Preview Hawks vs The Blue rabble that Bolts is inheriting

[SHAKESPEARE]

Any word on when the WC v Hawks final will be? Friday night, Sat afternoon/night?

I think there is definitely merit in resting a bunch of players, Burgoyne, Gibson, Lake, Gunston, Rioli, Hill, Roughy, Lewis should all have a week off.. Give Mitchell another week off..Hodge is having another week off..

I expect we'll see any fringe players have a chance to audition for a spot in the finals should the need arise.. Anderson, Spangher, Litherland, Simpkin, Whitecross, Duruya, Ceglar just to name afew..

But then again Clarko has never been one to flirt with form, wouldn't surprise me if we only see 2 or 3 changes... If I recall the last time we played in a final in WA was 2010 vs Freo, and we rested all our players final round vs Gold Coast and that didn't turn out too well.

Friday Night. 6 Day break. Travel to WA.

Book it in

 

[Gene Simmons]

Friday Night. 6 Day break. Travel to WA.

Book it in

Then I definitely expect we will rest a host of players next week

 

[SHAKESPEARE]

Then I definitely expect we will rest a host of players next week

Yep surely. Absolutely no reason to risk anyone

 

[Lord_Espos]

Afl trying anything to make it hard for Hawks...

 

[madhawksfan]

Any word on when the WC v Hawks final will be? Friday night, Sat afternoon/night?

I think there is definitely merit in resting a bunch of players, Burgoyne, Gibson, Lake, Gunston, Rioli, Hill, Roughy, Lewis should all have a week off.. Give Mitchell another week off..Hodge is having another week off..

I expect we'll see any fringe players have a chance to audition for a spot in the finals should the need arise.. Anderson, Spangher, Litherland, Simpkin, Whitecross, Duruya, Ceglar just to name afew..

But then again Clarko has never been one to flirt with form, wouldn't surprise me if we only see 2 or 3 changes... If I recall the last time we played in a final in WA was 2010 vs Freo, and we rested all our players final round vs Gold Coast and that didn't turn out too well.

I think you're thinking of 2011 when we rested half the side then lost to Geelong in the QF. Result was bad though.

Rich v North should be on Friday night (assuming the ladder positions stay the same). A Richmond final in Melbourne should attract 70k+ (with 5k of those being North fans). Dogs v Adelaide on Saturday afternoon with WC likely to get the Sat night game.

The difficulty with the finals scheduling is that Freo play away on Saturday and that result could determine who finishes top. If we play Freo it could be on Sunday.

Having said all that, the AFL will look to disadvantage us the most so we'll probably play on Thursday night.

 

[benneth]

Do the boys actually need to attend this game?

Could just send hodgey down with a back pack to pickup the 4 points.

 

[Agent Smith]

Play for half a game then switch off in the second half to stay fresh. Should be enough to keep the 4 points.

 

[threesixpio]

Afl trying anything to make it hard for Hawks...

Afl won't want two WA teams though (in the GF)

 

[Big Hotdog]

The Qualifying finals will be friday/saturday night due to there being two games in Perth.
I would be guessing we will play WC on the Saturday night.

 

[Dewnior]

Rich v North should be on Friday night (assuming the ladder positions stay the same). A Richmond final in Melbourne should attract 70k+ (with 5k of those being North fans). Dogs v Adelaide on Saturday afternoon with WC likely to get the Sat night game.

The difficulty with the finals scheduling is that Freo play away on Saturday and that result could determine who finishes top. If we play Freo it could be on Sunday.

Highly unlikely that the winner of EF1 will be given an extra 1-2 days break against the loser of QF1 especially off the back of a trip to Perth. One of the QFs will surely be played on the Friday night with the other Saturday afternoon. The Richmond game will be Saturday night with the other EF on Sunday

 

[Ned Ryerson]

I think Lake needs a rest for the finals, and Gibbo maybe needs a week off to get himself right. Time to bring in Heatherly and Spang. Bring the Schoe back in for Roughy to give him a rest. Only question then is who else do we manage? Bring Mitchell back in so he's got some match fitness? Rest Burgoyne?

I expect that we're not going for a big kill here, and that it will be one of those games where Clarko tries things out and we have numerous people bothered by the fact that we're not kicking 10 goals a quarter. Should be an interesting team selection, that's for sure.

 

[Badesumofu]

I'd rather see us rest everyone who is assured of a spot in the QF team than watch them not be able to be bothered playing except for 5 minutes in the third quarter where they kick 48758709570432058732 goals and secure the win.

