Hawthorn 2015

[crownie]

they have a nice advantage as making the grand final will most likely see them play a interstate team, atm it looks like Port is the only team that has a chance.

Can a vic side improve enough to make it? maybe only North if everything goes their way.

 

[Pessimistic]

Next year will be extremely difficult for them they have a Hungry Port Adelaide team and a Sydney Swans team who will no doubt want to make amends for their humiliating 2014 grand final loss. But If the Hawks can win it all again in 2015 then they would have to be considered the greatest team of the last decade(edging past Geelong).

Not sold on the sydney redemption thing, good team but another reason for the humiliation was quite a few holes they have. Other clubs might also exploit those. When sydney did get the ballin the grand final, their execution to score a fw goals was still quite good. In fact the scoreline flattered them a bit.

Hawks main hole was if they lost lake for important game against good opposition. Frawley is cover for that, eventhought his usefulness to a top team is still unproven

Also smart teams know you dont need to win every game often by ten goals, more important to hit the finals in good shape.

 

[TazHawk15]

2015 could be 2009 all over again for the Hawks.

2014 could also have been 2009 all over again.

Maybe 2015 will be 2014 all over again.

 

[Crankyhawk]

Yes. What, am I supposed to tell you that the back-to-back premiers, who I watched comprehensively dismantle Geelong twice this year, are a bunch of spuds? I watched plenty of Sydney and Hawthorn games this season, and the Hawks just seem to have a more even spread of talented players in contrast to Sydney, who I think, on paper, have holes in their side. It's interesting that the policy in the media was to hype Sydney up so much, emphasizing the talented players they have, rather than questioning whether some of their weaker players may perhaps be exposed against some of the very good players Hawthorn boasted.

For Sydney I think that those bottom 6 during the season played fairly well. But they weren't put to hard pressure until the grand final. They will be less vulnerable next year.

 

[Jammer]

Their on ball brigade is under rated...
Completed dismantled the swans in the guts....
Hill and smith are A grade .

Personally of all teams going into 2015
They and a half length behind them port
Have the best lists.

Name one spud in their best 22?

 

[PowerForGood]

Premier is favorite the following year.
Of course.

 

[dipper86]

2015 could be 2009 all over again for the Hawks.

Yep I agree, just like 2014 was 2009 all over again.

 

[JeddaB]

Can I have the lotto numbers please?

 

[iameviljez]

Will anyone stop this football club in 2015? Their list is formidable. They are not only strong in every position on the field, they have players that are more than capable on the sidelines who are ready to make an impact. Again, they've recruited better than most clubs this off-season without having access to top draft picks. They really are the benchmark of the competition and in my opinion will be invincible in 2015.

My question to you all is, can this football side go undefeated throughout the whole 2015 season? It's a scary thought, but after looking at their list from top to bottom, it is not unreasonable to suggest they will.

Do you remember that they went into the GF as underdogs?

 

[lmach]

Will be a Hawthorn v Sydney GF again.

 

[Jtree]

Port just missed out on the GF by less than a kick ... They were sensational throughout most of the year and all the pieces are really starting to come together now. They will perform very strongly in 2015. Sydney could go either way after the GF loss... But I'm backing them to rise to the challenge. Freo hasn't shown enough for me to rate them as improvers in '15... Geelongs trading strategy could go either way too....

So I'll be boring as batsh1t and predict one of either Hawthorn, Port or Sydney.

 

[Rainfall]

Hawks for 3 in a row then Port to topple them in 2016

port to do in 2015 what Hawks did to us in 2008; then gcs do the same to you in 2016.

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Draw and injuries will determine how we go.

Hopefully a top four finish and then we are ready for Hodge-time.

Expect Port and Sydney to be in the mix. Surprised Freo were not more active in trade time. Their window is slowly shutting and they're not doing anything about it.

 

[joop]

You can't win a marathon by sprinting the whole way.

I'd say if you sprinted the whole way in a marathon you'd win quite easily

 

[Young Gun #6]

Key defenders in the mix: Lake, Gibson, Frawley, Spangher, Schoenmakers
Medium/smalls: Birchall, Stratton, Hodge, Burgoyne, Mitchell, Duryea, Suckling, Litherland

Not sure what our best back 6 is as we change things up all the time, but for arguments sake let's say

Gibson, Lake, Stratton
Birchall, Frawley, Hodge

Not many better backlines than that.

Does Hodge play THAT much in the backline though? He had far less rebound 50's than Isaac Smith. I'd replace him with Burgoyne in that HBF role. I know he can play there but i would think he'd lucky to spend more than 50% of the game in defense.

Birchall and Suckling provide great rebound out of 50 and have elite kicks.

Stratton can play on smalls and talls and does a good job at it.

Lake can be a good player and was exceptional in 2013 but did show signs of his age and inconsistencies last year.

