Preview Round 3, 2024: Hawthorn v Geelong, 1st April 3:20pm MCG

[kirbatron]

This board is quite funny.
2021 - we need a full rebuild. Too many old players. Play the kids and go to the draft
2022-23 development years
Round 2, 2024 - these kids suck

Going to the draft is not always the silver bullet many assume. It's a sum of parts that very few clubs get right.

TIME FOR KID.

NOT CURRENT KID.

NEW KID.

 

[Sixpence]

I think, based on the current form, they would beat us. Quite easily, as well. Hopefully, we can turn things around before round 6.

What current form? They got smashed by GWS and, again, gave up a 60 point turnaround to Freo. We should have beaten Bombers if it wasn't for our poor goal kicking and despite Melbourne's midfield dominance, still kept them under 100 points. How exactly would North "quite easily" beat us?

 

[hawkman]

I think, based on the current form, they would beat us. Quite easily, as well. Hopefully, we can turn things around before round 6.

We should have beaten Essendon but for poor goal kicking. North also could have lost by 70-80 against GWS again but for goal kicking

Over 2 games we have had 3 more scoring shots and conceded 18 less than North.

 

[HedgeFund]

Pose the question. Are our centre square mids purely out of form, or are they trying to implement a coaching tactic with their set-up that they can not get right?

A lot of blame (warranted) on the players. Not much on midfield coach and senior coach.

Surely one of the great midfielders (Sam) can see after 2 CB clearances what is wrong and not working, and then look to change it up within 5 minutes. Regardless of who is in there!

Or is he trying (stubbornly) to run a new tactic that isn't working at the moment, but sticking with it, no matter how badly it going with the hope they can get it right.

This week will be a close watch.

Did I read somewhere about some angst in the coach's box between Sam and Hickmott? mmm.

You are presuming that a player who played in a midfield that got it right a hell of a lot of the time would be able to solve the problems of a midfield that’s getting it wrong for a few bounces.

1. We can’t send messages out whenever we want any more;

2. Just because it’s identified on a Monday by football analysts in a post mortem doesn’t mean it was easily identifiable “in the run”

3. Even if it was obvious in the day, maybe Sam isn’t the type of coach who can appreciate how to react / adjust - due partly to inexperience as a coach, but also playing in a team which regularly had things go its way and didn’t often have to adjust.

 

[ahhhhhh]

What current form? They got smashed by GWS and, again, gave up a 60 point turnaround to Freo. We should have beaten Bombers if it wasn't for our poor goal kicking and despite Melbourne's midfield dominance, still kept them under 100 points. How exactly would North "quite easily" beat us?

You're speaking in hypotheticals as am I. Unfortunately, I've watched all 4 games in question and I believe their form line is stronger than ours.

 

[LRobbo]

Can we stop comparing ourselves to the tin rattlers from Arden st.
All the help in the world and are still rubbish and will continue to be.

Geez I hope we wreck fat boy Hawkins 350th this week.

 

[TassieGrown]

Can we stop comparing ourselves to the tin rattlers from Arden st.
All the help in the world and are still rubbish and will continue to be.

Geez I hope we wreck fat boy Hawkins 350th this week.

Tin rattlers is old school, Shinbeggars moving forward please

 

[Mercy Seat]

Take a look at our 2021 list. We’ve done incredibly well not to end up like North or West coast considering we’ve turned over more than half our list since then.

We wouldn’t have 22 players to field a side that have been on the list more than 3 years and that includes Gunston, Bruest and Wingard who only have 1-2 seasons left. We need some perspective here- it’s tough but the rebuild will take time and we’re on the right track…

We’ve turned over more than 40 players since the end of 2020. It’s an insanely high turnover and we’ve done really well to build a young competitive list and maintain a culture in such a short period.

 

[Faraway Hawk]

Last week it was Lever and May and this week its Hawkins and Cameron. Even if Philips is given a cap imagine being given the option to pick one of those two to defend against.

The midfield will need to be accountable so the ball doesn't come back that often.

 

[Newmo89]

Fascinated to see what we do this week in regards to Hawkins, Cameron, Henry and Dempsey.
You would think the Easy comes in for a game against Hawkins due to his height and size - otherwise you have Frost playing on Hawkins and Scrimshaw on Cameron.
During the pre season, before Blanck went down with his injury, the backline had 2 key defenders, Sicily, Scrimshaw, Weddle, Amon and Impey. If we trained that structure for a while, you imagine we give it a shot at some stage.

 

[toomanysquibs]

TIME FOR KID.

NOT CURRENT KID.

NEW KID.

Playing on loop in here alongside this one:

Our midfield the best!

Day injured, bring in kid!

Midfield crap AND kids crap!!

 

[Matty411]

If I were you, now would be the time I'd throw Croc into the midfield rotation even for 30-40% of the game. Elite in close and offers a different dynamic. You're well covered up forward now so why TH not.

 

[Suntory Boss Coffee]

If I were you, now would be the time I'd throw Croc into the midfield rotation even for 30-40% of the game. Elite in close and offers a different dynamic. You're well covered up forward now so why TH not.

