Preview Hawks vs $wans - Changes & Discussion. Light refreshments and Cola being served.

[Hawkinspired]

So we have the bye next week and a nice little refresher before we play Sydney at the MCG on Saturday night the 26th July.

Gibson has been earmarked to return for this game and you would have thought Hartung will come straight back in. Likewise Brad Hill. Sewell probably needs another week I would have thought. Will be 22 days since injury and we Can't rush him.

In: Gibson, Hill, Hartung.

Out: Simpkin, Langford, Ross.

Missing in action; Rioli, Sewell and Lake. (Anderson, Whitecross season)

We're starting to get closer to our best side but having Lake Suspended will prove difficult, particularly if Tippet makes a return.

Fair chance Sydney will bring back Tippett, Shaw and Hannebery which are great ins for them. Not sure who comes out of their squad.

Last time we played:

Sydney 15.17. 105 Def Hawthorn 13.10. 88

Tippett had 4.0, Franklin 2.7 with Hannebery collecting 40 touches.

Roughead had 3.1, Bruest 3.0 with Lewis & Burgoyne tied on 28 touches.

Lake also missed this game forcing us to play Cheney on Tippett. I think Spangher has been brilliant and will at least make Tippett work hard for his goals. Hallahan played through the midfield in the absence of Mitchell. Rioli and Gibson were injured in this game. Hodge and Shiels missed as well.

Sydney will play a similar line up with the only major change is Pyke in for Derickx, unless I've overlooked someone.

Hawks have been big scorers this year recording an average loosing score of 87.25 (87,88,86,88) in their four losses.

Sydney are in red hot form and are currently $1.80 to $1.95 favourites. For me Gibson has been sorely missed and the result surely hinges on how influential he can be. The first 8 games including the game he was injured we averaged 75 points against. The last 8 rounds when he has missed with injury we conceded 88 points.

Should be one of the matches of the season. We will have a much better side but I think as good as Sydney were in round 8, they are a better side now.

On form Sydney should win but it's a real coin toss. Can't wait!

 

[cryptor]

Rough's 200th. Hopefully he can really sink his teeth into this one.

Breust now has that record out of his mind so he can just play without that pressure on his mind.

Gunston hitting some season best form.

Ceglar and McEvoy also showing they are more than capable of slotting a few themselves.

Be good to have Hill and Hartung back to help Smith out with the run.

Gibson even if he's a little rusty still adds a lot of experience and leadership to the back line.

Mitchell and Hodge in for this one to help Lewis and Burgoyne who almost got us over the line last time in Sydney.

 

[Argy]

The log jam at the top of the ladder will begin to be broken apart from this game onward. Hawks play four of the top contenders for the top four positions. Compared to the others the Hawks have an extremely difficult task ahead but on the positive side, more than any other team, we will have a huge affect on shaping the finals. Injuries, the draw and suspensions have made this a terribly hard season. If we can overcome all these hardships and go back to back this side will have to go down as one of the best teams in Hawthorn's history.

 

[savagelunchbox]

No way Langford deserves to get dropped and no way Hale deserves to come in.

 

[Rushed_Behind]

I find it funny how we had 3 6-day breaks in a row when we had to travel to Sydney, but Sydney come down here after a bye.

 

[cryptor]

I find it funny how we had 3 6-day breaks in a row when we had to travel to Sydney, but Sydney come down here after a bye.

"It's funny but not 'haha' funny."

 

[HR Roughnstuf]

Can we change the title from $wans to $hitme

 

[Crankyhawk]

I find it funny how we had 3 6-day breaks in a row when we had to travel to Sydney, but Sydney come down here after a bye.

At least we get a bye too. Need some enterprising person to get some gastro into the swans next week

 

[Taskmaster]

Im not at all nervous about this game. Im actually quietly confident. We will get Gib, Hill, Hartung and maybe Sewelly back. Guarantee the boys are looking forward to showing Shitney and the rest of the world that we are here and here in a big way!!

Also guarantee that we will not let these f..ks play that extra behind the ball. They are so suspect when flogs like Richards, Malceski and Grundy actually need to man someone up. And at the G infront of 60k+ Hawks supporters, bring it on you morons!!

 

[Hodge2NormSmith]

This is a game where as many members as possible MUST show up and create a hostile environment.
We need to create a real pro Hawthorn vocal environment.
It's an 8 point game, win and we are a real chance for Top 2 and a home final, lose and Top 4 is tough and an away final is likely.

 

[Agent Smith]

We'll win because I'm going to remind all the players of one thing - 2012.

What a great movie, especially the bit with the highways crumbling and the plane then flies through the middle of a building that's falling apart.

That should put a smile on their faces and give them some positive energy to take on these NTTAWWTt... uh, er, BT could you provide me the appropriate word?

 

[Taskmaster]

This is a game where as many members as possible MUST show up and create a hostile environment.
We need to create a real pro Hawthorn vocal environment.
It's an 8 point game, win and we are a real chance for Top 2 and a home final, lose and Top 4 is tough and an away final is likely.

Well said!! Lets all get there and make it as uncomfortable as possible for these flogs. The so called 19th man. This game sets us up for top 2.

