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

[Strebi3]

We win this. Similar to a few years back when the Saints belted us and then a week later we came out a different side and won on Easter Monday. Players like Newcombe I don’t trust to be in a form slump for very long… we don’t play pretty but we have the quality to win this one

 

[Franko Armani]

Let’s not get too disheartened if we continue to get beaten in the next few rounds. It’s tough but t try and look for the improvement in our youngest guys in the 22 - Wiz, Croc, Mackenzie, Weddle, Ambrosio, ward, Ginnivan, Moore, Phillips, Hustwaite, Newcombe. Hopefully we see some good signs this week and for the next few games though I do notice a distinct lack of KPP amongst that group named. Geelong are better than us, by quite a lot - fact. If we do happen to get up against them then ****** ey!

 

[Viddiot]

For the Cats to get beaten by us at this time would be a total embarrassment for them. Make it happen! LOLOL.

 

[Ram-Man]

What Dipper did on that day in 1989 was super human.

 

[RoughysMullet]

What Dipper did on that day in 1989 was super human.

Geez didn’t Ablett belt him for getting into his space- just lined up his ribs and went straight through them at full pace

 

[hawkman]

What Dipper did on that day in 1989 was super human.

How soft was May on the weekend compared to that

 

[Alite]

Would personally be trying not to kick the ball to Stewart… Unless you are insinuating Chol gives him the Steven May treatment…

I am saying Stewart is awesome! and a linchpin of Geelong’s defence. Avoiding him will work if the Hawk’s ball carrier has space. The kick to the top of the centre square is great as it opens up the entire fwd line and nullifies the reading of the play.
But if it is a kick to a contest, make Stewart stand under a high ball and have a Hawks fwd come over the top. Chol has a huge leap … we should use that. And if Chol does not mark it, we have the small fwds that can clean up.

 

[Alite]

Melbourne probably are the best team in the AFL when it comes to defensive structure. It was worth trying something. I did like Buckley's summation - Hawthorn are "trying to work out how to take the next step"

Hawthorn's more immediate problem is how easily they are getting beaten in centre clearances. This is from Fox Footy;

View attachment 1939875

Essendon scored 41 more from clearances and won by 24 points.

Melbourne scored 52 more from clearances and won by 55 points.

Hawthorn were not going to win the Melbourne game but the smashing in the middle in the Essendon game was clearly the difference (+bad kicking for goal).

Midfield has to be tidied up.

The one area of the field in which I felt confident the Hawks would do well this year was the centre. Yet Not.

It is not yet time to throw the baby out with the bath water but sheesh, the bath water is starting to stink.

I do not see a natural match up for our awesome stopper in Finn and so HH seems the right IN.

I would not mind seeing a Meek vs Stanley/Blitz matchup. Let Reeves dominate in the VFL for a game … hopefully around the ground as well as in the ruck.

Geelong are not the right team for which to play Phillips. They don’t bomb long often.

 

[toomanysquibs]

How soft was May on the weekend compared to that

In his defense though, Dipper almost died as a result.

I love that Dipper did it – he helped us win that flag.

He's just a tough SOB, with a heart and love for his jumper that few others will ever approach.

But it's hard to hold anyone to that standard.

Safe to say May wouldn't have been able to play through that pain though, but very few could.

 

[tommyk72]

In his defense though, Dipper almost died as a result.

I love that Dipper did it – he helped us win that flag.

He's just a tough SOB, with a heart and love for his jumper that few others will ever approach.

But it's hard to hold anyone to that standard.

Safe to say May wouldn't have been able to play through that pain though, but very few could.

Agree. Hard to hold anyone to that standard. But especially this era. For all sorts of reasons, standards are very different now to what they were back in those days.

 

[HedgeFund]

How soft was May on the weekend compared to that

Different game. Different hit. May wasn’t soft. That’s just silly.

 

[rei154]

Even if it is tokenistic, I'd love to see Dear named as an emergency.
I get the feeling that in future there'll be a hell of a lot of emotion from current players, past players and the media when Dear plays in the Dare to Hope game.
Would be up there with Matthias Steiner in terms of emotional impact.

 

[Sturty]

Any mumurs on team news?
Surely Huss is in.

 

[killerspud]

Bruhn is a potential star

No hes not, hes bog average. Tom Green he aint

On Pixel 6 Pro using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[killerspud]

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.

Hoping there is angst in the coaches box. There was always angst between Clarko and Fagan. Rather there being angst than having a group of yes men rubber stamping one individual

On Pixel 6 Pro using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[smish]

No hes not, hes bog average. Tom Green he aint

On Pixel 6 Pro using BigFooty.com mobile app

Missing out on Bruhn and using that pick to trade up for Weddle is one of the all time sliding doors moments

 

[Big Easy]

Geez didn’t Ablett belt him for getting into his space- just lined up his ribs and went straight through them at full pace

I was at this game with my dad. Dipper got Buddha Hocking with an elbow right in front of us. Hocking was running around like a tool belting everyone until Dipper put him in his place. I laugh when Geelong flogs say "if that game went for five minutes more we would have won". I reply by saying "if the first quarter went for five minutes more Hawks would have been 10 goals up."

 

[TazHawk15]

Did I read somewhere that the BOM has predicted a rain bomb for Melbourne on Monday?

If so does that do us any favours?

 

[suburb whispers]

Did I read somewhere that the BOM has predicted a rain bomb for Melbourne on Monday?

If so does that do us any favours?

60% chance of 0-1mm forecast for Monday at this stage.

 

[cryptor]

Did I read somewhere that the BOM has predicted a rain bomb for Melbourne on Monday?

If so does that do us any favours?

First I've heard of it. "Rain bomb" suggests a lot of rain all at once before clearing? If that's the case I don't expect it will matter. The MCG drains very quickly.

 

[CrimminsSquad]

I really just want ramma to play and be given a run for a few games as the marking linking forward. Play weddle on stewart and play frost on cameron and bring phillips in to play on hawkins.

 

[The hands of stone]

Did I read somewhere that the BOM has predicted a rain bomb for Melbourne on Monday?

If so does that do us any favours?

I think we probably want a dry day against them .
Wet day = more contests probably not our 1 wood in our development at the minute

 

[RoughysMullet]

I really just want ramma to play and be given a run for a few games as the marking linking forward. Play weddle on stewart and play frost on cameron and bring phillips in to play on hawkins.

Everyone calling for Ramsden- he kicked 1.3 in the VFL last week- do we really need another player in spraying set shots everywhere? Make him prove he can finish his chances at the level below before getting a call up…

Also those calling for Seamus- very unlikely as he was still on limited minutes at VFL level last week after interrupted preseason through injury. You can’t just keep asking for your favourite young player in if they aren’t performing/ready to play…

 

[lethalselbow]

Missing out on Bruhn and using that pick to trade up for Weddle is one of the all time sliding doors moments

In what way?

 

[TylerDurden]

Apparently Conway is playing (2nd gamer)

So their starting midfield will be:
Conway
Clark
Blicavs
Parfitt