Opinion How far will Hawthorn go in 2014?

[Stranglers]

Don't feel confident against the Cats for some reason. I have a feeling that game might not go as planned; if that happens I could see us going down in a Prelim.

I take heart in the fact that I felt the same way about the QF last year too!

 

[Taskmaster]

Don't feel confident against the Cats for some reason. I have a feeling that game might not go as planned; if that happens I could see us going down in a Prelim.

I take heart in the fact that I felt the same way about the QF last year too!

Im the same. I dont know why?? If we lose fri night, I rekon its curtains. We then have to play a prelim interstate and cant see it happening.

But look forward to being proven wrong on Fri night!!

 

[Ned Ryerson]

I'm feeling confident - which is odd for me. If we are fit and bring our A game (think first half vs Freo round 3) then I think we are close to unstoppable. I think the entire season, with all it threw at us, is hopefully building to us playing 12 quarters of that style of footy. If we're consistent - we'll be champions.

 

[Sirlemsip]

Well rested Hodge and Hill will go a long way to winning this game.

For me the only real concern is Stevie J. He is also coming off a couple of weeks 'rest'. If he has fully recovered from his injury and has a typical freak game (30 touches and 3 goals) then the Cats will win. Otherwise I think we have them this time.

 

[Off The Couch]

I wonder if the "stokes testing hodges ribs" will be tried on SJ's foot

 

[Roddy]

I wonder if the "stokes testing hodges ribs" will be tried on SJ's foot

Na, SJ will go sooking like a crybaby directly to his mummy...ooops I mean the umpies. And they will listen, he'll get frees in front of goal, and they'll probably swing a few extra ones to Duckwood too, just for good measure.

 

[Off The Couch]

Na, SJ will go sooking like a crybaby directly to his mummy...ooops I mean the umpies. And they will listen, he'll get frees in front of goal, and they'll probably swing a few extra ones to Duckwood too, just for good measure.

So you don't think they will test lake

 

[Skyfire15]

Our defence has been unsettled with injuries and players coming and going all year, notably Gibbo, Lake & Stratts. Timing is everything and luckily they've all had at least a month or so back in the 22, to re find touch and form.. If those three, in particular can re-find the 2013 mojo between each other and re-gel into a pretty cohesive unit along side the likes of Birch, Hodge, Duryea/Suckers & Burgers, I don't think there's a side that can kick a winning score against us, including the Cola Duo for the $wan$.

 

[Wandering Hawk]

I'm worried with our form and injuries. No Rioli, Hill poor form or out, Lake questionable, Gibson one armed, one legged forward.

Think we'll beat the cats but there's still the nerves.

Wish litherland was in. Feel confident with him.

 

[Wandering Hawk]

Hoping that we beat cats, freo beats syds, rich beats pa, epic clash between Rich and Sydney.

? I've got it the right way round, yes? 1v4 loser plays 5v8 winner, right?

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

All up for grabs. Sydney should be favourites but we're in the next bunch and anything can happen.

 

[Ordovician]

Why should they be favourites?

They are only minor premiers because they were GIFTED top spot with the softest draw of any top six side!

Even then they were only able to hold out the Hawks by a mere 2% after the most savage injury riven season that I can ever remember a top four finisher ever having!

They had only two games against other top 6 finishers (Hawks and Port) whereas all of the other top six side, bar the blues who were fraudulent top six finishers anyway, had the full three games against the other top six sides served up in their draw.

So why were the AFL frauds granted this boost?

TV rights and new market penetration perhaps?

And then to top it of the AFL's own gimp brigade played Freo at home, Cats at home, Pies at home, North at home, and even the blues as well! (leaving nothing to chance with that one , just why did they bother?)

Their single meeting away games were against the: crows, dees, lions, GCS, and eagles. So many hard road trips there, just where does one begin?

Just to make sure of the home victories they got the enormous bonus of getting to play the hawks at home after three consecutive 6 day breaks (and history shows it is almost impossible to win the third game it has happened once in 11 attempts!)) and the cats at home after two consecutive 6 days breaks.

So FECK their favouritism!

They are only the favourites of the ignorant opinionated buffoons of the fourth estate who are just too fecking lazy to perform any sort of analysis of the AFL bumboy's season and what they have really achieved, what so ever.

 

[Off The Couch]

You must of been glad to get that off your chest ordivician
Very well said

 

[Jiggystoon]

Win on Friday and it will see us playing a home prelim against the Dockers (assuming that Sydney beat them in the Qualifying Final and they win their home semi against either Richmond or Port), if someone had come to me a couple of months back and offered up a home prelim against the Dockers I would have snapped their hands off, Freo are a good side and I am not one to get carried away but imo our footy beats their footy on the G.

