| Will Hayward | |
| Fullname: | William O. A. Hayward |
| Birth Date: | 26 October 1998 |
| Height: | 186 cm |
| Weight: | 84 kg |
| Originalteam: | (SANFL) |
| Draftpick: | No. 21, 2016 national draft |
| Position: | Forward |
| Debutdate: | Round 2, 2017 |
| Debutstadium: | Etihad Stadium |
| Guernsey: | 9 |
| Years1: | 2017 - |
| Games Goals1: | 159 (197) |
| Statsend: | round 23, 2024 |
| Careerhighlights: |
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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).
He was drafted by Sydney with their second selection and twenty-first overall, a priority draft pick,[1] [2] in the 2016 national draft.[3] He made his debut against the in the twenty-three point loss against the at Etihad Stadium in round 2, 2017.[4]
Hayward received the AFL Rising Star nomination for round 23 after kicking three goals in the Swans' 81-point win over at the Sydney Cricket Ground.[5]
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.[6] In June 2024, he signed a 5 year extension.[7]
Updated to the end of the 2022 season.[8] |-| 2017 || || 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 || || 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 || || 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 || || 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 || || 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 || || 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|}
Individual
Hayward was educated at St Peter's College, Adelaide, starting in grade three in 2007 and completing his final year in 2016.[9]
He played his junior football for Walkerville Junior Football Club in Adelaide’s inner east, as well as for his school.[10]