Strategy Who Captains the club in 2021? BigBoy!

[Steven Tyler]

I love Big Boy, like we all do, but I am just going to say it, I hate this move. Feels like we are just trying to paper over cracks if I am being honest.

He has been the natural leader of this club since Rough retired
Staggering it took them so long to make it official

 

[Steven Tyler]

So you just decided to ignore the rest of my points then and hone in on that? McEvoy is a far different person and leader to Stratton - but you already knew that didn't you?

No

The other points in your post I agreed with

I was merely pointing out that the players also voted for Stratts as skipper, and in MY opinion he has been the worst captain since I have been following Hawthorn (early 70’s)

(I obviously have no idea what Stratts did behind the scenes and can only make my opinion on what I see on-field)

 

[hawkdork83]

He has been the natural leader of this club since Rough retired
Staggering it took them so long to make it official

I agree. He is a great leader and a great clubman. But that ship has sailed.

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

Congrats big man. Was surprised at first but then started thinking about character and person. One of the best, highly regarded and is always bandaged up .

Cornes has already started. Just said how can you choose a captain that isn’t an automatic walk up into the best 22! This shows how little the bloke knows about footy and our club. What a knob!

Cornes didn't honestly say that did he?, where's the face palm emoji. Automatic selection in the best 22 if fit and at his best is a barometer which newsflash Kane means he is and will be a good leader. Kane should at least maybe pretend like he has watched a little bit of us play over the years so it would be coming from an informed opinion instead of just blatant misinformation making himself come across as a nuffie. Hope he got torn to shreds by any hawk supporter listeners.

 

[Billyc]

I agree. He is a great leader and a great clubman. But that ship has sailed.

I get your view but it’s really a indictment on the rest of the playing group that the club considers a busted up Mcevoy to be best captain option. Others should have emerged by now and would have been expected to when Stratton was made captain, but they haven’t

 

[A Cut Above]

Right decision, numerous years too late. If a 31 year old ruckman is our #1 captaincy choice our leadership stocks are terrible.

Why did we pay through the nose for JOM if not to make him captain? His on-field results haven't gone remotely close to justifying the price tag.

 

[hawkdork83]

I agree. He is a great leader and a great clubman. But that ship has sailed.

Yeah totally. That's the flip side. Might be harsh, but it just further shows we haven't got what we expected from the O'Meara trade.... yet. Fingers crossed he has a massive 2021.

 

[TylerDurden]

I get your view but it’s really a indictment on the rest of the playing group that the club considers a busted up Mcevoy to be best captain option. Others should have emerged by now and would have been expected to when Stratton was made captain, but they haven’t

Agreed. This would be BBs last year.
Now we have the weekly debate about playing him back or in the ruck, and then what happens to Cegs.
It's probably 2 years too late, but I'll support him anyway.
No more giggles in the huddle pre game is already an improvement.

 

[Pessimistic]

BIG BOY OH BOY

I hope it doesn't take him forever to jog from the player huddle, to the coin toss and then back to the player huddle

He won’t be retiring through pace then? Btw his tank has always been notable. Maybe this is a sign he’s not quite finished. Not many are posting that

Hale retired at 31is (ironically pushed out partly by McEvoy) but Paul salmon played till 36, and then did another stint back at the bombers.

 

[Billyc]

LOL in the last 4 seasons our skippers have barely got a kick.

Not at time of their appointment. Roughead was a proven star, albeit returning from serious illness and Stratton was coming off career best year. Each of those decisions were poor with the benefit of hindsight

 

[A Cut Above]

Not at time of their appointment. Roughead was a proven star, albeit returning from serious illness and Stratton was coming off career best year. Each of those decisions were poor with the benefit of hindsight

Definition of insanity is making the same mistake over & over and expecting a different result. Which is precisely what they're doing with McEvoy.

Captaincy isn't meant to reward an old codger for past service. Its mean to go to the best person to lead the club into the FUTURE. Big Boy is 31, he has no future at Hawthorn. This reeks of Clarko reminiscing over his glory years while every other club is looking ahead. Little wonder we're going backwards.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

No

The other points in your post I agreed with

I was merely pointing out that the players also voted for Stratts as skipper, and in MY opinion he has been the worst captain since I have been following Hawthorn (early 70’s)

(I obviously have no idea what Stratts did behind the scenes and can only make my opinion on what I see on-field)

Don't disagree there - however I felt that's what the rest of my post covered is that while the player's may have voted in Stratton I think McEvoy is a very different type of person, player and leader so I wasn't finding the player vote a detraction this time around despite the prior result.

