The heat is on the "usual suspects" to reverse the trend this week.

[Hawker55]

Mitchell, Burgoyne & Gibson have often played extremely well against Geelong since 2008.

Lack of support has been a real issue though.

Mitch and Gibson you can understand - they have clear roles against Geelong.

Hodge hasn't had an outstanding game against the Cats since 2008 - and given he's coming back from a rest I'd be surprised if he did on Friday night. Rough (and Buddy) haven't played well against the Cats for even longer, although I seem to remember Buddy having a good half in one of the 2010 games.

Birchall is the interesting one. The Cats don't really have a good matchup for him so it's strange he has so little influence in these games. You'd have to say that compared to Enright, Birchall hasn't pulled his weight.

 

[Messenger]

Nah but young enough to remember. Anyway seems to me lot of Hawk supporters are very very confident. Let's hope you guys are right and I read too much into Clarkos comments.

Hawthorn's media discipline means you can't read anything into public statements. At all.

Process, preparation, respect. Rinse, repeat.

 

[Taskmaster]

Gee, Clarko didn't fulfill me with any confidence on 360 at all tbh. Starting to think we are in a bit of trouble.

Clarko is saying the same at every interview/presser. "The Cats are a formidable opponent" "If we dont play well, we will not progress" etc etc. Clarko is giving nothing away. But I am confident the club is very much focused on this week and progressing to the Prelim.

Still very nervous though. Anyone else and would be very confident, but Geel, I dont know, it Geel.

 

[IdiotBox]

Some of you folk have been a tad harsh on TyHawk. Someone asked for a summary of what Clarko said and he provided his take on it without necessarily (IMHO) agreeing with what Clarko said or adding too much to it. Let's face it, it's almost in Hawthorn supporters' DNA to be just a bit wary and nervous with any game against the Cats.

 

[Gralin]

I thought Rough played his best game for a long time against Geelong a couple of weeks ago.
First half vs second shows why Birch looks ordinary against Geelong.
First half the boys weren't running and cats were sticking to them like glue, when Birch or suckers looked to pass there was nobody open
Second half they didn't stick to us and suddenly Birch is running and slicing them up, if Suckling had still been out there he would have to.

The question is how long will they stick to us for on Friday

 

[MinerBoy]

Clarko is saying the same at every interview/presser..

As long as I don't hear him with the usual cliches after the game.... "We knew they were going to come at us at some stage".

I'm only prepared to hear that this time if it is followed with "but this time we decided to keep the foot on the throat and blow the game apart".

 

[cryptor]

As long as I don't hear him with the usual cliches after the game.... "We knew they were going to come at us at some stage".

I'm only prepared to hear that this time if it is followed with "but this time we decided to keep the foot on the throat and blow the game apart".

If we win it'll be along the lines of
"We came here tonight knowing we were in for a tight contest"
"All year we've aimed for a top 4 spot knowing if we won we'd get that benefit of a week off"
"We won't spend any time celebrating this win, we have so much left to"
"The focus will be to continue winning matches regardless of opponent"

 

[Gralin]

If we win it'll be along the lines of
"We came here tonight knowing we were in for a tight contest"
"All year we've aimed for a top 4 spot knowing if we won we'd get that benefit of a week off"
"We won't spend any time celebrating this win, we have so much left to"
"The focus will be to continue winning matches regardless of opponent"

You forgot
"Hat's off to Geelong they're a really good side that we have tremendous respect for"

 

[JoondalupJ]

If Geelong win it will be their second and third tier that do it. The hawks need the same from their second and third tier. That is what good teams do.

Yes and our senior players will be there too, we have good depth , I would really like to know the true story of Cyril. He's been out a hell of a long time , maybe he shouldn't play until next year. What do you folks think , you may know some more?

I am going to go out on a limb here , I never do , but I've read some posts from all over big footy and I get this feeling that lots of people think that the Hawks may just not be up to it this year. Not sure why.

But here it is , I think we will walk above anyone who comes to play us this finals. The only one there to match Hawks will be Sydney. They have to beat us on the MCG.
Hope I haven't put the wind up anyone , I think in reality we have it all, Stop Hawkins , keep Buddy's and Tippets damage level as low as possible , we have got the ammo to take it out. These blokes are only human , but we will have 22 humans with a want inside them hard to match.
Sydney have really bought their success on the $. They'll hate me saying that , but Adelaide and Hawthorn developed their 2 biggest guns.

Freo look wounded , and this Saturday won't help them , although they will play a prelim I guess with a second chance probably semis against Ess or Port. My tips .Not sure how that works but I pick bombers first game and Port to win. Hope tigers do but I think Port.

At our best I think we beat all.

Hawks mindset now changes, new season "finals" and the reality of give everything comes into play.

 

[JoondalupJ]

You forgot
"Hat's off to Geelong they're a really good side that we have tremendous respect for"

Yes we do . That's why we're prepared.

 

[Dewnior]

Rough played his best game against the Cats two weeks ago, let's hope he can repeat the effort on Friday.

I can't remember a game since 2008 where Hodge has stepped up. Its a real worry.

Birch still needs to learn how to cope with a tag.

