VoyForums

Wednesday, May 13, 02:21:01am [ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, [2], 3, 4, 5 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 29/09/14 6:16am
Author: Steve (Was Troop)
Author Host/IP: 110.175.43.5
Subject: TT? Now stop being silly.

You should have. It was a few years back afterall. Geel vs Port. Unwatchable from the middle of the second quarter.

If you mean Hawks vs Swans, probably nothing over exciting if you're a non Hawk but way better than some GF's of the past.

Going all meeja on us now since you've been in that game awhile hey?

When I read your predictions I just thought "another one that hasn't watched a Hawthorn match the last few years".

Short in the backline, slow in the middle, one-dimensional up forward, no ruck, no onballers. Franklin knows how to tear them up etc etc.

Finshed 2% or so from finishing on top. Tougher draw than most. Long periods without Gibson, Mitchell, Stratton, Rioli, McEvoy looking a mistake (fwiw, I's still not sold and we did WAY overpay for him). Roughead good enough to be the No.1 forward. So OLD (funny Geelong never got that mentioned much).

Truth is, we're a damn good footy side. Weakness like the backline addressed. Lake inspired recruiting even if he did have brain lapses. He was cherry ripe for the finals. Especially a dud like Tippet, who if he can't mark it should be interchanged off the ground as I can't recall seeing anyone else that sort of height being as woeful as they are if the ball spills to the ground. Goodes-gone. Sits out back of pack, watches spillages and cleans up with nous. No longer chases. Can't jump so no relief rucking anymore. Should give it away. Franklin, another solid GF without dominating. Smalls? What smalls?

Hale, long high/in hope target. Pup and Cyril at his feet. Roughy, cat like from his basketball days for a man his size if the balls on the deck. Gunston, can play true K/P but so like a mix of Curran and Hall. Courageous in the air, exceptional shot on goal, and surprisingly quick about the ground. Bruest the same. And for his size, very good body on body player. Puopolo and Cyril make it hard to get good rebound from out defence. Great balance forward group.

Pyke is their one true ruck and while McEvoy has a LOT to go to convince me, he did his job Saturday. Hale and sometimes Rough, relieved him at the right time.

Mitchell, Hodge, Burgoyne rotate the midfield. Out and out champions all. Sheils and Langford. Gone from taggers tho they can still play the role if needed. But fine tacklers in the midfield. Real grunt/agro in their play. Outside run? Smith, Hill, Birchall, Duryea, Suckling and no mistake, soft? Yes he is a little still but he is a very quick runner over the ground, Hartung and Anderson in reserve.

Back line. Lake makes a huge difference. Gibson IS the fist puncher/third man up spoiler in the game. Stratton looks like he's doing nothing out there which is what they want him to do. Shut his direct opponent down, our slightly shorter Harry Taylor. Birchall been provided with help where Hodge virtually is the on-field coach. And as we move further away from the 2001 draft. Ask any Hawthorn supporter now if they would take Hodge over Judd (yet again) and answer Hodge. Maybe at last, though for Hawthorn supporters its been true since the get go, other supporters might just believe us now.

Sydney had six blokes that hadn't played a GF. Tippet is shocking if he can't mark. He's as mobile as nearly all of the ruckmen Hawthorn have tried to recruit or draft for in the last 40 years. Franklin played a good game. He's done that in the 4 Grand Finals he's been in. He's yet to tear one apart. Shut him down and as Clarkson saw and changed his role last year, then you are halfway to beating whichever team he plays for.

Shaw 32, Richards 31, Goodes 35 next season if he goes on. Pyke 31 and no idea who they have in reserve but Deryxx wont ever be AFL level. McVeigh, fine player but light and losing pace, turning 30. Malceski ditto.

Carey wrote an interesting article. Yes he's a prick of a bloke but he knows his footy. How the Swans a few years ago recruited to make a champion team. That follow on b/s of the 'shinboner spirit' rubbish. 'The Bloods Culture' that the Swans got famous for, built around blokes of quality etc. As soon as they took Everitt (thanks forever for that, Clarkson would have had him out the door earlier than that if he could have) was/is the anathema of a good blokes culture. Still had enough left a few years ago in 2012. Now, no Bolton, no O'Keefe, Mattner, Morton. No second ruck as Mumford (who troubles us) was cleared for Buddy-money. Johnson like Rohan, injury killed career, wont make it back.

Freo at home round five

Hawthorn at home round eight

Geelong at home round 11

Three wins at home against the other top four teams

Hawthorn away round 18, loss.

That was the only other time they played a top four side this season and away and lost this season. Other top three sides all played and done, except Hawthorn by round 11. Just to throw a little extra in. Port, finished 5th. Sydney played twice, one win home, one loss away. North, finished sixth, played at home, LOSS (only loss to top six side at home), played once.

Hawthorn, played Sydney twice, one win each. Geelong twice
one win each. Freo twice with one win each. Played Port away for a loss. North away (well, Docklands) for a loss.

You're smart enough to read into that to see who had a way softer drawer.

No doubt, we need to recruit soon. Hodge, Mitchell, Burgoyne all over 30 and all champions of the last decade. Lake at FB and Gibson great third man up over 30 as well.
Hale who's been great for us as a goal a game FP and relief ruck over 30. Sewell, might stay another season but been a warrior and hamstrings troubles starting once past 30 again?..

But for now, should be more credit to Hawthorn this year given what kind of season we had. Hell, the coach missing a a quarter of the year to illness to top it off.

Long long way from a boring GF TT. 1980 was a yawn fest. You thumped them. 83, 85, 88, 2000 and of course the day Port didn't leave South Australia when they were meant to be at the M.C.G.

Credit due mate, credit due. Very very proud of my lot this year and deservedly so. Btw, two clear now of your lot now as well from that long ago boring 1980 Flag you won. Made it Ten-Four good buddy (trucking era too, good timing). Be very few that would say 34 years later that it would be Ten Flags (maybe to Hawthorn by that time) to 12 (surely Richmond would have won more by then).

12 Hawthorn. 10 Richmond. And I love it.

Ciao, Steve.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[ Contact Forum Admin ]

Forum timezone: GMT+11
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.