Also we'd get an easier QF by losing. That combined with the way the boys have been able to get up for the small matches this year has me seriously considering just not watching this one.

 

[savagelunchbox]

BHH playing against Footscray in a final 2 hrs earlier than when Hawthorn plays Carlton. Might be worth applying for exemption to the AFL and VFL to drop the finals team to the VFL under some proviso that there will be better competition playing Footscray instead of Carlton.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

I'd rather see us rest everyone who is assured of a spot in the QF team than watch them not be able to be bothered playing except for 5 minutes in the third quarter where they kick 48758709570432058732 goals and secure the win.

Also we'd get an easier QF by losing. That combined with the way the boys have been able to get up for the small matches this year has me seriously considering just not watching this one.

Easier QF by losing? Hardly - we'd have to play the Friday night game against Freo and would be coming off a loss to one of the worst teams in the league who've been massacred by injuries. Not sure how that helps us.

And the last time we played Carlton it was a 'small' match and we ended up winning by a lazy 138 points.

Wholesale resting doesn't work - it is to be be done tactically.

 

[MrPremiership]

Only players carrying something gets rested. Everyone else plays in a full dress rehearsal for the first final. Ease up after 3 quarter time

 

[Roughies Boys]

West Coast will not be resting anyone due to they can still lose second spot.

We need to win & hopefully see Box Hill win also.

 

[Thaihawk]

I agree, I think Roughy will play. Missed weeks with the cancer scare and needs another confidence booster leading into the finals.

I actually liked Rough spending more time on the ball, and Chip as the leading forward. Was one of their best games. Another option for Clarko.

 

[Thaihawk]

Afl trying anything to make it hard for Hawks...

Of course not, silly!

 

[bigton08]

Afl won't want two WA teams though (in the GF)

I was thinking this the other day it would be a disaster for them not all of Perth can travel to the G they would want some of the Victorian public turning up....

 

[kimbopen]

Afl trying anything to make it hard for Hawks...

For something completely different!

 

[MinerBoy]

Kind of hard to care about this game. It's all about the week after.

 

[StillAtLarge]

For the love of god let Gibson & Burgoyne sit this one out.

 

[Taskmaster]

[I'dOTE="89Adopter, post: 40565589, member: 135754"]Easier QF by losing? Hardly - we'd have to play the Friday night game against Freo and would be coming off a loss to one of the worst teams in the league who've been massacred by injuries. Not sure how that helps us.

And the last time we played Carlton it was a 'small' match and we ended up winning by a lazy 138 points.

Wholesale resting doesn't work - it is to be be done tactically.[/QUOTE]

Either way we will be flat against WC in the QF. Everytime we play a s**t side and belt them, the week after we look like that s**t we just belted. So either way, won't really matter this week. I want to believe that WC won't know what hit them, but at the moment, I just don't know.

As I said previously, we have had opportunities to secure mcg finals, but did not take them. So I can't see how this is going to change in the QF in perth? I hope I am wrong I really do, but at the moment, who knows?

 

[butchy]

No time to be messing around now.
We pick our best possible side in a warm up for the final.
If anyone is sore and needs the rest, then they may get it, but otherwise, full dress rehearsal.

For me:

Out- Howe, Sicily
In- Mitchell, Poppy

And if all goes well, week one of the finals sees Hodge in for Duryea or Hartung.
I think Langford showed on the weekend we need him for his toughness in the contest.
Langford in also means it helps release Hodge to half back if required.
Hartung is still to fumbly for my liking but his pace could be huge in the west or on the G as a sub.

 

[OnceKicked50]

I reckon Sicily should stay not only this week, but id play him in the finals also. We just seem to be lacking some energy this season. Some excitement and unpredictability that youth brings. Sicily has some X-factor about him.

Can we name anyone other then Shiels, Rioli, Smith, McVoy and Hartung that have improved this season from last? Hence improving our side as a result. Mitch, Hodge, Birch and Silk are playing at there same elite level. But even though they have had good years, Roughead Gunner and Breaust have all regressed slightly this season. Hill, Langford and Suckling have all been well below their best. For mine, Lake, Hale Gibbo and Lewis almost sad as it is to say seem like they are pushing a rock up the hill. They seem slow and as if the end is coming fast. I understand Lewis is getting the pill, but I don't feel he has had much influence over games this season.