Hawthorn 2014. Potentially greatest flag of all time.

[fishardansin]

I personally think if Hawthorn win the flag this year it will be the greatest effort of all time. I don't have them as favourites for mine with Swans and Freo probably more likely to do more damage come September than them, but they are in it up to their eyeballs.

The amount of setbacks they've had this year is probably second only to Collingwood. Key players continually getting injured meaning they have had to cycle through their list a fair bit and have had to rely on some guys who wouldn't get a game normally. They have also not been able to get consistency in their set ups as a result. Throw in having to readjust their whole side after the best forward in the league walked out on them and missing their coach for a month when they are a side heavily reliant on structures and game plans it should make for ugly reading.

They should get most players back for September action but even still the long layoffs will cause a fair bit of disruption to them.

Through all of this they have remained real contenders and favourites in many people's eyes. Amazing effort.

 

[mike91]

Greatest flag of all time

 

[Quad22]

Probably the greatest sporting achievement in the history of man

 

[jwint43]

Big Call. Swans 05 was huge

 

[bsk2002]

Right up there with the birth of Adam Goodes as a defining moment in human existence.

 

[Hodgepodge]

I think we've debuted something like 9 players this season. And also gotten games into players like Langford and Ceglar who played 1 game each last season. You're basically looking at a rebuild on the run.

Langford has been the most promising so far, but Litherland, Hallahan, Ceglar, Hartung have all shown plenty as well.

 

[The GOAT]

Big Call. Swans 05 was huge

How do you figure?

 

[Stratton_Gun]

I think we've debuted something like 9 players this season. And also gotten games into players like Langford and Ceglar who played 1 game each last season. You're basically looking at a rebuild on the run.

Langford has been the most promising so far, but Litherland, Hallahan, Ceglar, Hartung have all shown plenty as well.

I know he's your man but Hallahan has been poor from what I've seen. Doubt he'll play again this year

 

[jwint43]

How do you figure?

Heartbreaking 4 point loss to the eagles, Nick Davis single-handedly rescuing them in the classic semi-final, and Leo Barry creating history. When you have a finals run as crazy as that, its gotta be up there. Can't really remember much about their home-and away season but yeah, thats my two cents.

 

[Hodgepodge]

I know he's your man but Hallahan has been poor from what I've seen. Doubt he'll play again this year

Maybe not this year, but hopefully he stays on for 2015.

He's averaging 17 disposals a game, and that includes his debut game as a sub. Also averages more clearances than Brad Sewell this year. That's pretty good for a player who's only had 6 or 7 games.

 

[Plugger35]

They've done well to still be in the top 2 or 3 given all their injuries but they should be close to full strength by the time finals start so if they do win another premiership it will hardly be the GOAT premiership win given that they're the reigning premiers and were the favourites before the season started.

 

[The_Eagles]

I agree it will be heroic if Hawthorn win and stamp themselves as the mightiest club of the national era (87 - ) AFL era (90 -) and expansion eras (12 -)

Will be a memorable flag whoever wins it. Sydney dynasty talk, Geelong the great, Fremantles first in a cut-throat year

 

[ManWithNoName]

Probably the greatest sporting achievement in the history of man

Forget sporting achievement, the single greatest achievement in the history of humanity.

 

[the big lebowski]

It would be a pretty awesome effort.

 

[Hodgepodge]

They've done well to still be in the top 2 or 3 given all their injuries but they should be close to full strength by the time finals start

It's not simply a matter of having a full list, they have to have a decent preparation as well. Rioli might play in the finals but he will have had a pretty poor lead into them.

 

[placebo]

Golly, we do love ridiculous hyperbole around here, don't we?

 

[tangolikelama]

If

 

[Jade]

Through all of this they have remained real contenders and favourites in many people's eyes. Amazing effort.

They're a bloody good side, and a win would be an admirable achievement - but greatest of all time? Geez..... wouldn't have thought so.

 

[dinger]

Golly, we do love ridiculous hyperbole around here, don't we?

Absolutely none of us love hyperbole and for you to even suggest it makes you as bad as Hitler.

 

[Roobs321]

It would be an achievement, no doubt, even defiantly heroic, but all flags are achievements. Get back to us when they have to play 'home' finals interstate and/or win from outside the top 4. Hell, they could even win the flag without leaving Melbourne, or having a vital player miss September!

 

[hoianbulldog]

I personally think if Hawthorn win the flag this year it will be the greatest effort of all time.

Can you step me through the 1927 and 1933 flags one more time.

 

[The GOAT]

It would be an achievement, no doubt, even defiantly heroic, but all flags are achievements. Get back to us when they have to play 'home' finals interstate and/or win from outside the top 4. Hell, they could even win the flag without leaving Melbourne, or having a vital player miss September!

Out of interest has a team won having to do this in recent times? The only time I remember it happening was Brisbane in 2004, and they lost the GF

 

[wallyt99]

I think our 2015 threepeat was a greater achievement.

 

[McOrist]

I personally think if Hawthorn win the flag this year it will be the greatest effort of all time. Amazing effort.

...BF language ''greatest of all time" = English translation "in the last couple of years".

 

[BloodRet]

Hahaha!