Hawthorn v Geelong, AFL Round 1 2013

[Selective Retention]

Anyway the question I was answering was how do the Cats manage to have so many talented young players, not attempting to make a detailed analyses of the cost benefit of Ablett leaving. As such it was a superficial answer but I think it would be pretty easy to argue my side of that argument. If ever a side could cover losing the best player in the game that side was Geelong. And your astute drafting ensures you were never going to burn the picks.

We have started to get some pay off from the players that walked on us over our period at the top.

Ablett (Smedts & Caddy), Mumford (Duncan), Prismall (Motlop), Laidler (Horlin-Smith). Those guys are all 3rd/4th year now and starting to bear some fruit. Along with retaining all our own picks during that period (save for the 2nd rounder we traded for McIntosh last year) we have a big pool of top 40-ish draft picks. Just a pity that Menzel and Vardy have been cut down by injury.

 

[DangerSloane]

Ablett mode? No, too far.

His game was very Ablett like. Just dragged his team off the canvas and regained momentum. THen did a lot to keep the momentum.

 

[estibador]

Buddy so overrated

I was thinking that about Hawkins.

He dropped a lot of marks for a guy being talked up as a top 10 player in the league.

 

[manboob]

Prismall (Motlop), Laidler (Horlin-Smith)

We made out like bandits with those last two!

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

I was thinking that about Hawkins.

He dropped a lot of marks for a guy being talked up as a top 10 player in the league.

Buddy....goals off two free kicks and should have been pinged about 3 times for being a little too hungry.

Great left foot kick from 50 out, but take that away and you have just another bit part forward.

Would love to see how he goes next year at GWS.

 

[estibador]

Buddy....goals off two free kicks and should have been pinged about 3 times for being a little too hungry.

Great left foot kick from 50 out, but take that away and you have just another bit part forward.

Would love to see how he goes next year at GWS.

Yeah he had an ordinary game by his standards, but he has the runs on the board over a long period.

Not sure Hawkins has done enough yet to warrant the level of media hype.

 

[funk44]

just got home.

Another mentally weak performance when they had the game iced at half time.

Zero chance of winning a flag with this group

 

[Grizzly_82]

Yeah he had an ordinary game by his standards, but he has the runs on the board over a long period.

Not sure Hawkins has done enough yet to warrant the level of media hype.

Watch 2011 final series
Back in your box now

 

[Superstar swan]

Selwood was simply awesome today. Is there a better skipper goin around ( especially given his age )??

 

[estibador]

Watch 2011 final series
Back in your box now

One finals series does not a top 10 player make.

Goddard dominated a finals series too and became instantly rated as a top 3 player, but never really reached those heights.

Saying Hawkins is currently being overrated by the media is not the same as saying he's crap. I'd take him at Freo in an instant, but I can also guarantee he wouldn't be talked up as a top 10 player if he played for us.

 

[Plugger35]

Selwood was simply awesome today. Is there a better skipper goin around ( especially given his age )??

Cotchin? Selwood is a gun though and turned the game Geelong's way in the 3rd quarter.

 

[Superstar swan]

IMO Geelong are coming into another premiership window that could last 3-4 years.yer they have some old timers like chapman,Bartel , enright and Corey but they have some solid experience and talent with mackie, Johnson , rivers, Kelly . Selwood is elite and is in his prime for the next 5-7 years. Hawkins is just entering prime. Then they have some really good young players who are entering the 3+ years bracket like Duncan , hunt, horlin smith , menzel ( barring knees),smedts etc. too me it looks like a really good mix. I am certainly not writing the cats off yet

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

Yeah he had an ordinary game by his standards, but he has the runs on the board over a long period.

Not sure Hawkins has done enough yet to warrant the level of media hype.

No one is saying Hawkins is a top 10 AFL player, but plenty swear by Buddy being once in a generation.

I call complete myth. Buddy has far too many weaknesses to be rated so highly and will be exposed in playing for a lesser team.

Hawkins does what he needs to, he is far from being a top echelon player, but is a solid contributor.

 

[Superstar swan]

Cotchin? Selwood is a gun though and turned the game Geelong's way in the 3rd quarter.

I would take selwood over coaching every day, I think Cochin is a superstar but selwood has that mix of aggression, hunger , courage and class that is hard to come by. I know it's very early into cotchins captaincy but Selwoods leadership is second to none

 

[estibador]

No one is saying Hawkins is a top 10 AFL player, but plenty swear by Buddy being once in a generation.

A few of the media guys had him in their preseason top 10, one had him as high as 4th.

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

A few of the media guys had him in their preseason top 10, one had him as high as 4th.

Well, thats the media. I don't think you will find too many Geelong fans claiming him to be that highly rated.....don't get me wrong, he is good and has a hell of a lot of value, but I wouldn't pretend he is anything beyond a good solid geelong key forward.

As for Buddy - well, he gets talked up a little too much for what he has produced. Is a great player, but well well well short of being as good as people try to pretend he is. Is a small forward playing in a key forwards body.

 

[Pevers-Legend]

Kennett at it again:

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport...d-at-seasons-end/story-e6frecn3-1226610449703

After a round 1 loss to a team which could be top 4 no less.

Moron.

 

[David Schwarz]

Is it just me or does Jeff's face spread more and more around his skull by the day?

 

[BLPC08]

Even I lol'd at that one. Well played

 

[Boxhead_31]

Um, I think recent evidence confirms that we'd be better off still having Ablett and not having the picks...

Gary is a great player with out peer really, but if he stayed which players would have been prepared for the club to trade out? As the only way we have been able to keep the majority of the side together is via the salary cap relief we got from Gary moving on.

 

[giggler99]

Bahahaha I'm loving this screw you Hawthorn may the curse continue..

Slewood, Chapman, Varcoe bloody brilliant in the second half.

 

[Lunchlady Doris]

Cats are gone. See you again in 40 years when you are relevant

When will you learn Ron?

 

[Lunchlady Doris]

A few of the media guys had him in their preseason top 10, one had him as high as 4th.

Think he gets more than one game against last year's GF side to show what he's got. 2nd in the Coleman last season, no?

 

[Yelle]

What a great weekend of football...
Tiges beat the Blues and Yarran supplies many laughs
Brisbane's dynasty ends in round one
Melbourne are still Melbourne
St Kilda slide below Gold Coast
Kangaroos lose to Collingwood's seconds and Lindsay Thomas is probably getting death threats
And Hawthorn choke. Again.
How good is footy!

 

[winty]

I was thinking that about Hawkins.

He dropped a lot of marks for a guy being talked up as a top 10 player in the league.

Yet Hawkins had similar stats to Franklin today, only difference being Hawkins wasn't looked after by the umpires like Buddy was.