 

[KermitJagger]

Definition of insanity is making the same mistake over & over and expecting a different result. Which is precisely what they're doing with McEvoy.

Captaincy isn't meant to reward an old codger for past service. Its mean to go to the best person to lead the club into the FUTURE. Big Boy is 31, he has no future at Hawthorn. This reeks of Clarko reminiscing over his glory years while every other club is looking ahead. Little wonder we're going backwards.

That's a very cynical viewpoint. I'd say the biggest reason we gave Big Boy the captaincy is because he's one of the biggest effort players in the club, he's rarely injured and he's serious about his footy.

He's not at all a similar prospect to Stratts. Completely different player and personality, and one that no one on this board will ever be able to piss and moan about joking around and not taking the game seriously. Even if only for a couple of years he's going to be the standard bearer on the field and in training, whether through the year or during the pre-season.

What other options were there? Give it to Gunston or Sicily who may not play anywhere near a full season? Give it to O'Meara who may be traded if we need to pivot directions with our list? Give it to Worpel who isn't ready at all? Fact is, McEvoy isn't going anywhere else and he's the most reliable bloke and leader on our list. He's a good choice even if he isn't the popular one on this board.

 

[Pessimistic]

If you check, crawf was capt just 6 years. Same as tuck and hodge. His was the worst in terms of success though, it’s no guarantee

 

[Hodgey09]

LOVE this.

Only issue is it should’ve happened much sooner.

 

[Hodgey09]

i know a lot of people will be disappointed with this due to his age but i can't think of a more inspirational leader that gives his all for the HFC. Remember when we were getting pummelled in 2017 and he was in tears after the game? Bleeds Brown and Gold and will provide a great precedent for whoever takes over long-term.

I get the feeling that he will be teaching someone like JOM, Sicily or Worpel who will take over in 2 years with the view to them being our next premiership captain. We need someone to steady the ship after the debacle that was Stratts and Rough and if JOM/Sic weren't ready this year, they sure as hell will be when BB is done after learning from him.

The more I think about it the more I like it. Club is in safe hands.

this

 

[A Cut Above]

He's not at all a similar prospect to Stratts. Completely different player and personality, and one that no one on this board will ever be able to piss and moan about joking around and not taking the game seriously.

I didn't piss & moan about Stratton because of his personality. I pissed & moaned because he was no longer part of our best 22 and would have been dropped if he wasn't captain EXACTLY LIKE THE CAPTAIN BEFORE HIM.

We're about to repeat that exact mistake for a third time in a row.

Fact is, McEvoy isn't going anywhere else and he's the most reliable bloke and leader on our list.

You're right, McEvoy isn't going anywhere and neither are we with a has-been captain. The club needed to grow a collective nutsack and hand the job to someone who represents the future - even if that means taking a risk. You don't win Premierships without taking risks - who at the club has stomach for them??

McEvoy was my choice for captain - YEARS AGO when that choice made sense. It doesn't now. Don't bother telling me "oh he's a temporary choice while the next generation of leaders emerges" BECAUSE THAT'S WHY THE LAST TWO CAPTAINS WERE CHOSEN, they were nothing but stop-gap choices too.

Which I guess means the Hawthorn Football Club is going absolutely nowhere, because that's how things look from the outside. No wonder everyone's leaving.

 

[local hack]

opportunity

I think the appointment of Leading Teams to facilitate the process of selecting our new Captain is an indication of the Board and senior management’s concern with prior selections.
I believe McEvoy is a great on field leader and an excellent appointment. O’Meara appears to have pole position to succeed him in due course. Leaders should always be chosen on ability not popularity.

I think the appointment of Leading Teams shows the board and senior management need a new and innovative approach to find ways to differentiate our club. Leading Team, so same same and the easy answer.

 

[theiaofseed]

I didn't piss & moan about Stratton because of his personality. I pissed & moaned because he was no longer part of our best 22 and would have been dropped if he wasn't captain EXACTLY LIKE THE CAPTAIN BEFORE HIM.

We're about to repeat that exact mistake for a third time in a row.



You're right, McEvoy isn't going anywhere and neither are we with a has-been captain. The club needed to grow a collective nutsack and hand the job to someone who represents the future - even if that means taking a risk. You don't win Premierships without taking risks - who at the club has stomach for them??

McEvoy was my choice for captain - YEARS AGO when that choice made sense. It doesn't now. Don't bother telling me "oh he's a temporary choice while the next generation of leaders emerges" BECAUSE THAT'S WHY THE LAST TWO CAPTAINS WERE CHOSEN, they were nothing but stop-gap choices too.

