Does Sewell come back in?

Remove this Banner Ad

detox

Premiership Player
Nov 26, 2007
3,140
4,035
Melbourne
AFL Club
Hawthorn
As much as a warrior he has been, I look at our list and form and can't see him coming back in.

Shiels has taken his role, and Langford beginning the same apprenticeship that Shiels has had. For balance purposes is Sewells inclusion going to make us a better team? Langford would be the obvious one to go but he has been very impressive, is obviously a talent and needs games put into him. Sending Langford back to box hill will hurt the team in the long run, and I dont think Sewell can improve this team. We also need to get games into Anderson and he would be another one fighting for his spot.

From memory I think Sewell is contracted until 2015, so is Sewells job for the rest of his career a nicely paid development role with the younger players at Box Hill or does he have more to give?


From memory,
 

TyHawk

Premiership Player
Oct 14, 2013
3,046
2,977
Jupiter
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Manchester City
Sewell contract runs out 2014. With Langford and Shiels taking up roles thought the Midfield , for the moment I can't see Sewelly coming in any time soon. Hawks have blistering speed and great usage of the pill and these aren't attributes Sewelly has I'm afraid. In fact I stil think that Jed is in our best 22 when ready, with his inside hardness and pace along with goal sense I think we may see Jed before Sewell. But I wouldn't completely count Sewelly out as he will definitely be given his chance and knowing Sewell he will perform at high level again.. Interesting and great times ahead.
 
Apr 18, 2011
18,933
40,386
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Six decades of domination
Yes. When the heat of the finals is on we need players like Sewell to take a beating for our classier mids to shine. He may have had a decline in form over the years (although we can't tell whether that has continued due to lack of gametime this year) but his work off the ball is absolutely invaluable. Creates space by just being a big strong body and burrowing for the ball.

Shiels and Langford are great run with player's and know how to get their hands dirty but I don't think they have that Sewell ability to just rip the ball out of congestion or split a pack by just running through them. Not at this stage of their career at least.

We see how valuable the likes of Kelly is to Geelong despite his decline over the years. Every team needs that warrior at the coalface.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

Prudster

Premiership Player
Aug 30, 2010
3,430
3,389
Melbourne
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Sewelly is a champion, and has been massive in big games for us, but if his form declines at the same rate as last year, then i'm not sure whether his hardness and finals experience is enough to overcome that. No doubt he will play games this year, regardless of if he is best 22, but i get the feeling this may be his last year, as we probably need to start phasing out the older players like Geelong, so they don't retire all at once.
 

MuzzHawk

All Australian
May 29, 2007
644
102
NPFSC
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Atlanta Hawks
He would've been useful against Essendon in that third quarter to slow their momentum by being able to win a few clearances or create some extra stoppages.

I can see why he may need to spend a month or so at Box Hill, but I have no doubt that he will prove to be more than a class above the VFL, and we will probably start to see some patchy form from our younger brigade as the season progresses. He may not be rushed in but I think it is only a matter of time. Hopefully the competition will keep him hungry.
 

MrFujiMoto

Norm Smith Medallist
May 9, 2011
5,335
6,089
Adelaide
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Box Hill Hawks, Norwood Redlegs
He will come in if he can prove his fitness, form and touch at Box Hill. I think he will need some time in the 2s before he gets into the Hawks outfit. Guys like Langford will also need a rest, even if they are the number 1 plan for September action. Sewelly was also tearing up the track from all reliable reports so I think he will still play a big part in our year this year. Might be a bit like the year Goo had last year.
 
Last edited:

madhawksfan

Premiership Player
May 12, 2010
4,315
5,071
Canberra
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Not automatically, he has to show sustained form at BH once he gets over this latest setback. I hope he makes it back for September but he will have to surpass Langers, Hallahan and Anderson.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

The Swert

Premiership Player
May 3, 2009
3,508
4,707
Melbourne
AFL Club
Hawthorn
There's nobody I'd rather have at the bottom of a contest actually. Burrowing in to grab that ball and getting a quick handball to Mitchell who can then use his talent to pinpoint a pass forward.
 
Feb 22, 2009
19,598
19,461
LOL @ Norf
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
GeeLOL sucks, so does $hitney
Brad Sewell's biggest problem aside from his age is the game has changed, and no longer favors the kind of player he is.

It's no longer enough to win a contested ball at stoppages and hack it forward. Controlling the footy has almost become more important than winning possession.
Brad was caught flat footed and pinged for holding the ball pretty regularly last year. He was often forced to rush his decision-making because he no longer has the pace or agility to separate himself from his opponents, and that frequently resulted in poor ball use.

Sewell's other issue is that he was always a fairly limited player who excelled in one area - winning the ball at stoppages. Unfortunately the emergence of taller bigger-bodied midfielders across the league (Watson, Fyfe, Kennedy, Pendlebury etc) has nullified his advantage to some degree.
Midfielders can't be short and slow anymore. Not unless their evasive skills are elite like Mitchell's... and even then would we really want Mitchell, Burgoyne, Sewell & Hodge contesting center bounces anymore? They'd be brutally slaughtered on the spread the moment the opposition fed it out to a runner. Not that we'd play all the older guys in there simultaneously of course, but you get the point.

After saying all that, the suggestion that he could play a role as the sub strikes me an extremely promising one. Bringing him on in the third when some of the pace has gone out of the game would certainly be worth trying.
 
Yep, Brad Sewell's a warrior.

He gets his hands dirty and is at his best when the heat's on.
He also is a tagger who wins the ball - not many of those around.

I would be most surprised if he doesn't get a game as soon as he's fit.





Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

detox

Premiership Player
Nov 26, 2007
3,140
4,035
Melbourne
AFL Club
Hawthorn
It would be suicide to head into the finals without a fit Brad Sewell. Easily our best performed finals player since 2007.

But he wasn't last year from memory was he?

If Sewell returns, Langford is back to BHH and shiels is back to a run with player. Given Sewells age and skill set I don't think moving forward that it will help this side. We are already looking incredibly good with the side we are playing at the moment, I just wonder wether Sewell will make that much of a difference, and if the difference is minimal we are better off playing Shiels and Langford and moving toward the future
 
A thread similar to this was started about Hodge not that long ago.
While it proved to be too early to call time on Hodgey, I suspect the same is true for Sewelly.
Not everyone in our side has to have outside speed.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Back