Preview Round 1: Hawthorn vs Geelong - Easter Monday MCG (3.20pm)

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Not really. I don't think Johnson will get up (last time he rushed to play is was disaster) and Clark is yet to play a H&A game. Bartel, Motlop and Stokes aren't small forwards they are midfielders. That leaves Hawkins who I'd expect to kick a few but not enough.

Bartel certainly spends more time up forward than in the midfield and i've certainly seen Stokes and Motlop rotate through the forward line.

 

[Brant]

They'd want to kick a bag cos that lot will add almost zero defensive pressure.

Spot on mate & that's the big & immediate difference I see if they line up like that.

 

[Roddy]

They'd want to kick a bag cos that lot will add almost zero defensive pressure.

Yep, compare that to the defensive pressure applied by Poppy, Rioli, Bruest, and even the big Rough seems to enjoy a chase and a bone crunching tackle. There is no comparison.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Reality this is just another game thats in Hawthorn's hands, will we defeat ourselves ? time will tell.

 

[Cynic]

Reality this is just another game thats in Hawthorn's hands, will we defeat ourselves ? time will tell.

Maybe but it'll tell Clarkson a lot either result about what needs to be done for the rest of the year.

 

[maijar]

Fitness is the only thing that can stop a resounding victory against this team of fading stars.

And going by the St Kilda match, the boys looked full of run.

Bring it on.

 

[cryptor]

Reality this is just another game thats in Hawthorn's hands, will we defeat ourselves ? time will tell.

A loss first up may not be the worst thing in the world anyway. Reality check for anyone on the list that might be getting ahead of themselves. Also identifies areas that need to be addressed now while it's early.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

A loss first up may not be the worst thing in the world anyway. Reality check for anyone on the list that might be getting ahead of themselves. Also identifies areas that need to be addressed now while it's early.

Id prefer to bank as many wins on the board as early as possible and cruise in the middle part of the year.

 

[Roddy]

A loss first up may not be the worst thing in the world anyway. Reality check for anyone on the list that might be getting ahead of themselves. Also identifies areas that need to be addressed now while it's early.

A couple of unexpected losses in the nab should do that...

 

[badgrill]

Back to football, anyone nervous about Geelong's forward line?

It could line up something like:

HF: Bartel - Hawkins - Motlop
FF: Stokes - Clark - S.Johnson

Pretty talented if they can get enough supply.

Only Motlop.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

 

[tige19]

Back to football, anyone nervous about Geelong's forward line?

It could line up something like:

HF: Bartel - Hawkins - Motlop
FF: Stokes - Clark - S.Johnson

Pretty talented if they can get enough supply.

Nup.

Full of front runners, mental cases and lazy campaigners.

 

[cryptor]

Id prefer to bank as many wins on the board as early as possible and cruise in the middle part of the year.

Of course, hate losing any game. Just saying that there's not nothing to be gained from a loss here.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Of course, hate losing any game. Just saying that there's not nothing to be gained from a loss here.

Well yeah they have beaten us on the 1st occasion in 2013 and 2014 and look how that ended

 

[Furn2]

Back to football, anyone nervous about Geelong's forward line?

It could line up something like:

HF: Bartel - Hawkins - Motlop
FF: Stokes - Clark - S.Johnson

Pretty talented if they can get enough supply.

Might take the odd grab and kick a few but that forward line is going to get murdered on the counter attack.

Where's the defensive pressure going to come from ? The only players with pace are very one way.

That's where we'll win game. Our forward is more dangerous and way more agile and commited defensively.

 

[Tuck In]

We will score more goals, win the contested possessions and tackles. IMHO, that says Hawks win but no Brownlow votes!

 

[driftyhunter]

We will score more goals, win the contested possessions and tackles. IMHO, that says Hawks win but no Brownlow votes!

All I know is that captain rubber legs will get plenty of arrrrrse free kicks and Bartel will dive

 

[Roughies Boys]

Based on what i've seen in the pre-season so far i'm expecting the following line-up:

FB: Stratton Lake Gibson
HB: Burgoyne Frawley Suckling
C: Hill Mitchell Smith
HF: Breust Roughead Hodge
FF: Puopolo Gunston Rioli

R: McEvoy Lewis Langford

I/C: Anderson Shiels Ceglar (O'Rourke sub)

This but Poppy to bench, Gunston to pocket, McEvoy to FF & Cegs Ruck

 

[Roughies Boys]

Shem Tatupu to debut?

 

[Brant]

Shem Tatupu to debut?

In 2016?

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Shem Tatupu to debut?

Put the bottle down, Moose.

 

[kidkenobi]

I like how posters state that the media says Motlop is better without actually quoting any sources. It's a very lazy way to win an argument, and not valid, because there aren't any.

• "He's a more rounded player than Cyril, so you could say he's a better player," one opposition coach said."