Gibson is the best 3rd man up/spoiler in the league but can be exposed 1 v 1 on the talls if it comes in quick.

I personally think Frawley is one of the most overrated players in the league but DEFINITELY an upgrade on Spangher.


With Richards getting older and Malceski moving on i think Sydney have given up the mantle of having the best defense in the league to Essendon

Baguely Hooker Fletcher
Hibberd Hurley/Carlisle Myers

or in a year or two to Port

Trengrove Carlile Jonas
Broadbent Hombsch Pittard/O'Shea

 

[Nallad]

Do you remember that they went into the GF as underdogs?

Do you remember they won by 11 goals?

 

[JimmyBeerCans]

They keep the hunger up they will there when it matters again

 

[Young Gun #6]

Points Allowed per opposition inside 50:

Sydney 1.26
North Melbourne 1.35
Freo 1.44
Port 1.47
Hawthorn 1.49
Essendon 1.58
Geelong 1.56
Richmond 1.57
West Coast 1.65
Adelaide 1.66
Collingwood 1.69
Gold Coast 1.69
Melbourne 1.71
Carlton 1.80
Brisbane 1.86
GWS 1.89
Bulldogs 1.95
Saints 2.05


Sydney Lose Malceski and Shaw and Richards are aging.
North lose no one.
Johnson and Mcpharlin age for Freo.
Port lose no one, gain young players getting more experience.
Hawthorn add Frawley, lose no one.
Essendon have fletcher aging badly.
Geelong have lonergan, enright, mackie, kelly aging and add no one.
Richmond have Newman aging/retiring? add no one.
West Coast have Hurn aging.

Points to the top defenses next year possibly being North, Swans (1.26 is so low), Hawks and Port.

 

[iameviljez]

Do you remember they won by 11 goals?

Yes, which implies that they had a good season but a brilliant Grand Final - which is superb for winning flags, but not so good for going through a season undefeated. They're very much (and this is a compliment) a September team.

 

[Mogwai]

Sydney Lose Malceski and Shaw and Richards are aging.
North lose no one.
Johnson and Mcpharlin age for Freo.
Port lose no one, gain young players getting more experience.
Hawthorn add Frawley, lose no one.
Essendon have fletcher aging badly.
Geelong have lonergan, enright, mackie, kelly aging and add no one.
Richmond have Newman aging/retiring? add no one.
West Coast have Hurn aging.

Points to the top defenses next year possibly being North, Swans (1.26 is so low), Hawks and Port.

HBF are the easiest position to cover Imo. Just need adequate pace and a 50+ kick. Sydney and Richmond should be alright.

 

[Young Gun #6]

HBF are the easiest position to cover Imo. Just need adequate pace and a 50+ kick. Sydney and Richmond should be alright.

Richmond yes, but i rate Malceski as the BEST in the league so it's easy to replace but far out Malceski just seems to hit a team mate lace out EVERY kick.

 

[Nallad]

Yes, which implies that they had a good season but a brilliant Grand Final - which is superb for winning flags, but not so good for going through a season undefeated. They're very much (and this is a compliment) a September team.

You do realise they were without their coach and key players for a large portion of the season? They've recruited strongly and will have players coming back from injury with full pre-seasons behind them next year. Sydney have not strengthened their side and will be depleted of confidence. I rate Port Adelaide a chance, but I think everyone is forgetting their drop of form half way through the season. They're only young and I think will win it eventually but I just think 2015 will be all brown and gold.

 

[iameviljez]

You do realise they were without their coach and key players for a large portion of the season? They've recruited strongly and will have players coming back from injury with full pre-seasons behind them next year. Sydney have not strengthened their side and will be depleted of confidence. I rate Port Adelaide a chance, but I think everyone is forgetting their drop of form half way through the season. They're only young and I think will win it eventually but I just think 2015 will be all brown and gold.

Whilst Sydney haven't added to their team, their best players - Kennedy, Hannebury (sp?), Franklin, Tippett, Parker, Jack - are still either in their prime or at an age where they will improve. Hawthorn were a long way from going undefeated this year, a few of their prime movers are entering the last years of their careers and will suffer injuries like every club. Premiership contention, sure, but a whitewash of the season won't happen.

 

[westhawk]

Undefeated surely you jest. Their midfield is their weakest link by far and that's where they'll get exposed by fast teams

Everyone keeps saying this, but it still hasn't happened.

 

[tige19]

Undefeated surely you jest. Their midfield is their weakest link by far and that's where they'll get exposed by fast teams

Yep you're spot on, happens regularly right? I mean Hill, Smith, Hartung are slow? Th misconception that we are slow is one of the reasons we dismantle sides, Essendon included.

If you haven't noticed, kicking the ball gains you more distance than running. Fast moving and pin point kicking game will defeat a team full of leg speed, If we haven't already proven it multiple times as it is we shall do it again in 2015.