How will HAWTHORN fare in 2006?

[CyberKev]

STRENGTHS: The Hawks have an excellent starting midfield contingent, which gets plenty of the ball. They also have good pace across the park and generate good run for much of a game. Peter Everitt remains a class ruckman, and the club does appear to be accumulating good back-up strength in this regard. Outside of this, the best thing the side has going for it is a strong work ethic and no small amount of unpredictability.

WEAKNESSES: The Hawks have a very stong core of around 8 high quality players, but given the young nature of their overall list, will feel player losses (particularly among these 8) more heavily than most clubs. The club's forward structure is showing more promising signs, but still looks short of genuine strength and diversity. Most worryingly, the club appears to have a hole at fullback that will be difficult to fill given the personnel available.

PREDICTION: Cannot make the finals and do have a very difficult draw (partly of their own making).

Hawthorn - 12th

 

[meltiger]

Hawthorn will win 10 games and finish anywhere from 10th to 14th. Hawthorn is in a similar situation to Richmond, the list is improving, whilst other teams around them on the ladder for mine, have stood still over the summer. Will have a season like Richmond last year and Carlton the year before and snag enough wins to have a respectable season. Unlike Carlton though (& hopefully like Richmond will do this year) they should continue to slowly climb in the next few years.

 

[CyberKev]

Will have a season like Richmond last year and Carlton the year before and snag enough wins to have a respectable season.

This will depend on two things:

1) the side's capacity to have its first good injury run since 2000. This is an important factor for all clubs, for some it is the difference between winning a flag or getting found out in the finals, for others (such as Hawthorn) it is crucial to ensuring the side can remain competitive and win a fair share of matches.

2) the side's capacity to effectively fill the fullback position. Hay had his flaws, but he was at least adept at sticking on large opponents and punching clear. Expect young Dawson to get first crack at the position, but it is likely that players may be rotated through FB to best suit particular opponents. As things stand, however, FB is the one position Hawthorn doesn't appear overly well catered for (looking ahead to a future view).

Must get 8 wins on the board.

 

[Eddie.]

I don't watch an awful lot of AFL footy but they looked like a Top 4 side on todays showing. Might be the team do to a 'Wests Tigers" and come from nowhere.

 

[Bumble]

Go the Hawks!!

 

[CyberKev]

I don't watch an awful lot of AFL footy but they looked like a Top 4 side on todays showing. Might be the team do to a 'Wests Tigers" and come from nowhere.

Now everybody just relax.

On that showing they may have looked that way and I suspect they will do so again on other days this year. Alas, they will also have days on which they look very much a bottom four side.

There are still rough edges to be ironed-out and Hawthorn will lose more games than it wins. If the club can cobble together 8 wins for the year good and fine, anything more will be a bonus.

 

[meltiger]

Young young young.


Would be very suprised to see them run the season out in the same form their in now.


I can also only remind people that it's only a week since they lost to Collingwood.


I have said all along they will win 10 games and stand by that, but I'd be shocked to see them make, let alone win any finals in the modern day game given the ages of their players.

 

[CyberKev]

Young young young.

Ah Clinton... Quick as a whippet and a beautiful user of the footy with a long kick to boot. Fantastic pick-up from the rookie list and a major bonus, given the hurdles facing Messers Ellis & Muston. I like the boy a lot, but yes, he can't do it for us single-handedly.

Would be very suprised to see them run the season out in the same form their in now.

If the side can achieve its first good injury run since 2000 it'll probably finish out the season strongly. Its the middle of the season that looms as a problem, particularly if we take a few hits to key players.

I can also only remind people that it's only a week since they lost to Collingwood.

Awful loss. Would like to have the game over to get a 3 from 3 start. Still, as much as I hate to say it, the Magpies may have a better year than I expected.

I have said all along they will win 10 games and stand by that, but I'd be shocked to see them make, let alone win any finals in the modern day game given the ages of their players.

Aiming for 8 with anything more a bonus. While Hawthorn has the youngest list in the competition, its top starting line-up isn't especially raw. It has a big complement of 21-24 year olds that are fast becoming its driving force, a handful of teenagers and a handful of veterans.

If it takes hits to players like Hodge, Mitchell, Croad & Everitt, then the balance will start to skew...

 

[meltiger]

Awful loss. Would like to have the game over to get a 3 from 3 start. Still, as much as I hate to say it, the Magpies may have a better year than I expected.

What I meant here mate is that the kids won't ever play (& cannot be expected to) consistently like they did on the w/e

There's going to be plenty of games like this weekends and also plenty like the one before.

Not a sledge on the Hawks, just a fact of life.

 

[CyberKev]

Not a sledge on the Hawks, just a fact of life.

I didn't think you were sledging.

In relation to last week's game I wouldn't have cared if you were, given that I gave the coaching panel plenty myself.

 

[meltiger]

I didn't think you were sledging.

In relation to last week's game I wouldn't have cared if you were, given that I gave the coaching panel plenty myself.

I'm actually suprised there hasn't been many apologies given to Clarkson and co after last weeks shenanigans with relation to Dawson and the trading of Hay, given the absoloute piss poor effort he put in yesterday.


*Edit* Sorry, should have pointed out that wasn't directed at you, as you weren't involved in that particular line of argument

 

[CyberKev]

I'm actually suprised there hasn't been many apologies given to Clarkson and co after last weeks shenanigans with relation to Dawson and the trading of Hay, given the absoloute piss poor effort he put in yesterday.

People would argue that the issue wasn't essentially about trading Hay (who everyone knew had problems, including the Kangaroos, who wrongly assumed that the club, rather than the player was the root of them), but moreover it was about the logistics of playing a raw player in a key role when he was giving away 18kg to his opponent.

