Opinion Yes we can win the 2015 flag

[Willo_]

I have a ? about calling any player soft.
Soft is not compatible with AFL football.
Being lean and light weight is NOT soft.
Brown showed a huge amount of courage time after time. That he still wants to play after all his injuries and kicks in the gut shows significant intestinal fortitude!

Yep, it takes guts to even run out onto the ground. The fact he doesn't crash packs and flatten people means he is labeled soft...

Mind you plenty of others don't do it ether... but don't get the same labels

 

[The rabbi]

Would be good to see some of the big bodied young guys get a run in the midfield too, like Jansen or Toohey. Actually I'm pretty interested to see how Toohey goes when he is AFL ready.

I would like to see JJ get a run next year too.
But just where would Toohey play? Keep in mind that he is a rookie listed player.
He is almost Tom Lonergan proportions.

 

[The rabbi]

I have a ? about calling any player soft.
Soft is not compatible with AFL football.
Being lean and light weight is NOT soft.
Brown showed a huge amount of courage time after time. That he still wants to play after all his injuries and kicks in the gut shows significant intestinal fortitude!

I agree with the criticism of calling AFL players soft. Especially when those that do it do so from the comfort of their computer.
I would suggest that Brown is not a physically vigorous player. I would contrast him to someone like Walker, who I think is vigorous, even if his skills are inferior to Browns.

And I still do not think that Geelong can win the Premiership in 2015.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

I'm not too worried about the bolded- Schroder contributed no games, Hunt and Sheringham 7 each and Stringer 4. With a fit Motlop and Caddy, there's about 10 of those games covered. Bews, Lang, Hartman- at least another 10 games there.... The loss of each player gives opportunity to another and I'm really looking forward to what the new young mids are going to bring to the game next year.

Agree Teri, I'm worried though that if we get injuries again, we may not be able cover it. Players like Lang have played like half a qtr and Jensen has yet to debut.

Our midfield had it's fair share of injuries this year. SJ, Motlop, Caddy,GHS and Stokes all missed and of course Bundy who is gone. Can't remember if Guthrie did or not though?

I just hope we get a better run this year (with the firing of the sports health guy)

 

[Teriyakicat]

Agree Teri, I'm worried though that if we get injuries again, we may not be able cover it. Players like Lang have played like half a qtr and Jensen has yet to debut.

Our midfield had it's fair share of injuries this year. SJ, Motlop, Caddy,GHS and Stokes all missed and of course Bundy who is gone. Can't remember if Guthrie did or not though?

I just hope we get a better run this year (with the firing of the sports health guy)

I think Guthrie played almost every game, if not every game, Alkanphel.
You're right about those injuries- the absences of Motlop, Caddy and Bundy were all planned for early in the year and players like Hunt and Sheringham were given a decent run of games but we then had quite a few back injuries to players like GHS, SJ and Selwood. That would've been about the time that Mots, Caddy and Bundy were returning- also Smedts, who was rushed back in. If they hadn't been ready (well, Smedts obviously wasn't!), we might've seen more of Hartman and Lang plus, quite possibly Jansen - who'd been earmarked to play against Melb - might've debuted.

We're due for a better year. We've GOT to be!

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

I think Guthrie played almost every game, if not every game, Alkanphel.
You're right about those injuries- the absences of Motlop, Caddy and Bundy were all planned for early in the year and players like Hunt and Sheringham were given a decent run of games but we then had quite a few back injuries to players like GHS, SJ and Selwood. That would've been about the time that Mots, Caddy and Bundy were returning- also Smedts, who was rushed back in. If they hadn't been ready (well, Smedts obviously wasn't!), we might've seen more of Hartman and Lang plus, quite possibly Jansen - who'd been earmarked to play against Melb - might've debuted.

We're due for a better year. We've GOT to be!

We have to be Teri! Can't let Hawks go 3 in a row!!

 

[Teriyakicat]

We have to be Teri! Can't let Hawks go 3 in a row!!

It doesn't bear thinking about. If not us, Port as premiers would be acceptable.

 

[Vdubs]

It doesn't bear thinking about. If not us, Port as premiers would be acceptable.

I'm past thinking about it, more worried about the 4 play!

 

[Vdubs]

I think Guthrie played almost every game, if not every game, Alkanphel.
You're right about those injuries- the absences of Motlop, Caddy and Bundy were all planned for early in the year and players like Hunt and Sheringham were given a decent run of games but we then had quite a few back injuries to players like GHS, SJ and Selwood. That would've been about the time that Mots, Caddy and Bundy were returning- also Smedts, who was rushed back in. If they hadn't been ready (well, Smedts obviously wasn't!), we might've seen more of Hartman and Lang plus, quite possibly Jansen - who'd been earmarked to play against Melb - might've debuted.

We're due for a better year. We've GOT to be!

Mackie also. Back possibly .Seemed not himself for much of the year, as did Harry, but that may have been paternal duties?

 

[Teriyakicat]

I'm past thinking about it, more worried about the 4 play!

Hmm... There's a double entendre in there somewhere, Vdubs. Just can't put my finger on it....

 

[Teriyakicat]

Mackie also. Back possibly .Seemed not himself for much of the year, as did Harry, but that may have been paternal duties?

There seemed to be quite a lot of players who were NQR this season- overcooked, undercooked, not even ready for the pan, etc. Having so many injuries which forced players out for a couple of months or more, put the pressure on the remaining players to not take a break, which may have prevented the niggles that appeared late in the season.