Disagree. Croc has had a few runs in the middle this year and doesn't pay enough credit to opposition. In the last quarter when he was in there he was giving Petracca way too much room and was often caught offensive side.

 

[TylerDurden]

If I were you, now would be the time I'd throw Croc into the midfield rotation even for 30-40% of the game. Elite in close and offers a different dynamic. You're well covered up forward now so why TH not.

He's horrendous with centre bounce positioning at present. But I agree, it's only a matter of time.

 

[TheFourPillars]

Pose the question. Are our centre square mids purely out of form, or are they trying to implement a coaching tactic with their set-up that they can not get right?

A lot of blame (warranted) on the players. Not much on midfield coach and senior coach.

Surely one of the great midfielders (Sam) can see after 2 CB clearances what is wrong and not working, and then look to change it up within 5 minutes. Regardless of who is in there!

Or is he trying (stubbornly) to run a new tactic that isn't working at the moment, but sticking with it, no matter how badly it going with the hope they can get it right.

This week will be a close watch.

Did I read somewhere about some angst in the coach's box between Sam and Hickmott? mmm.

This was probably to do with playing Dimma forward nothing to do with the mids

 

[unitedhawk]

Was actually amazing to see a forward on the lead inside our 50 for the first time in 4 years.
Amazing what that dies for delivery

Hickmott is coaching forwards this year.

He was coaching contests (and midfield?) last year.

Trend or coincidence?

 

[Strattonsphere]

He's horrendous with centre bounce positioning at present. But I agree, it's only a matter of time.

TBF our centre bounce positioning couldn't get any worse anyway

On Pixel 7 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Dipper Here]

We’ve turned over more than 40 players since the end of 2020. It’s an insanely high turnover and we’ve done really well to build a young competitive list and maintain a culture in such a short period.

The turnover even from the end of 2021 is also pretty crazy, as evidenced by the PCM 2021 results and those voted.
17 of the 35 who polled below no longer in the brown and gold.

Tom MITCHELL	161
Blake HARDWICK	126
Jaeger O’MEARA	121
Dylan MOORE	101
Chad WINGARD	100
Sam FROST	95
Daniel HOWE	83
Changkuoth JIATH	79
James WORPEL	74
Liam SHIELS	74
Luke BREUST	73
Jack SCRIMSHAW	70
Kyle HARTIGAN	69
Ben McEVOY	67
Jacob KOSCHITZKE	63
Jonathon CEGLAR	57
Jarman IMPEY	54
Tom PHILLIPS	48
Mitchell LEWIS	47
Tim O’BRIEN	45
Harry MORRISON	42
Shaun BURGOYNE	41
Lachlan BRAMBLE	41
Will DAY	30
Conor NASH	22
Tyler BROCKMAN	19
James COUSINS	17
Oliver HANRAHAN*	13
Jai NEWCOMBE	12
Denver GRAINGER-BARRAS	10
Damon GREAVES*	9
Ned REEVES*	8
Michael HARTLEY	7
Joshua MORRIS	1
Finn MAGINNESS	1

Votes for the 2021 Peter Crimmins Medal were awarded by four groups after each home-and-away match; Senior Coach Alastair Clarkson, Assistant Coach Brendon Bolton, Assistant Coach Chris Newman and Assistant Coach Craig McRae.

 

[RoughysMullet]

If I were you, now would be the time I'd throw Croc into the midfield rotation even for 30-40% of the game. Elite in close and offers a different dynamic. You're well covered up forward now so why TH not.

They threw Croc in the middle against Melbourne - his positioning at the centre bounces was shocking- got sucked into the contest repeatedly and we got burned out the back horribly… he’ll learn from it though he wasnt the only one…

 

[Newmo89]

They threw Croc in the middle against Melbourne - his positioning at the centre bounces was shocking- got sucked into the contest repeatedly and we got burned out the back horribly… he’ll learn from it though he wasnt the only one…

Two weeks in a row it has happened where he has been played as the midfielder defensive side. Both weeks he has pushed in but not been able to impact the contest. Petracca got it and kicked to Fritsch last week, while the weekend before Gresham's goal to seal that game was almost a carbon copy from Croc.

 

[barbster]

I like the fact the media is on Sam and the coaching panels back, as now they have to come out and show what they have. So I am expecting an unlikely win or at least getting close to it, another lacklustre performance will have us questioning if we do have the right coaches to lead us to where we want to go.

 

[RoughysMullet]

Two weeks in a row it has happened where he has been played as the midfielder defensive side. Both weeks he has pushed in but not been able to impact the contest. Petracca got it and kicked to Fritsch last week, while the weekend before Gresham's goal to seal that game was almost a carbon copy from Croc.

Surely if anyone can coach bad habits in the centre bounces out of them it’s Sam Mitchell - he’s one of the greatest clearance players of all time!

 

[kirbatron]

we'll win this

 

[SpanishBrowne]

we'll win this

Des?

 

[Franko Armani]

What current form? They got smashed by GWS and, again, gave up a 60 point turnaround to Freo. We should have beaten Bombers if it wasn't for our poor goal kicking and despite Melbourne's midfield dominance, still kept them under 100 points. How exactly would North "quite easily" beat us?

Only a few weeks until we find out I guess.