrupted his career.
"I think it's just going to be massive…and something that I'll probably look back on after my career. But I'm really looking forward to getting family and friends down and bringing them along for the journey, and just to play in the brown and gold with my good mate…and hopefully get a win," he told Hawk Talk.
"It'll be a special, special moment."
Out of Shepparton, Impey arrived at Port Adelaide with pick 21 in the 2013 national draft.
He played 75 games at the Power before a shift back to his home state following the 2017 season.
Impey told Hawk Talk it "felt right" coming to Hawthorn wanting to be closer to friends and family, and after the passing of his father, as well as arriving with the structure of their premiership period still in place.
"Port Adelaide is a great club and did so much for me on a personal level and my family," he said.
"It was daunting coming into such a big club, because they won 13,14, 15. I came a couple of years later, and there were great players. It was quite cool to play alongside Cyril (Rioli) for a couple of games there.
"I just love my time at Hawthorne…we're sort of on that rise again. It's quite cool. I love putting on the jumper."
Speaking ahead of their round two game with the Blues, Hawks coach Sam Mitchell was all plaudits for Impey, on and off the field.
"I'm probably not meant to have favourites, but if we did he'd be in that conversation," he said.
"He's a great player, and we've seen what he's done so consistently for such a long period for us now, but also off the field, he just has an enormous influence on our group…he really rounds out our group.
"He's not just someone that creates good moments himself, but he makes everyone else around him better.
"I think if you talk to the players about who they love playing footy he's certainly first or second in that conversation from just about everyone."
Impey is also a two-time Indigenous All Stars representative - named in the leadership group for the team's return after a decade last month.
Carlton host Hawthorn at the MCG on Thursday evening.