Which I guess means the Hawthorn Football Club is going absolutely nowhere, because that's how things look from the outside. No wonder everyone's leaving.

Take a few deep breathes and take a damn break.

 

[KermitJagger]

I didn't piss & moan about Stratton because of his personality. I pissed & moaned because he was no longer part of our best 22 and would have been dropped if he wasn't captain EXACTLY LIKE THE CAPTAIN BEFORE HIM.

We're about to repeat that exact mistake for a third time in a row.



You're right, McEvoy isn't going anywhere and neither are we with a has-been captain. The club needed to grow a collective nutsack and hand the job to someone who represents the future - even if that means taking a risk. You don't win Premierships without taking risks - who at the club has stomach for them??

McEvoy was my choice for captain - YEARS AGO when that choice made sense. It doesn't now. Don't bother telling me "oh he's a temporary choice while the next generation of leaders emerges" BECAUSE THAT'S WHY THE LAST TWO CAPTAINS WERE CHOSEN, they were nothing but stop-gap choices too.

Which I guess means the Hawthorn Football Club is going absolutely nowhere, because that's how things look from the outside. No wonder everyone's leaving.

It's nice to say all of this with hindsight, but I don't believe either Stratton or Roughead were chosen with the intention of being stopgap choices. Roughead was chosen as an established Hawthorn player and leader to be in charge while we felt we could still compete with a lot of mature heads still around, and Stratton was coming off the back of almost a career best season. Unfortunately for Stratts the end came quicker than any of us expected and he wasn't able to finish his captaincy off very strongly - but that can only be said with the benefit of hindsight.

Also, any modern footballer will tell you that the captaincy isn't what it used to be. Getting worked up like it's the end all of success is doing nothing but shortening your lifespan, breathe.

 

[Charchi]

I think it is a safe decision, not inspirational but safe.
My choice would have been Gunston but fully understand why not, with him coming back from a serious back operation. He needs to concentrate on his recovery.
I believed then and still we made an error in appointing Roughie coming back from a deadly health scare, he should have been allowed to recover fully and not have the expectation of week to week high performance of a captain.
Stratts just came off a great year and was appointed by the team and in hindsight wasn't the best choice due to constant pressure week to week on performance..
Of the other prospects:
Sicily - not going to play for most, if not all the year
Mitchell - coming back from a shoulder reco (see Gunna above)
JoM - will get his turn I believe
Worps - too young

 

[bigmaxi]

i know a lot of people will be disappointed with this due to his age but i can't think of a more inspirational leader that gives his all for the HFC. Remember when we were getting pummelled in 2017 and he was in tears after the game? Bleeds Brown and Gold and will provide a great precedent for whoever takes over long-term.

I get the feeling that he will be teaching someone like JOM, Sicily or Worpel who will take over in 2 years with the view to them being our next premiership captain. We need someone to steady the ship after the debacle that was Stratts and Rough and if JOM/Sic weren't ready this year, they sure as hell will be when BB is done after learning from him.

The more I think about it the more I like it. Club is in safe hands.

I like this. I love BB. It’s going to be a tough year for us, a young new captain might struggle with the responsibility , the win loss ratio and the mauling from the press, not sure we will be world betters so a pair of big shoulders is needed. Then on to Worpel or Sis, to lead a gun , well disciplined and warrior like team built on BB‘s big back.

 

[rick_422]

I like this. I love BB. It’s going to be a tough year for us, a young new captain might struggle with the responsibility , the win loss ratio and the mauling from the press, not sure we will be world betters so a pair of big shoulders is needed. Then on to Worpel or Sis, to lead a gun , well disciplined and warrior like team built on BB‘s big back.

He could just do what Stratts did and don’t do any press and avoid it all together?

 

[daniel23]

Its a hard decision to be overly excited about , he was one player i was kind of hoping would be replaced in the back 6 by end of year by a youngster.

 

[Siri]

Regardless of how you paint it ... this selection speaks more about our list than Big Boy as an individual. Nobody questions the man himself, but he shouldn't be captain at this stage of his career. There's no such thing as a perfect time for most things in life ... so if Jaeger, Tom or Jack aren't up to it at this point in time I'd argue their time is fast passing. At the very least, we should be portraying the fact that we have a positive vision, aspirations and foresight. Like Stratton, this is a very uninspiring selection and IMO is indicative of where we are currently at as a club ... a little lost.