Preview Round 6, 2024: North v Hawks, 4pm 21st April, Marvel Stadium

[Franko Armani]

Would like to see Hustwaite given a full game - he’ll be one of our BOG amongst this lot we are currently fielding.
McKenzie should have a spell. Will be a decent player I think but has limited impact and doesn’t have the tank yet to even fully run out half a game at this level.
Butler out - probably seen enough donut impact games to know now.
CJ in if fit.
McDonald sub. Can have an immediate impact but is currently just having a run around the park for 4 qtrs.

 

[threesixpio]

 

[Scooter_1968]

Can I add Seamus Mitchell to that list .

And Dylan Moore

On SM-A546E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[theiaofseed]

It's a bit frustrating when other 20-year-olds in the league are showing much more consistently. Generally, I wouldn't say I like criticising our players, but Ward, in particular, really needs to start showing something.

Which 20 years are showing more? Can you name 10?

 

[extractasam]

Besides a fair few soft efforts feel like Ward is one of our lesser worries. He isn’t a ball hunting inside mid but it would be nice if he could add some inside/outside balance to his game.
We’ve seen him collect plenty of the footy in his first 2 years and is a decent enough user.

The heat should really be on the guys who have a reputation for being bruisers not really offering anything up. Newc besides when Tom Mitchell got in his ear against the pies hasn’t given us as much as we know he’s got and Nash the same

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

I’d drop Nash for Morrison, Husthwaite full game, Ward more inside mid, Morrison wing. Make a statement with Nash that you can’t rely on last year’s performance any more

Butler gone, O’Sullivan in. Butler feels like Nash 2.0 in the he dominates box hill when played in a role, then doesn’t play that role in the seniors. Let’s see what we have with O’Sullivan, can he provide a spark and some tackle pressure?

With only Larkey as a tall threat, Sicily should get free, but every chance to be tagged too

McDonald sub. Been average of late, is a spark player and might be the kick up the ass he needs

 

[Yardie]

I think he has a bit to offer but he needs to get a move on to be compared to Merrett at the same age

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Maybe try to compare them at the same age of 20.

 

[The Jet From Poowong]

Maybe try to compare them at the same age of 20.

So Ward’s 2024 season (his third) has fallen significantly behind Merret 2016 season (his third).

No point looking backwards.

 

[SeanStrickland]

If we let Sheezel waltz out of our backline like every other side has this year we could be in big trouble.
Fwds need to be shown the Paul Puopolo

28

Paul Puopolo

Age

36

Ht

173cm

Wt

78kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.9

4star

K

6.9

3star

HB

6.9

4star

M

2.2

2star

T

4.3

5star

G

0.9

4star

D

8.5

2star

K

4.3

2star

HB

4.3

3star

M

1.0

1star

T

2.5

3star

G

0.3

3star

D

17.0

5star

K

8.8

4star

HB

8.2

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

4.8

5star

G

0.0

1star

highlights package to get an idea of what real fwd pressure is.

 

[burger09]

Would be great if its our kids that come to the fore this week and are strong contributors in the win. We are playing a team at a similar age and level.

 

[kenneje]

Possibly but he needs to get more urgency in his game.

And probably needs to become a bit more selfish about his own game.

The amount of times he jets off at full pace to provide an option, only to be ignored is painful.

Maybe it’s seniority, but I’d love to see teammates show a little more confidence in him - he’s one of our best kicks going into the 50.

 

[Howe Amazing]

I hear he's close to the 90kg mark.

Quite incredible when he was drafted at 70kg.

He's gonna be our Fyfe. Can't wait.

We need him this week

 

[SSSSSS]

Ward is also one of our only mids who doesn't continually get sucked into the contest. He actually holds his width and ends up chasing arse when the ball inevitably goes over the head of Newk, Nash and Worpel who are somehow all inexplicably on the ground and completely out of the contest.

He does an enormous amount of defensive running (as does Moore and Massimo) which makes it all the more difficult for him to get to positions to get an easy uncontested possession.

The wing is also a position which lives and dies whether a midfield can feed it. Our mids aren't feeding s**t this season.

He will hopefully get more midfield minutes as he grows but I think Sam just wants to roll our most seasoned bodies in there and give a sprinkling here and there to our young fellas.

Patience.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Ward will never be an in a A grade in and under midfielder. To be honest I’m not sure what he is. For mine, looks to be a half back flanker at best

Can't agree with your assessment of Ward, I guess time will tell which of us is correct.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

A lot were calling for Moore to be dropped, a couple of games back, but he is starting to play well. Had some centre square attendances, vs GC as his fitness picks up (or coaching desperation). Slowly building after glandular fever.

