Past #6: Lachlan Hansen - pick 3 '06 - 151 NM games - NM life member - thanks Lachie

[DarwinRoo]

Spot on, a voice of reason! Dont get carried away with 30 disposals (24 uncontested), he also had 4 clangers and didnt take 1 contested mark all night due to the increased pressure, which is a concern. Directly contributed to 4 Geelong goals however he did get 1 back which was good. No, the jury is still well & truly out on Hansen.

You are becoming if you aren't already an absolute joke. You praise Delaney like he is David Dench but you talk down Hansen again? And I love how anyone praising him is wrong but negative posts are always voices of reason. It's time you either shut up or piss off.

He has well & truly improved, no doubt about that. But, yes he does play loose man, gets cheapies, skills are still a bit off. He is on the improve, but he is not yet fully established. He will not be able to play loose every week, that is when we will see if he passes the test.

Yeah yeah that same old excuse about him not playing loose against the good teams. Well just in case you didn't notice but Geelong are sitting 2nd on the ladder. When are we going to see a team man him up? Maybe they can't because he can run like Craig Mottram and continues to work off his man.

 

[Jack Reacher]

He is now though. Isn't he leading the intercept and contested mark stat?

Need clarification here.

Umm, no.

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

Yeah his contested mark wasnt as good last night, but his ability to help out and run to space and create was fantastic.

It's amazing what's happened to him. He seems more urgent playing back.

 

[LETSGOKANGAS]

Umm, no.

Can you meet me halfway at least?

 

[BigRightFoot]

He is now though. Isn't he leading the intercept and contested mark stat?

Need clarification here.

Over breakfast this morning I read the stats column. Hansen played 95% of the game time. More than any other North player. Incidentally Ziebell played 74% and Cunnington 67%. Not only are those boys getting bigger tanks now...but they're influencing the game more.

I don't think Hansen was ever lazy. I think he was just misused. He's said since he was drafted that he preferred playing CHB. The club kept moving him around. He kicked 20 goals in 12 games up forward last year. And if memory serves, he kicked the first goal in some of our big wins (Essendon, St Kilda, Collingwood I think). He's done what he's been asked to do for the most part.

My point with the game time is that he's an elite runner. Scott kept saying that about him in the last few years. The club was looking at his game stats in terms of kilometers covered, heart rate, etc and they knew he was working and running. They just didn't have him the right spot.

Hansen's cardio and aerobic fitness lasts over the whole match. He's going to be beaten in a lot of foot races, although he looks faster this year. But I think what you're seeing this year is that if he can run, read the play, take contested marks, and do it for four quarters with his big tank, he's going to pants a lot of his opponents and do his part to help the club win. What's not to like about that?

He also looks stronger over the ball (core strength) and less fumbly this year. That could just be physical maturity (or general maturity) Or it could be confidence because he's finally playing in the spot he was drafted in. Just saying.

 

[Hunters Host #3]

Good post.

Hansen's cardio and aerobic fitness lasts over the whole match. He's going to be beaten in a lot of foot races, although he looks faster this year. But I think what you're seeing this year is that if he can run, read the play, take contested marks, and do it for four quarters with his big tank, he's going to pants a lot of his opponents and do his part to help the club win. What's not to like about that?

The positive is whether he plays as the third-up loose or has to be accountable, he has the tank and work-rate to push up the ground as the highest defender and contribute to the spread.

That goal last night was all work-rate.

He also looks stronger over the ball (core strength) and less fumbly this year. That could just be physical maturity (or general maturity) Or it could be confidence because he's finally playing in the spot he was drafted in. Just saying.

Much cleaner below the knees when under pressure.

Also, I feel he defends the highball really well. If he can't influence the contest floating across, he provides options on the defensive spread and links up like a mid out of the defensive 50.

 

[Kimbo]

Lachie's season has been a real solid one. The role he is playing now is the one that suits him best. Another couple of seasons of this form and I'll have an omelette on my face.

Devilled eggs?

 

[Higgins2Waite]

Goes to show how good he's been clunking marks if people are bringing up a few drops ones. Most defenders don't even get near it yet he plucks them with relative ease. That goal he kicked last night should give him the confidence to try it more often. With his tank he could make a mess of opposition forwards.

 

[Benno_900]

If he plays like this in the last month, he should actually be in AA contention.

 

[Only Forwards]

No, the jury is still well & truly out on Hansen.

Its just really not.

the only place that it is out is in your mind. We played him through up and down form. He has hit a niche in the backline that puts on display the hard work that he does, and utilise his natural ability more, reading the ball in flight, contested marking with a run up, and his massive engine.

He will continue to play in the 1's and you will continue to have a low opinion of him.

We get it.

It's boring.

 

[FAILTOSUCCEED]

You are becoming if you aren't already an absolute joke. You praise Delaney like he is David Dench but you talk down Hansen again? And I love how anyone praising him is wrong but negative posts are always voices of reason. It's time you either shut up or piss off.