 

[JoondalupJ]

Notice how the only news in the media about this game from a Hawthorn perspective is surrounding Lake's fitness? Which the club can do little about.
Clarko and Hodge have said nothing but the usual "didn't take a hell of a lot from the round 22 game", "they're a great side", "we'll have to play at our very best to win", "they're always good games", etc.

Nothing particularly interesting.

Geelong on the other hand have the spotlight firmly on them. The Steve Johnson stuff is also inescapable but Geelong keep feeding it by going on about how he's such an important player for them and they expect him to have an impact if he plays rather than playing it down by saying he's just another player in the 22. You have Chris Scott playing coy and teasing the media with vague statements about the round 22 game and Selwood not doing much to play down "the rivalry".

I don't know if Geelong is trying to put the heat on themselves as a way to fire themselves up with their backs against the wall or something. I do think our players being out of the spotlight for the most part is going to help them as it did last final series where when all the purple haze cleared up Hodge and Clarko were standing on a dias premiership cup in hand.

Interviews are totally a waste of time. The cliché is mammoth every time. I take nothing from them. In fact I don't listen often , like the 360 interviews with captain and coach's this week.
Nothing worse than a radio interview with a young player who just kicked his first 3 goals or something, its all rehearsed. Some times the interviewer almost puts words in their mouths. Why bother?
So having said that , I have no idea what is wrong with Lake , if anything , that always makes me worried. If Hawthorn play him unfit , then they are irresponsible, and Cyril, well its a long break , that hammy must have been a really bad one , but who knows with Clarkson he could be planning anything.

So as members and supporters we really have no idea , the club won't be honest on that , maybe they shouldn't any way, it just leaves that doubt in your head.

Bottom line, play your fittest only. If we have no Lake for Tomahawk then someone better stand up, or we keep the ball off him , Hawthorn know how he plays and how big he is , work something out!!! Really his size is difficult, but he's just another human.

IF HE PLAYS BEAT HIM.And all the others there as well.

 

[JoondalupJ]

Oh no, I have heaps of knowledge about the way this club conducts itself! But against Geelong I have the confidence of 14 year old boy with pimples covered all over his face during a awesome party with awesome 14 year old girls around And when Clarko spoke those words tonight it got me knees out of whack!

Are you a 14 year old boy. That is question?

 

[MistyAvalon]

the curse has been broken. The game is winnable. It should be treated like any other final That is how I think. Of course I am nervous..it's finals time

Hodgey won't let us down....he never has

 

[TheFourPillars]

It doesn't matter about the usual suspects we dont depend on individuals anymore if someone is having a down day someone else picks up the slack Team football first and we win.

 

[Goodo73]

I'm only prepared to hear that this time if it is followed with "but this time we decided to keep the foot on the throat and blow the game apart".

I think he'd go with "but it was pleasing we decided to keep the foot on the throat..."

 

[Goodo73]

the curse has been broken.

Never existed!

The game is winnable. It should be treated like any other final That is how I think. Of course I am nervous..it's finals time

I'm hopeful, but shitting myself (as usual).

 

[Goodo73]

Interviews are totally a waste of time. The cliché is mammoth every time. I take nothing from them. In fact I don't listen often , like the 360 interviews with captain and coach's this week.

Would just once love to see an interview, like you get in US sport, where the player coach/player gives the other team a bollocking, and declares how much that team will get destroyed.

 

[grumbleguts]

If we win it'll be along the lines of
"We came here tonight knowing we were in for a tight contest"
"All year we've aimed for a top 4 spot knowing if we won we'd get that benefit of a week off"
"We won't spend any time celebrating this win, we have so much left to"
"The focus will be to continue winning matches regardless of opponent"

The best of the lot was when franklin was interviewed after a qualifying final win against collingwood in 2012 and he said

"Just happy to get the four points."

 

[Wandering Hawk]

Nah let's not be like some arrogant Yanks mouthing off. Just starve the media of anything sensational so that they stop harassing so hard, and show some honest respect.

 

[Randy Campbell]

The heat is on these players.

FB: Gibson Lake Stratton
HB: Mitchell Birchall Langford
C: Hill Hodge Smith
HF: Breust Spangher Lewis
FF: Puopolo Roughead Gunston
Foll: Hale Shiels Burgoyne
Int: Duryea Ceglar Sewell Simpkin

 

[JoondalupJ]

The best of the lot was when franklin was interviewed after a qualifying final win against collingwood in 2012 and he said

"Just happy to get the four points."

Ha ha . Then he signed with Sydney.

 

[grumbleguts]

Ha ha . Then he signed with Sydney.

Or possibly had someone sign with sydney for him.

 

[Flukey!]

So the three of them seemed to answer the challenge B0SK, even if Roughy missed that gimme from nearly in front.

 

[Davo-27]

i thought it was funny when Rough got a free kick 20m on a slight angle, nearly guaranteed goal, then StevieJ yells out "HEY ROUGHY YOU SUCK" as he is moving into his shot on goal, then Roughy misses, i know it wasn't a big deal in the scheme of things, but just shows that Rough still has a little fear of Geelong, i feel most of our players are over it, but theres a couple that still have slight mental scars......