Hope we throw him straight into the middle. He's going to give everything, which would hopefully inspire the rest of the midfield unit to pull their fingers out.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

If we let Sheezel waltz out of our backline like every other side has this year we could be in big trouble.
Fwds need to be shown the Paul Puopolo highlights package to get an idea of what real fwd pressure is.

Finn will go to him. He did a job on him last time, before being moved to TT (or was it the other way around?). Either way he'll go to him. Hopefully he kicks a few goals too.

 

[Hot Cheese Rioli]

I'd like to see Butler get a 3rd week, but fear he may be on shaky ground. Will be interesting to see whether Lewis or Breust are fit.

I think this game us far from easy.

Butler on shaky ground? That's a huge understatement.

 

[Wingnut19]

Butler has to get at least one more, see how he goes against a similarly talented team. If nothing, then we need to look at changing his position back at box hill. With Nash out of form, is there a better time to give Stephens a crack and see if there is anything there? Some players seem to play better up a level? I mean it’s looking likely he’ll be delisted but surely we give him some games this year to see what’s there??

 

[Crankyhawk]

Speaking of, why is our supporter base so quiet? I yell my ass off each week (positively) and all Hawthorn supporters around me just clap politely. We need to make noise and create a hostile atmosphere. I’m not saying be feral but when Max Lynch announces our line up, get around them.

We seemed pretty loud at Easter Monday

 

[mustang]

For the first time we will be playing a midfield that has the same level of experience as our own, perfect time to give Ward and Mazkenzie the limelight and see what they can produce. Nash can find form in the VFL. Newcombe unless injured has to keep playing until he finds it.

They could have move experience that us in there with LDU and Simpkin,Greenwood

 

[TylerDurden]

Greenwood is a spud.

 

[spotthedot]

"Ward will never be an in a A grade in and under midfielder" - what's this statement based off?

He's played 35 games. He's 20 years old. He's had multiple games over the 30 disposal mark. Patience is needed. The fact is that no one knows if he will become an A grade midfielder. Such a sweeping statement is lacking any sort of evidence.

and yours is a sweeping statement...he averages 19.3 disposals a game AND has played one game (in 2022) when he had over 30 possessions. not sure when one game = multiple.

 

[Hawk88]

So much hate for Ward. If we look back this is the first year Ward has had a full preseason. Someone of his age need multiple preseasons to get a body which is up to AFL standard. It would also help if we played him in his position he was drafted for....

Secondly our midfield has become to one paced this year. Look at Adelaide who were getting smashed with Dawson, Laird, Crouch and Berry from rounds 1-4

They have switched this mix more evenly the last 2 weeks with Soligo, Rankine and to a lesser extent Rachele getting bulk CBA's. Their midfield absolutely bullied the blues in the 2nd half last week. They have breakaway speed from stoppage and were able to defend better because....you guessed it, leg speed

We need to look at doing something similar, we cant keep playing Nash, Nuke and Worpel as the main mids. We need break away speed from stoppage and guys who can cover the ground because teams are simply tackling these blokes letting the ball spill to the outside and they are off

Day will obviously help with this issue but we need to play Moore etc in there more regularly

 

[Ned Ryerson]

We seemed pretty loud at Easter Monday

We absolutely were. Even when people had left because of the weather it was still very loud in my section which in previous years has been on the quieter side.

 

[nelk boys]

So much hate for Ward. If we look back this is the first year Ward has had a full preseason. Someone of his age need multiple preseasons to get a body which is up to AFL standard. It would also help if we played him in his position he was drafted for....

Secondly our midfield has become to one paced this year. Look at Adelaide who were getting smashed with Dawson, Laird, Crouch and Berry from rounds 1-4

They have switched this mix more evenly the last 2 weeks with Soligo, Rankine and to a lesser extent Rachele getting bulk CBA's. Their midfield absolutely bullied the blues in the 2nd half last week. They have breakaway speed from stoppage and were able to defend better because....you guessed it, leg speed

We need to look at doing something similar, we cant keep playing Nash, Nuke and Worpel as the main mids. We need break away speed from stoppage and guys who can cover the ground because teams are simply tackling these blokes letting the ball spill to the outside and they are off

Day will obviously help with this issue but we need to play Moore etc in there more regularly

Moore isn't the fastest. But agree on changing it up. Nash is on thin ice.