Yeah yeah that same old excuse about him not playing loose against the good teams. Well just in case you didn't notice but Geelong are sitting 2nd on the ladder. When are we going to see a team man him up? Maybe they can't because he can run like Craig Mottram and continues to work off his man.

DarwinRoo, Hansen has been a spud for most of his career, so teams haven't felt like they need to put attention into him. However, now he is starting to really hurt teams when left as the spare, which means teams will not let him play that role, they will make him accountable, it's pretty obvious really that it will happen.

Your an idiot if you think he will be able to play loose man every week.

 

[DarwinRoo]

DarwinRoo, Hansen has been a spud for most of his career, so teams haven't felt like they need to put attention into him. However, now he is starting to really hurt teams when left as the spare, which means teams will not let him play that role, they will make him accountable, it's pretty obvious really that it will happen.

Your an idiot if you think he will be able to play loose man every week.

He hasn't been a spud for most of his career at all.

He was supposed to be manned up by the good teams, Geelong being one of them. Why was he still able to play loose on Friday night?

 

[scottywiper]

DarwinRoo, Hansen has been a spud for most of his career

Frankly, that's rubbish. He's been inconsistent during his career but he really stood up down forward when Drew went down that year. Even last year he generally played well. Perhaps not at top three draft pick level, but at the very least he has been a solid player.
Since switching back this season he's blossomed. I doubt he'll ever play forward again, except as a surprise tactic and it's nice to have that up our sleeve.
He's a different player now.

 

[Artaxx]

I think its wrong to think that A) he's always playing loose and that b) teams aren't trying to counter him. Clearly they are. But he's so ****en good at his job that they are failing.

Right now, hes an elite AFL player.

 

[Jack Reacher]

Ok....now I know I'm not Hansen's biggest fan, and that I still have question marks about him, and that I have been cast as leader of 'The Hansenites' by many, but I do want to recognise Hansen's increased committment to the NMFC by way of effort and involvement in games this year. At many stages throughout his career he had been seen by a large % of North supporters to be lazy and disinterested. Whether that was some kind of protest or Nar Nar Goon attitude, I dont really know. What I do know is that he seems to have arrested this attitude/demeanour and I for one applaud him for it

 

[Kimbo]

It's a trade off with the loose men. We both have one, or we both don't. With Lachie's form as the loose man, we win more times than not. Man him up in defence (sic), and there's more room for us down forward.

 

[Hunters Host #3]

Embrace the light Jack.

Embrace Lachie.

 

[Higgins2Waite]

Is this really happening?



Nah you're having us on Jack. As soon as he has a bad one you'll be leading the charge again. Not to mention just the other day you suggested he was trade bait

 

[ozzyoslo]

He continues his form into next year he could get a nomination for AA.....seriously his form of late is equal to Thommo and arguably better some games. Good for Lachie no one can begrudge the bloke kudo's because its been a long hard slog for him. Really looking forward to watching this matured player playing his heart out for the club til he finishes.

 

[WesternRoo]

Great stuff Reacharound, good to have you on board!

 

[Saintly31]

Ok....now I know I'm not Hansen's biggest fan, and that I still have question marks about him, and that I have been cast as leader of 'The Hansenites' by many, but I do want to recognise Hansen's increased committment to the NMFC by way of effort and involvement in games this year. At many stages throughout his career he had been seen by a large % of North supporters to be lazy and disinterested. Whether that was some kind of protest or Nar Nar Goon attitude, I dont really know. What I do know is that he seems to have arrested this attitude/demeanour and I for one applaud him for it

Really JReacher, hadn't noticed?

Basically, I agree with you. When Hansen is playing well he deserves praise. When he plays poorly he will cop criticism. There are no 'Hansenites' on here, its just a term used by posters who never see any fault in the club or players.

 

[Grogg]

I think its wrong to think that A) he's always playing loose and that b) teams aren't trying to counter him. Clearly they are. But he's so ****en good at his job that they are failing.

Right now, hes an elite AFL player.

Yep and I think our improvement in the overall defensive structure has contributed to this as well. Not taking anything away from Hansen though. He's been brilliant.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Hansen is receiving almost Wells level of criticism.

Expectations on him are unreachable if what he is doing at the moment isn't good enough.

 

[Saintly31]

Yep and I think our improvement in the overall defensive structure has contributed to this as well. Not taking anything away from Hansen though. He's been brilliant.

He is definitely getting help to play the way he is, and that shouldn't be underestimated. That takes nothing away from Lachie though, he is taking full advantage and playing at a high level.

Do you think he can sustain it? It's my main worry as we've seen big swings in form in the past - hopefully that is history, especially if we keep him back where he should have been all along IMO.

 

[RoyalBlue]

THE GENERAL.