Preview Round 1: Hawthorne vs Essendon, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Sunday 19th March @ 3.20pm

[Runk]

Tigers, Blues and Pies fans at work have been giving me s**t all week about this new season and I swear if we don’t lose by six goals or under I’m gonna be so mad

 

[Bombers36]

I think we will get home in a close game.
Sure we have 2MP out who averaged 2.4 goals a game in 2022- but they are missing Mitch Lewis who averaged 2.5 goals a game in 2022...
They also have lost a lot more good players from 2022 than us. Hawks wont have: Lewis, Jaeger O’Mera, Tom Mitchell & Gunston
We are missing no one of note from our 2022 team (besides 2MP)
I think our class around the ball should get us home - Parish, Setterfield & Merrett are better than Maginness, Newcombe & Worpel and this is where we have the edge
Comon Bombers!

 

[Bombers36]

I think we will get home in a close game.
Sure we have 2MP out who averaged 2.4 goals a game in 2022- but they are missing Mitch Lewis who averaged 2.5 goals a game in 2022...
They also have lost a lot more good players from 2022 than us. Hawks wont have: Lewis, Jaeger O’Mera, Tom Mitchell & Gunston
We are missing no one of note from our 2022 team (besides 2MP)
I think our class around the ball should get us home - Parish, Setterfield & Merrett are better than Maginness, Newcombe & Worpel and this is where we have the edge
Comon Bombers!

 

[MiguelM]

I think we will get home in a close game.
Sure we have 2MP out who averaged 2.4 goals a game in 2022- but they are missing Mitch Lewis who averaged 2.5 goals a game in 2022...
They also have lost a lot more good players from 2022 than us. Hawks wont have: Lewis, Jaeger O’Mera, Tom Mitchell & Gunston
We are missing no one of note from our 2022 team (besides 2MP)
I think our class around the ball should get us home - Parish, Setterfield & Merrett are better than Maginness, Newcombe & Worpel and this is where we have the edge
Comon Bombers!

You have said it twice, I am convinced!!

 

[MiguelM]

Any idea when the final teams are locked in?

 

[MiguelM]

I think we will get home in a close game.
Sure we have 2MP out who averaged 2.4 goals a game in 2022- but they are missing Mitch Lewis who averaged 2.5 goals a game in 2022...
They also have lost a lot more good players from 2022 than us. Hawks wont have: Lewis, Jaeger O’Mera, Tom Mitchell & Gunston
We are missing no one of note from our 2022 team (besides 2MP)
I think our class around the ball should get us home - Parish, Setterfield & Merrett are better than Maginness, Newcombe & Worpel and this is where we have the edge
Comon Bombers!

Our midfield has way more experience and as you say should have the edge there. Very interested to see how setterfield can free up Merrett, Parish.

Forward pressure should be much improved which should put us in good stead. The addition of Weideman could be a masterstroke in light of 2MP going down. Time for Jones to really shine if he has it in him.

Go Bombers!

 

[Don Won]

Any idea when the final teams are locked in?

they were locked in on Friday 5pm. Subs and any last min changes 60 mins prior

 

[MiguelM]

they were locked in on Friday 5pm. Subs and any last min changes 60 mins prior

Yeah, final teams is what I meant incl sub etc.

 

[Chief Hopper]

My heart says Essendon will win this comfortably.
My head says we will see Jones and Weideman get multiple set shots at goal and kick a bunch of points.

 

[BrunoV]

My prediction is the Hawks are going to make this a line in the sand game so it will be interesting to see how well we stand up to a physical game.

I agree something is brewing.

My prediction is it will be one of those wild swing games. I think they'll jump us and that we'll pull it back, whether that is successful I don't know.

My read on the Hawks is that they have maintained heavier training loads through the practice matches. They looked sluggish, even during a pretty solid performance against the Pies. Players like CJ and Maginness were not running on top of the ground (and they are top 5% runners in the comp).

That equates to a massive early kick.

I look at Hawthorn and West Coast and think they are far too pragmatic and good and bouncing up the ladder (particularly West Coast which yo-yos continually) that they're almost looking forward to the excuse to tank for Reid. I don't believe anyone writes the year off before round 1. So they're really hard teams to read generally.

I can see the Hawks throwing the kitchen sink at today and then having a quiet month before another throwing on Easter Monday.

To the extent it is in his control I don't think Mitchell's ego let's him just tank. He'll need to be able to satisfy the competitive urge somehow. I don't believe anyone write the season off, in terms or results this early, certainly not before round 5.

 

[VelvetSledge]

We're back for another year of punishment.

Let's take it over here for the first game day thread of 2023.

Game Day - Round 1: Hawthorn v Essendon, MCG, Sunday March 19 2023 - 3.20PM

HAWTHORN HAWKS The Hawkes have entered 2023 as the red hot favourite for the wooden spoon, which isn't at all surprising when you see the shape of their list. Young, full of promise, but so lacking in experience that you'd be shocked to see many results coming their way this season. That being...

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