Who was Hawthorns last great "Marker" of the ball?

[cuttlefish]

I am lamenting our lack of a great marker of the ball. Can we reflect on great markers of the past ?

 

[MightyHawks]

Marker Graham?

 

[Rioli magic]

Brian Lake?

 

[toomanysquibs]

Brian Lake?

Definitely this one.

 

[badgrill]

Dutch (if we're talking forwards)

 

[Procrastinator35]

BEST AERIALIST: Peter Knights
BEST HANDS: Tony Hall
BEST LEADING MARK: Jason Dunstall
SAFEST HANDS: Chris Mew

Had to make a choice if my life depended on it: Dunstall

 

[toomanysquibs]

Dutch (if we're talking forwards)

Gunston has to be in the conversation also, though not as strong overhead as Holland pre shoulders - definitely sharp in reading the drop, and using his body to protect the ball. Mark Williams didn't drop many either.

 

[TyHawk]

Lake goes alright. Ben Dixon was quite clean as well.

 

[cuttlefish]

There's a good 20+ year gap among some of these suggestions. Interesting !!

 

[Lord Mud of Glenferrie]

BEST AERIALIST: Peter Knights
BEST HANDS: Tony Hall
BEST LEADING MARK: Jason Dunstall
SAFEST HANDS: Chris Mew

Had to make a choice if my life depended on it: Dunstall

You know, I can't disagree with any of this. An excellent way to package our best marks. The only thing I would add is best pack mark. Who is? I immediately go back to Don Scott or Peter Hudson but there has to be more since then. Paul Salmon?

 

[grumbleguts]

Tim Boyle, unsung, but had a good pair of hands also.

 

[Lord Mud of Glenferrie]

An excellent thread. Should be more like this. I can't get my thinking cap working right now but Mark Williams and Paul Salmon and Dutchy Holland come to mind.

Lake is the best at the moment. There is a little bit of Chris Mew about him.

It is said that today's game has taken the importance of the mark out of the game. In the dim, well for me, past
I faintly remember a game played on Friday the 31 Jul 2015 where the game was won in the air. Thinking as hard as I can I think it was a Hawthorn v Richmond game and was won by Richmond.

 

[skwunk]

Rioli is our greatest "Nearly marker" of the ball.

 

[436hilly]

It is said that today's game has taken the importance of the mark out of the game. In the dim, well for me, past
I faintly remember a game played on Friday the 31 Jul 2015 where the game was won in the air. Thinking as hard as I can I think it was a Hawthorn v Richmond game and was won by Richmond.

I agree. Man for man we are one of the poorer sides when it comes to marking the ball. I remember whinging about this 1 or 2 years ago after a loss to the cats.

We have been able to get away with it over the past few years due to our superior kicking skills as well as our ability to run constantly into space/ find space allowing for uncontested marks. However the other sides are catching up with their defensive set ups, zone marking and better ability to run out the games. As this happens more and more then we will need to actually need to start taking contested marks !!!!

In a tight contested game like on the weekend and probably in finals, we will not be able to simply mark the ball in space without any pressure on the kicker or the target player. The commentators were harping on about our poor kicking on the weekend. To me, our kicking was not too bad, ( was not perfect but was not poor) it was the ability of Richmond to spoil well that led to a drop in the number of marks taken. I do not believe it is simply having poor set of hands when it comes to marking, it is also anticipation, body positioning, body strength ( is it not well acknowledged that we favour aerobic capability to actual strength conditioning?) etc

I remember one example in the 3 rd?? Quarter where Gibbo?? kicked a reasonable pass to Hartung, who waited for the ball to come to him rather than attack it, got pushed out of the way when the ball did come and dropped the ball, this led to a turnover and a goal. The commentators were quick to blame Gibbo, but to be honest I do not think the pass or the decision to pass was particularly poor. Compare that to the likes of Deledio, dustin martin, Cotchin, Lennon, and all those other players whose names escape, are actually pretty good 'marks for their size'.

Conversely, there were plenty of times when a Richmond player marked the ball with a hawthorn player right on his hammer. In the first quarter I thought we may be able to intercept their kicks or at least spoil as the match went on, but it never happened. The same thing used to happen to us against the good Geelong sides with Corey, Selwood, Johnson, Kelly Bartel etc it

I was hoping that the likes of Jed, Sicily, Howe etc would have come and filled this void but there are unfortunately nowhere near ready at this stage.. . . . .





Oh as for the question to the OP, currently Lake and Gunston, and then Holland ( all the way back 15 yrs ago !!!!!)

 

[Procrastinator35]

You know, I can't disagree with any of this. An excellent way to package our best marks. The only thing I would add is best pack mark. Who is? I immediately go back to Don Scott or Peter Hudson but there has to be more since then. Paul Salmon?

Don't know that anyone really stands out or comes to mind....I'd probably stick with Dunstall.....Best & most consistent 'pack-mark' I've ever seen would be Gary Dempsey....Easily, without peer.

 

[Lord Mud of Glenferrie]

Don't know that anyone really stands out or comes to mind....I'd probably stick with Dunstall.....Best & most consistent 'pack-mark' I've ever seen would be Gary Dempsey....Easily, without peer.

Dempsey was a beauty. but i may slightly lean towards John Nicholls.

 

[Thaihawk]

Dempsey was a beauty. but i may slightly lean towards John Nicholls.

I applauded Dempsey, but booed Nichols. Wrong thread.

 

[Thaihawk]

Would have to say Peter Knights. His clashes with Vanders are legendary, and used to bring patrons through the gates.

It was unfortunate Tim Boyle's career was terminated early, as he had real ability to take big grabs. Tony Hall was also great.

Our game now is based around our small forwards, so mostly we bring the ball to ground. However, Cyril and Poppy have certainly entertained in their entries for "Mark of the Year."

 

[fabulon31]

Jade Rawlings.

 

[Procrastinator35]

Dempsey was a beauty. but i may slightly lean towards John Nicholls.

Only ever saw 'Big Nic's' last 3-4 seasons Lord, though being from a Carlton family, my parents & elder brother held him in the same high regard as you....By the time I was a regular footy nut, Dempsey had taken over his mantle from 1975 onwards....Still aint seen anyone come near him for contested pack-marking supremacy & consistency.

 

[Lord Mud of Glenferrie]

I applauded Dempsey, but booed Nichols. Wrong thread.

So did I plus 17 other players in the dirty blue.

 

[Lord Mud of Glenferrie]

Jade Rawlings.

By jove I think he/she has got it.

 

[detox]

For a mid sized player, Hodge is a fantastic mark. Not so much pack marking but 1 v 1 against his opponent he will usually clunk it.

One part of his game that is rarely talked about.

 

[Pessimistic]

Dutch (if we're talking forwards)

Dutch holland would be a superstar in the chopped arms era


On topic. Is it something to do with our players being prepared a few kilos less than recently ?


When we are struggling rather than dominating (game played on our terms). Your get out of jail cards are Lake, Stratton, Mitchell, Hodge, Burgoyne, Puopolo, Rioli

 

[Jtree]

Lake goes alright. Ben Dixon was quite clean as well.

Has to be Dicko up forward