• "He's exciting and I think he is very much at the same level to what Cyril was, or maybe a touch ahead. If you put it in the context around the midfield then he is certainly ahead of Cyril at the moment." - Chris Johnson

• Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd was asked to compare the two stars on Channel 9's Footy Classified. "He (Motlop) has been far more consistent," he said. "Obviously Rioli has been around a lot longer, but in his short career Stevie Motlop finds more footy, kicks more goals and is more consistent."

I'm not saying these necessarily prove anything, just more to show that these discussions exist. I've also heard Garry Lyon criticise Rioli's output and you can find Hawk fans having said the same thing on these boards at various times.

Cyril has played some great football in great games, including the 2008 Grand Final: his tackle on 2 bigger players is one of the greatest things I've ever seen and is still raved about now.
That's a young player in his first year!

I'm not doubting that was a special moment, but that's different to dominating the entire match to the point of single-handedly influencing the result which is how his performance is often spoken about. It's not like he got any Norm Smith votes or anything.

Appreciate the response and you raise some valid points.

2 years age difference is not a lot, they should be at similar levels development wise, perhaps Motlop has a little extra to reach his ceiling but at 25 Cyril is the same. One could argue that Cyril has been able to consistently perform at a high level since he first came into the league, despite his set backs which hsve been constant and unrelenting the guys performance has barely dipped. Glass half full maybe? It's scary to think how good Cyril will be if we can just put these hammy issues behind us, he is young enough to do this but it needs to happen now.

Every single supporter will overrate their own players, it's habitual however when you analyse Cyril's game and look at what he brings to the table collectively it's quite brilliant. For example you can't possibly say that Motlops 16 touches a game is worth as much as Cyril's? Or what would you prefer, say a Cunningtons 22 or Cyril's 15? Not only the game breaking possesions but you also get his goals and his ridiculous pressure, to be fair you need to appreciate the manic confusion Cyril causes the opposition, it's one of a kind in the league, NOONE has the ability Cyril does defensively.

Listen, Cyril is a triple Preniership player, a top 40 ranked player by his peers ( even after his worst year on all fronts) and widely accepted as elite by supporters and media a like. Motlop needs to level up 2 times and add a few more weapons to his arsenal to be realistically compared to Cyril.

Hey, doesn't mean he's not s good player though, I just think Geelong supporters overrate him

I don't think Cyril needs to get 'better', he's clearly capable of performing at an elite level as well as a very exciting one, my view is just that he needs to increase his output to realistically live up to his hype, or alternatively, the hype around him needs to die down a little bit to be more in line with reality. He's a great tackler and sometimes just chasing a guy will effect the kick even if he doesn't lay a hand on them, but it's also not like he's averaging 20 tackles a game for that to be enough to make up for his relatively average disposal numbers. His defensive pressure in the last two years relative to other players in the same positions was rated by Champion Data as above-average and average only.

You might take 15 of Rioli's possessions ahead of Motlop's 15, but Motlop averaged 19.5 last season, what if he averages 25 this year and kicks more goals than Rioli as well like he did 2 years ago? At some point the weight of numbers takes its toll. I think Motlop still needs to take the next step but if injury free, I think he'll do that this year. I feel that the reason Hawk fans get so defensive of Rioli is because they know he doesn't quite do enough but they still love him as they well should. This isn't even an attack on Cyril, I really think if he didn't have dodgy hammies he would be top 5 in the league, it's more just a calling out of all the carry on that surrounds him!

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Seriously, you cat fans that want to come here and talk crap about Motlop being better or more consistent than Rioli because some footy commentator with the brain of goldfish told you so, take a ride.

You can keep that circle jerk to yor own board.

 

[hawk65]

Maybe when Scott made his "mission accomplished"comment, he was thinking forward to this game...

 

[tige19]

Maybe when Scott made his "mission accomplished"comment, he was thinking forward to this game...

That would have to have been one of the most bizzare and sooky/sour grapes comment I've ever seen, can you imagine Clarko doing that?

8 days to go and I still can't a reason why the cats will beat us.. Terrible clearance team and one paced defence, not sure how Rivers and Lonergan are going to handle Rough and Gunston as well as either Hale/Big boy or Ceg. Taylor will have to be accountable! Who will go to Cyril and Breust? Bews lol?

Forward line is great in the air but God help them when it hits the deck. I don't think they have one player with an inkling of pace? Bartel/Clark/Hawkins are pedestrian and Stokes is hardly nippy, who down there for the Cats will apply the manic pressure required to stop us cutting through them like surgeons?

Will be close for the most part but we will kick away.

 

[Procrastinator35]

Cats board is pretty positive....Their all up and about talking up their chances....Apparently a bloke called Bews is going to conquer Cyril into submission

Is it just me....Or do Cats fans have some kind of Cyril fetish or sumfin....they just can't stop talking about him....It's almost as if, they wish they were him

End the Cyril obsession guys....Or seek counselling elsewhere!