Basically we must must must win Friday night, do so and we SHOULD get to a third straight GF and a chance at back to back flags. Fail to do so and we will be still alive but it will be a huge ask to get to the big dance let alone win it

 

[play2win]

it is important to win this friday and i think we will. however if we didn't i still think we can go all the way. given the depth we have, managed accordingly over the next month (and assuming the odd player goes down) we would still be fielding a very strong team if we were to make the gf through the other half of the draw.

 

[Brishawk]

Why should they be favourites?

They are only minor premiers because they were GIFTED top spot with the softest draw of any top six side!

Even then they were only able to hold out the Hawks by a mere 2% after the most savage injury riven season that I can ever remember a top four finisher ever having!

They had only two games against other top 6 finishers (Hawks and Port) whereas all of the other top six side, bar the blues who were fraudulent top six finishers anyway, had the full three games against the other top six sides served up in their draw.

So why were the AFL frauds granted this boost?

TV rights and new market penetration perhaps?

And then to top it of the AFL's own gimp brigade played Freo at home, Cats at home, Pies at home, North at home, and even the blues as well! (leaving nothing to chance with that one , just why did they bother?)

Their single meeting away games were against the: crows, dees, lions, GCS, and eagles. So many hard road trips there, just where does one begin?

Just to make sure of the home victories they got the enormous bonus of getting to play the hawks at home after three consecutive 6 day breaks (and history shows it is almost impossible to win the third game it has happened once in 11 attempts!)) and the cats at home after two consecutive 6 days breaks.

So FECK their favouritism!

They are only the favourites of the ignorant opinionated buffoons of the fourth estate who are just too fecking lazy to perform any sort of analysis of the AFL bumboy's season and what they have really achieved, what so ever.

You left out the bit where they have about $2 million additional salary cap space to facilitate the acquisition of star players from other clubs. Otherwise I think you nailed it

 

[Gralin]

If we win Friday there is a good chance we come up against the Swans in the GF, getting the chocolates would be even sweeter if we beat them for the cup

 

[Thaihawk]

If we win Friday there is a good chance we come up against the Swans in the GF, getting the chocolates would be even sweeter if we beat them for the cup

This would be the most wonderful victory ever. Losing would spice up my suicidal juices.

 

[MrFujiMoto]

Why should they be favourites?

They are only minor premiers because they were GIFTED top spot with the softest draw of any top six side!

Even then they were only able to hold out the Hawks by a mere 2% after the most savage injury riven season that I can ever remember a top four finisher ever having!

They had only two games against other top 6 finishers (Hawks and Port) whereas all of the other top six side, bar the blues who were fraudulent top six finishers anyway, had the full three games against the other top six sides served up in their draw.

So why were the AFL frauds granted this boost?

TV rights and new market penetration perhaps?

And then to top it of the AFL's own gimp brigade played Freo at home, Cats at home, Pies at home, North at home, and even the blues as well! (leaving nothing to chance with that one , just why did they bother?)

Their single meeting away games were against the: crows, dees, lions, GCS, and eagles. So many hard road trips there, just where does one begin?

Just to make sure of the home victories they got the enormous bonus of getting to play the hawks at home after three consecutive 6 day breaks (and history shows it is almost impossible to win the third game it has happened once in 11 attempts!)) and the cats at home after two consecutive 6 days breaks.

So FECK their favouritism!

They are only the favourites of the ignorant opinionated buffoons of the fourth estate who are just too fecking lazy to perform any sort of analysis of the AFL bumboy's season and what they have really achieved, what so ever.

I agree with all of what he said. Problem is that as well as giving them top spot, all of these advantages also make sure they are cherry ripe for September action. The thing I see with all the challengers, except maybe the Cats, is that they are 1 or 2 injuries from being cactus. The Swans were terrible without Hannebury and Kennedy on the sidelines. Their draw helped them greatly during this time. Conversely we played top 6 sides with 3 or more top 10 players out (Sydney / Port / North). Freo lost Michael Johnson and, as much as Lyon says they are prepared for it, they are far less capable of covering it. We have the coverage for everyone except Rough... he goes down and we will struggle (as we did against the Dockers) as he straightens us up big time. Swans probably have 3 or 4 players that will heavily impact them if they go down. Freo have about 5. The Cats are vulnerable at each end of the ground if they lose someone (Taylor / Lonergan / Hawkins) but are covered through the middle pretty well.

We are the only challenger that has been heavily tested with top 10 players missing and we have found we have the cover. That will be important in September as it makes us less vulnerable and more flexible.

 

[onthemoney]

I put beaten in the GF only because they're bloody hard to win and I was feeling slightly pessimistic at the time.

Here's a tantalizing scenario... Sydney get rolled this week in a scrappy and tiring nail biter by Freo, Port have a cruisy win against the Tiges and then run over a tiring Swans outfit the following week. Cola out in straight sets would have me as happy as a pig in mud.

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

All the way with LBJ, err I mean, Clarko and Hodgey

Thought we could go B2B at the beginning of the year and still do, notwithstanding all the obstacles we have had to contend with this season. Have to win Friday night though (and we will).