Hopefully, as mentioned above by Alkanphel , a change of personnel in the the performance/fitness department will do the trick.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

There seemed to be quite a lot of players who were NQR this season- overcooked, undercooked, not even ready for the pan, etc. Having so many injuries which forced players out for a couple of months or more, put the pressure on the remaining players to not take a break, which may have prevented the niggles that appeared late in the season.

Hopefully, as mentioned above by Alkanphel , a change of personnel in the the performance/fitness department will do the trick.

As Hawk mentioned, they where too unfit this year and where cooked by finals. If they learn from that and crank up a huge pre-season at least we should run out games better, not being out of puff by half time.

 

[6TimeFinalists]

Some people have been talking absolute crap about where this club is at over the past few weeks. The reality is that we were hit hard with injury over the past 12 months and still managed to finish with as many wins as any side in the comp.

Are we good enough at the moment ? No
Are we far of the best ? No
Can we become the best ? Yes no doubt about it

We need 2 things to happen

1.Duncan,Caddy,Christensen,Guthrie,Motlop,Ghs,Murdoch and Blicavs all need to go up a level.This is a core group of players with massive potential .

2.To get a fit and healthy list that can play 4 quarters of high intensity football.Something that we haven't had for the past 3 seasons.

The gap between us and the best is oh so small and plenty of sides recently have been knocked out in a semi and gone onto win the flag the following year.

If you like to have a bet now would be the time to have a punt on the cats before the trade period

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

 

[Teriyakicat]

As Hawk mentioned, they where too unfit this year and where cooked by finals. If they learn from that and crank up a huge pre-season at least we should run out games better, not being out of puff by half time.

But ... WHY were they unfit? Apart from the injured players, there's no real excuse. It's not as if we haven't had several seasons to get the formula right!

As for running out the games- we used to start slowly but finish hard. The burst footy was exciting to watch- with a few red-time goals to finish each quarter keeping us hanging on the edges of our seats.

It might be just the mix of older/younger players or maybe it was the unfit players returning from injury but we don't seem to play footy where we can control the tempo anymore.

 

[Teriyakicat]

A true troll: signs up today, poops in everyone's nest, and is never seen again.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

But ... WHY were they unfit? Apart from the injured players, there's no real excuse. It's not as if we haven't had several seasons to get the formula right!

As for running out the games- we used to start slowly but finish hard. The burst footy was exciting to watch- with a few red-time goals to finish each quarter keeping us hanging on the edges of our seats.

It might be just the mix of older/younger players or maybe it was the unfit players returning from injury but we don't seem to play footy where we can control the tempo anymore.

A team with finals aspirations such as ours should not be unfit. I'm not sure how they could of messed it up so bad, given the finals experience the club has.

I've heard they did a 2006 style review this year, so hope skulls are being cracked and they do the hard yards this pre-season.

 

[SleazySimon]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

What is this?!

 

[Whit3y]

As Hawk mentioned, they where too unfit this year and where cooked by finals. If they learn from that and crank up a huge pre-season at least we should run out games better, not being out of puff by half time.

what about the infamous heavy training load mid season? surely that would have boosted there fitness by the time finals comes

"a couple of weeks they will underperform and look sluggish and we will blame the heavy training load, it will all be worth it come finals they say"

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

what about the infamous heavy training load mid season? surely that would have boosted there fitness by the time finals comes

"a couple of weeks they will underperform and look sluggish and we will blame the heavy training load, it will all be worth it come finals they say"

I don't know, but it's frustrating to watch a professional club that is supposed to be among the best clubs going around, come in unprepared into a season.

 

[Mningasimisonda]

A team with finals aspirations such as ours should not be unfit. I'm not sure how they could of messed it up so bad, given the finals experience the club has.

I've heard they did a 2006 style review this year, so hope skulls are being cracked and they do the hard yards this pre-season.

Are we inviting Chappy back for a pep talk?

 

[Teriyakicat]

Are we inviting Chappy back for a pep talk?

Hmmm... Maybe not

I reckon though, that the club should invite Lingy in to give the young kids that steely-eyed stare of his, along with some stern words and advice. With Selwood on one side and Lingy on the other, the kids would have it in stereo. That would light a fire under them!

 

[UnitedWarrior93]

Will take something very special from us to stop hawthorn.

The thought of them going 3-peat is hard to get the head around.

 

[Claude Balls]

But ... WHY were they unfit? Apart from the injured players, there's no real excuse. It's not as if we haven't had several seasons to get the formula right!

As for running out the games- we used to start slowly but finish hard. The burst footy was exciting to watch- with a few red-time goals to finish each quarter keeping us hanging on the edges of our seats.

It might be just the mix of older/younger players or maybe it was the unfit players returning from injury but we don't seem to play footy where we can control the tempo anymore.

Tell me about it - I really struggle to understand why a team can be really fit one year, and then not the next. With the money involved, and experience of people involved etc, it should just about be an exact science (injuries aside).

 

[Claude Balls]

Hawthorn won't win 3 in a row. Sometimes a good team gets lucky and goes back to back, such as Adelaide. The Hawks are a touch above that level, but no where near the level of Brisbane or other super dominant teams, such as the Hawks of the 80s.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

Hawthorn won't win 3 in a row. Sometimes a good team gets lucky and goes back to back, such as Adelaide. The Hawks are a touch above that level, but no where near the level of Brisbane or other super dominant teams, such as the Hawks of the 80s.

Mate, they where 10 points already off a 3 peat already.