Who is the Benchmark for 2009? Hawthorn or Geelong?

[wallyt99]

All the bitching, moaning, gloating.......who was better on the day.....who missed opportunities.... ect.....

We know who are the premiers....

But are, like Clarkson has said Geelong still the Benchmark for the competition in 2009..... with their awesome midfield.....solid backline and well balanced forward line.....

Or have Hawthorn overtaken them, with a good balance of outside runners and clearance midfielders.... a solid rebounding defence and the best forward line in the competition......



Who are the benchmark for 2009?

 

[tarky]

geelong

 

[WatWouldCyrilDo]

Wouldn't exactly call their forward line well balanced. The words Sub Par comes to mind. Or serviceable.

 

[Bomber32]

Geelong still. The GF loss will certainly sting them and I expect them to be breathing fire once the 2009 season begins.

 

[Messenger]

Geelong. Their record speaks for itself.

We worked hard and took our chances on GF day. Simple as that.

 

[wallyt99]

Wouldn't exactly call their forward line well balanced. The words Sub Par comes to mind. Or serviceable.

It was sub par against us on the weekend.

Sometimes it is quite good.

 

[OzBomber]

Geelong. They just slipped up on GF day and everything went wrong.

 

[Snicker]

I just think it's too hard to tell at this stage. Two years ago it was all about the Swans and Eagles. The last two years it's been all about Geelong, with the Hawks rising quicker than expected.

From a Geelong perspective it would be nice to get Matty Egan back on the park and anywhere close to his 2007 form at some point to match up on the bigger forwards, but other than that and a few fringe players maybe stepping up (Gamble, Hawkins etc) it will be left to our current Grand Final team (plus Wozcinski coming back in) to do it all over again.

We didn't suffer a grand final hangover this year, and like all cats fans I'm hoping the fire will burn brighter than ever after losing on the weekend and we'll be up there again next year.

I think the Hawk's main problem will be dealing with a potential Grand Final hangover. If they handle it as well as Geelong did this year, they'll be 1 or 2 again during the regular season.

 

[Jetters06]

People underestimate the hawks, i reckon they'll come back next year ready to prove they were the deserved winners, with exceeding confidence.

 

[chapmanmagic35]

Both.

Both are the best in the business.

Sadly for Geelong, they can't proclaim they're the best, despite the season they had.

Hawthorn deserve to be the benchmark.

Hawthorn were 17-5 after Round 22. That's a fine season.

 

[T-Pain]

hawthorn drop H&A games, its just what we do. look at some of our losses during the H&A, saints and richmond in particular, these losses just happen - hawks at best are going 18-4 next year.

cats on the other hand will bully on the flat-track and embark on some sort F-U run prevoiusly unseen. every chance of winning 20+ games during the season, being top of the ladder clearly, but not winning the flag again.

 

[hoopla]

who do you think? Why do you need to ask the question when you know the answer!

In saying that, I do believe that Hawthorn will get even better next year while the cats may not improve much more.

 

[whatimtalkingbout]

Who knows . . . Hawthorn will be better next year with our maturing young guys, whereas Geelong have an ageing backline and might slip a little.

 

[Carn Hawkas]

I think equal

 

[Mitchell Madness]

fact is, hawthorn is compared to the dominant team of the 70's and 80's, geelong is compared to... well... nothing.

geelong is going to look a lot better because they are the benchmark as their club really did jack-all for 44 years.

my opinion, is that the premier is the benchmark until there is a new one

 

[year of the cat]

Hawthorn clearly - they won the flag - they now are the team everyone will be gunning for.

 

[Spook]

hawthorn drop H&A games, its just what we do. look at some of our losses during the H&A, saints and richmond in particular, these losses just happen - hawks at best are going 18-4 next year.

cats on the other hand will bully on the flat-track and embark on some sort F-U run prevoiusly unseen. every chance of winning 20+ games during the season, being top of the ladder clearly, but not winning the flag again.

lol... you are a hard man T-Pain

 

[yardenlavy]

the things is hawks till need to improve prbally another 45% they need to get the droping easy games out of their systems and come out fireing and not nearly loose to teams like melbourne

no doubt in my mind geelong will still be the dominant side next year we just need to see if hawks improve enough to be as dominant and they have no excuses not to be

geelong v hawks 2 in 2009 GF put money on it

 

[Cats fan 16]

To be honest, i'd rather everyone else think hawthorn are the benchmark, putting more pressure on them and making other teams strive to beat them. Being the best is unreal, but i guess does come with flaws as every team is trying their best to knock you down and opposition supporters etc. hate you for no reason. Hawthorn's forward line will be amazing next year with buddy and roughead a year older and the little freak cyril with a season under his belt. If hawkins doesnt pull through i think it will be very even come round 22, and who knows about the finals. If geelong get hawkins firing, i think we can pull marginally ahead..

 

[Soul_Pie]

It will be a strange situation next season. This year the benchmark was Geelong almost the whole way through, until they reached the grand final and it all came undone.

Next year, whose success will everyone be trying to emulate? I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Geelong have overseen a period of dominance, with individual moments of failure interspersed between winning streaks the likes have rarely been seen before. Was the Grand final just a slip up, or was it an exposure of their vulnerability? Hawthorn's success this year is the ultimate lesson that sustained dominance means nothing unless you perform on the day. Will that mean that team's follow the Hawks model, and try to plan their success so that they peak come September?

We'll just have to wait and see, I guess.

 

[JoeHawk]

Got to say Geelong.....just!

The Cats win/loss record was near perfect in 2008, however, the Hawks came good right at the business end of the season.

The Hawks got the Cats on a bad day, as their winning streak had to end sooner than later. Unfortunately for them it was on the most important game of the year. But the Hawks were absolutely brilliant and thoroughly deserved it.

It will be interesting how both sides react in 2009. Will the Hawks suffer a Premiership hangover? Will the Cats fade away? Will anyone else emerge as a contender?

I'm already itching for next season. Bring it on!

 

[Rockford]

We'll know after Round 1.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

Given the average age and relative experience of the two sides, you would think that Hawthorn had more upside. Given also that they just won the premiership, it is reasonable to suggest that they would be the benchmark going into 2009.

 

[mdc]

Geelong

 

[Hawkzzz]

Geelong. But as I've been saying for a while, they won't want to face us on the final day. If we get there (the cats assume they will make the GF)If they face us, they are able to win, but mind games will be a hurdle.