Hay will most likely always be dodgy from here-on-in, and Dawson may or may not make it to be a reliable FB option. Hawthorn needs to remove itself from that pointless debate, and focus on giving greater thought to who gets to play on the bigger opposition forwards during 2006. Roughead & Croad should always get these tasks if fit, as they should have against Collingwood.

 

[meltiger]

People would argue that the issue wasn't essentially about trading Hay (who everyone knew had problems, including the Kangaroos, who wrongly assumed that the club, rather than the player was the root of them),

I think being interstate can sometimes be a benefit lol


There was certainly one train of argument going on during the week that they were fools for trading Hay (& this was coming from Hawthorn people)


I certainly would have had a wry smile yesterday if I were Clarkson.

 

[CyberKev]

I certainly would have had a wry smile yesterday if I were Clarkson.

It would've made some contrast with Laidley's blushes.

Dean came out a few weeks ago and effectively blamed all off Hay's problems on Hawthorn, stating that the Roos had devoted themselves full-on to getting Jonathan back into a shape that was fit for elite football.

Unfortunately for Laidels, a cursory glance at video footage will show that Hay looked in far better physical shape during Round 22 of last year than he did yesterday.

He's definitely high management.

When fit he is exceptionally good at sticking tight to an opponent and punching, and he is capable of taking a solid mark. That, alas for the Kangas, is where it starts and ends.

From an opposition perspective, even if Hay does stop an attack, you're happy to see him with the ball. He misses targets by foot more often than not, and often goes for a desperate run that ends in a ludicrously inept handball to the opposition.

My advice for them is to do what they can to get him into proper shape, instruct him to just stick tight on his man, and when he gets the ball and is isolated, tell him to just kick long and wide.

The Kangas used to be the most enterprising and aggressive club in the competition, but now they're reduced to soft option processes such as recruiting yesterday's men battlers like Hay & Rawlings.

They may yet turn their season around and will most likely finish above us... They bloody well better, as to blatantly go the soft top-up with an already anaemic list and finish in the wrong half of the table would be a public relations disaster.

 

[camsmith]

So where are the hawks now?

I didn't watch much of the game tonight, but it looked like Sydney were just cruising through the game without many problems.

Do they need another forward? With their midfield surely they can get their hands on the ball and deliver it inside 50 often enough.. maybe they need a big tall forward and they could have Williams in a role similar to Kayne Pettifer's down at Richmond.

 

[CyberKev]

So where are the hawks now?

Under the pump, in short!

I didn't watch much of the game tonight, but it looked like Sydney were just cruising through the game without many problems.

Surprisingly, given the result, Hawthorn led contested ball, led clearances, had as much inside-50 ball and only had 5 less scoring shots, despite only having about 5 players showing anything on the night. I think this indicates how effectively the Swans can use the ball and how accurate they are with their scoring.

Do they need another forward? With their midfield surely they can get their hands on the ball and deliver it inside 50 often enough.. maybe they need a big tall forward and they could have Williams in a role similar to Kayne Pettifer's down at Richmond.

The Hawthorn midfield has been down in recent weeks. Vandenberg has been ordinary, and its no surprise to me that young Lewis could play as well as he did last night given a full game; I only wish the skipper could have got himself out of the picture weeks ago.

With Hodge being played largely out of defence in recent weeks to ease himself through an ankle injury, and Crawford being either injured and off the park or (as per last night) injured and on it, its usually been left to Sam Mitchell to carry the midfield. He's done it well generally, but last night had a shocker. With Bateman also struggling, the side isn't going to fare well with a single midfielder playing a lone hand each week.

Last night was the first time in quite a few weeks that Hawthorn had some height on the forward line, with Croad & Franklin back from injury, but the former is still not quite right and the latter is still at a raw enough stage to require resettling-in time. I'd expect Barker to finally return this week, although it may not matter for as long as the side persists with an obsession for honing-in on Williams.

Most sides are lacking for something at the moment, but Hawthorn's overall lack of experience and depth is allowing it to be shown up more as the side's workrate isn't up to scratch.

In short, we need another key marking forward and another key defender. On top of this, we also need some pace and skill out wide, which may well come with Muston & Ellis next season, but even then I'd like another couple of quality outside mid types on the list.

If they play their cards right at the next draft the club can get all of this bar one outside mid; but it may still be sometime before the whole mix comes together.

 

[camsmith]

Yeah pretty much spot on with all that.

Not much for me to add, but to say that this week againts the Dogs is huge and ive tipped ya... so you better not let me down

Unless that is you would rather finish low on the ladder in order to pick up a few good picks in next years draft (as you know its meant to be a good one) but for this season atleast, the game againt the Dogs is crucial.

Pity Franklin has been out of form/injured this season, when he is playing well Hawthorn seem such a better team.

 

[CyberKev]

Yeah pretty much spot on with all that.

Not much for me to add, but to say that this week againts the Dogs is huge and ive tipped ya... so you better not let me down

Unless that is you would rather finish low on the ladder in order to pick up a few good picks in next years draft (as you know its meant to be a good one) but for this season atleast, the game againt the Dogs is crucial.

Pity Franklin has been out of form/injured this season, when he is playing well Hawthorn seem such a better team.

You're out of your gourd, Young man, we're next to no chance of beating the Dogs. Even allowing for their injury concerns, they are maintaining their workrate and showing good form each week.

Hawthorn is like any other lower 8 side. They can perform above expectation when near full strength and having a genuine dip, but when the workrate eases off and a handful of players are called upon to carry the side, its not very pretty.

 

[camsmith]

Well i reckon you will get close.

Aren't you the person that said your game against Sydney will be closer than most people suggest? Well i think you have a better chance against the Dogs than you did against the Swans.

We shall see