AS A FORMER Bachelor of the Year nominee, along with the obligatory modeling work that goes with it,  you could assume that Hawthorn's Brad Sewell is Waverley’s pretty boy. However the 24-year-old is adamant that another Hawk is more deserving of the title.

Insisting that he’d much prefer to strut his stuff in the Hawks’ midfield than on the catwalk, Sewell says defender Trent Croad is really the prettiest Hawk. In fact, when Sewell was in the running for Australia’s most eligible, he says that Croad took more than a friendly interest.

“He gave me some real pearls of wisdom, some really good advice about how I should go about it,” Sewell laughs.

While Sewell says the defender didn’t give specific tips on posing and pouting, he was quite helpful in readying his teammate for the challenge of the runway.

“The main thing he said was to remain focused on the catwalk,” Sewell chuckles.

According to the midfielder, Croad’s interest in catwalks doesn’t end with advising his fellow Hawks.

“He watches Australia’s next top model religiously… and takes notes. I think Jennifer Hawkins may have even put his name forward as a possible contender,” Sewell quips.

While you get the feeling that Sewell might be trying to make amends for a considerable amount of sledging from his teammates during his Bachelor campaign, there’s no doubt he has had more weighty concerns on his mind this season.

Having missed four weeks due to a shoulder injury, Sewell then had his appendix removed in the lead up to the split round – perfect timing, according to the rugged Hawk who was back on the field ten days after surgery.

“I was pretty sore when I woke up but I was up and moving about by the end of the day. I recovered really quickly and was back running within a few days," he says.

"My mum came down to Melbourne to stay with me for a couple of nights and took care of me which was a big help.”

Sewell returned to bolster a Hawks’ engine room that had been undermanned for much of the season due to suspension and injury. But with the news now brighter on the injury front, and Hawthorn holding down second spot on the ladder, the club is looking forward to a possible meeting with the Bulldogs in week one of the finals.

Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade has been upfront about his side’s intention to use the last month of the season to focus on the Hawks, but Sewell, like the rest of his colleagues, is insisting that his club are not paying their opponents much attention yet.

“You certainly take an interest in all the sides you potentially may be facing but no more so than usual. All our energies our focused on Richmond.

“It’s difficult not to think of finals at any time during the year but our energies and our processes aren’t going to change for the rest of the season…We’re certainly going into every game trying to win and wanting to win and that’s not going to change.”

Having had several tight contests during the season, Sewell believes the Hawks’ young squad members are well prepared for the pressures of September football.

‘We’ve played quite a few close games this year so we certainly know how to win and what it takes. I don’t see the age thing being a negative at all.”

Sewell says that the main thing the Hawks learned from last year’s finals campaign, their first since 2001, is not to alter your approach to games regardless of their significance.

“I think what we learned was not to change anything. It’s still a game of footy. You still have to kick more goals than the opposition. It can be a bit tighter and a bit more physical but you shouldn’t change your routine or your approach.”