 

[GOHORCS]

Please don't say anything racist to goodes just stick to the facts. HE IS A DIVER AND FEET FIRST TACKLER WHO THROWS HIS HEAD BACK IN EVERY CONTEST. He is also a little bit arrogant.
It is not unfair to boo him at every contest he has cheated for long enough for it to be justified in every game at every moment.

 

[HR Roughnstuf]

At least we get a bye too. Need some enterprising person to get some gastro into the swans next week

They will most likely be staying at the parkview hotel on st kilda road

 

[hfc70]

They will most likely be staying at the parkview hotel on st kilda road

Anyone have any inside contacts ?!
Group of us pay a visit to Franklin just to say hello

 

[WillowSF]

Buddy is at his dominating best. With Lake out and Gibson possibly missing I have no idea who gets him. Stratton or Litherland? It's still hard to see him wearing the red and white...While Ablett and Pendlebury gets all the accolades, surely Franklin is the best player in the competition. I think Sydney will win by about 25 points.

 

[madhawksfan]

I'm especially pumped for this one as it will be the first game I've been to live since we played Shitney at the G in 2009. We won that day and I hope we do so again.

Not too many bad players on Friday but at least two changes will happen. For mine:

Ins: Hill Gibbo (Sewell if fit)
Outs: Ross Duryea (stiff) (Simpkin if Sewell fit- again stiff)

Think we need to keep Langford in given it will be a toughly fought contested battle.

Ben Stratton would want to have a good game as Duryea was better than he was against Adelaide. But with Tippett, Frankin, Reid, Goodes and their resting ruck potentially forward we need extra height.

Their back line and lack of outside speed are the two areas we can exploit. Obviously they will see our back line as an area where they can get us and I'm sure they will fancy themselves in the contested situations.

If we can, at worst, win 45% of the contested ball, particularly centre clearances, we will give ourselves every chance to exposure some of their backs (Rampe, Shaw and Malceski who are not great one on one defenders).

Rampe in particular panics under pressure and we will need to try and isolate that match up and make sure Richards and Grundy can't help out too often.

Hannebery and Malceski are their really damaging players by foot so we need to tag both and force guys like Richards, Rampe, Shaw, Kennedy and to kick the ball as none are great by foot.

Hope we stick to these cheating pricks and their knob supporters.

 

[Harper_Hawk]

Buddy is at his dominating best. With Lake out and Gibson possibly missing I have no idea who gets him. Stratton or Litherland? It's still hard to see him wearing the red and white...While Ablett and Pendlebury gets all the accolades, surely Franklin is the best player in the competition. I think Sydney will win by about 25 points.

Nope. Your wrong there. Hawks by 14pts. We don't fear them.

 

[threesixpio]

Im not at all nervous about this game. Im actually quietly confident. We will get Gib, Hill, Hartung and maybe Sewelly back. Guarantee the boys are looking forward to showing Shitney and the rest of the world that we are here and here in a big way!!

Also guarantee that we will not let these f..ks play that extra behind the ball. They are so suspect when flogs like Richards, Malceski and Grundy actually need to man someone up. And at the G infront of 60k+ Hawks supporters, bring it on you morons!!

Would love Sewell but surely no chance although is that 4 weeks

 

[SkyHawk]

It'll be interesting to see and hear the interaction between Buddy and the crowd. I wonder how much booing there will be. I wonder if he'll rip us to shreds or get a whipping. With the state of our team, I can't really see the latter happening.

We'll be coming in as underdogs, and the fans and the team will be up and firing, in my opinion. I think we will make this a real contest, but I think the ask is just too much for us. The Swans are in sizzling form and are turning into my worst nightmare for 2014.

It's interesting to see how close the odds - $1.66 Swans, $1.82 Hawks.

My tip is the Swans by 25.

 

[Max Powers]

I feel pretty confident about this one, were starting to get back to near full strength and think we will come out with a nice win.

 

[threesixpio]

I feel pretty confident about this one, were starting to get back to near full strength and think we will come out with a nice win.

Want to rewind to 2013. Three straight wins after the GF loss. That first one was nasty

 

[SkyHawk]

Want to rewind to 2013. Three straight wins after the GF loss. That first one was nasty

After the 2012 grand final loss? Um...we lost to Geelong first game in 2013...

 

[Syd]

....Fair chance Sydney will bring back Tippett, Shaw and Hannebery which are great ins for them. Not sure who comes out of their squad....

Very slim chance that all 3 would come in in the same week.
Tippett and Hannebery more likely and Shaw probably gets a week or two in the magoos rather than destablise the back 6.

Towers (this weeks debutant) a definite out and the second from between Brandon Jack and Gary Rohan
Either can be kept in for extra pace and whoever isn't dropped for the game would most likely be our sub IMO.

Very nice that both teams have the same week off for the bye which gives every player a better chance to come up to fitness for the game.
Should be a cracker and I reckon Hawthorn by 18pts just quietly.

 

[Hodge is God]

Out: Ross Simpkin Duryea
In: Gibson Hill Hartung

Hawthorn to win.