Game Day 2025 AFL Season Round 17: Saints v Hawks, Mar-vel Stadium 7:40PM AEST Saturday, 5th of July

[LennyHayes77]

It literally doesn’t happen in any other team sport, players chatting to the opposition on the ground after the game. Sure, they’re all mates but at least for the fans they should save it for off field.

You should watch more sports buddy

 

[Nutsngum]

I think props should be given to Hastie who really bounced back from a poor early game. Deserves to be given the chance to take Webster's spot. .and may have that chance that he went off injured.

 

[Sully111]

NAS excellent, Hall outstanding. Might even finish top 5 in our b & f at this rate. What a find.

Poor: Marshall & coaching. How many times have we see a last qrt like that? Game is already over, Ross finally makes some moves, we play with some freedom and look okay. Yet when it matters, can't move the ball effectively.

We are always outmumbered forward of the ball, but regularly outnumbered behind the ball as well. Our structures are all over the place. I have got NFI how we want to play but we avoid the middle at all costs until the game is already over.

It's our kicking.

It isn't Lyon's game day coaching.

It's our kicking.

 

[Browny2Carlisle]

Interesting how many of these are the older guys. I think they’re the ones letting us down, not the kids.

Grrr can’t play kids something something need experience

 

[thekizzler]

NAS excellent, Hall outstanding. Might even finish top 5 in our b & f at this rate. What a find.

Poor: Marshall & coaching. How many times have we see a last qrt like that? Game is already over, Ross finally makes some moves, we play with some freedom and look okay. Yet when it matters, can't move the ball effectively.

We are always outmumbered forward of the ball, but regularly outnumbered behind the ball as well. Our structures are all over the place. I have got NFI how we want to play but we avoid the middle at all costs until the game is already over.

I'm not really sure how you can be critical of coaching. We were beaten by skill errors and lack of conversion. Nothing to do with coaching.

The two major issues of concern are the skill errors/decision making and the ease of of which Hawthorn scored when they went inside 50.

Coaching is definitely not the problem. Maybe we could try some different personnel. Keeler was a traffic cone today.

The coaching put us in a position to beat a so called premiership contender and we didn't have the polish to take that opportunity.

 

[Sir Owens]

How fit is NAS. The bloke never stops running and doesn't break a sweat.

 

[Broski]

I know it’s just a reflex reaction after a loss, but our senior core are just plain awful. Apart from Sinclair and Wilkie, you can’t depend on them consistently. I love Wood and Hill but they have fallen off quickly after signing lengthy contracts. It doesn’t matter cause they’d be on stuff all coin and add plenty in terms of relationships and driving standards off the ground. We simply must explore trades if there is interest for Marshall and Steele.

 

[sasaint]

Really can’t see why Liam is in the senior side. Must be RTB favourite as he really hasn’t delivered. We must bring in a tall forward target even if that is Ro playing forward. Opportunities for anyone who plays well tomorrow for Sandy.

 

[Windtagger]

Feel bad for Cooper - seems like he has really lost his confidence and looks upset every time he’s bested in a marking contest.

 

[Verdun66]

If commentators who have club allegiances can’t keep that out of games they are allocated to then they should be banned. I already thought very little of Ben Dixon

Ben Dixon

Age

48

Ht

188cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.8

3star

K

7.5

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

4.2

4star

T

1.4

3star

G

1.4

5star

No current season stats available

D

10.4

3star

K

7.6

3star

HB

2.8

3star

M

4.8

5star

T

0.8

3star

G

2.4

5star

but it has just gone to another level. He just shouldn’t do Hawthorn games.

It is Fox Footy. Not Hawthorn’s own Channel.

 

[projectv]

NAS excellent, Hall outstanding. Might even finish top 5 in our b & f at this rate. What a find.

Poor: Marshall & coaching. How many times have we see a last qrt like that? Game is already over, Ross finally makes some moves, we play with some freedom and look okay. Yet when it matters, can't move the ball effectively.

We are always outmumbered forward of the ball, but regularly outnumbered behind the ball as well. Our structures are all over the place. I have got NFI how we want to play but we avoid the middle at all costs until the game is already over.

The inside 50 forward entries that we butchered are on the coaches, but the kicking at goal is on the players. If Wood + Sharman + Higgins nail their set shots we win that game.

The last quarter opened up because the game was over, Hawthorn stopped caring, and everyone was gassed.

 

[Browny2Carlisle]

I'm not really sure how you can be critical of coaching. We were beaten by skill errors and lack of conversion. Nothing to do with coaching.

The two major issues of concern are the skill errors/decision making and the ease of of which Hawthorn scored when they went inside 50.

Coaching is definitely not the problem. Maybe we could try some different personnel. Keeler was a traffic cone today.

The coaching put us in a position to beat a so called premiership contender and we didn't have the polish to take that opportunity.

Aren’t the coaches meant to improve skills? Fitness? Strength? Motivation? Get the best out of players? I don’t know how it can just be one and not the other.

 

[Daws]

I want to start seeing some accountability for basic skill errors. This is not a ross issue. What do they practice during the week to get better? Effort is fine but no other workplace excuses basic fundamentals, such as a kick 10m out directly in front or a kick inside 50 that isnt scrubbed along the floor, with no evidence of improvement in 17 weeks (being kind as this has been happening for years)

The likes of carlton fans can moan they have it tough but we have been sitting through the same frustrating watches year after year

 

[EddieMurphy]

That’s just false

Some willful blindness around Hilly. Doesn't set the standard for a senior player. Pulls out of contests and fluffs plays more than once or twice.

 

[projectv]

If commentators who have club allegiances can’t keep that out of games they are allocated to then they should be banned. I already thought very little of Ben Dixon but it has just gone to another level. He just shouldn’t do Hawthorn games.

It is Fox Footy. Not Hawthorn’s own Channel.

Maybe he read all the Bigfooty comments about our goalkicking when he was at the Saints and still holds a grudge.

 

[Verdun66]

Sharman should be the third tall. Not the main target. Tough on him. Hawks sadly have a pretty solid and experienced back line. Frustration led into some ordinary moments.

I like Keeler a lot, but he needs quite a bit of gym work. Our forward line very undermanned.

 

[thekizzler]

Feel bad for Cooper - seems like he has really lost his confidence and looks upset every time he’s bested in a marking contest.

Coops is pretty much a flat track bully at the moment. His best football is played in bursts when he hits confidence and usually when the team is flying.

But if the team is down or forward line is struggling as a unit, he generally drops his head and there is no coming back from that.

He is undersized so that definitely works against him but sometimes he just doesn't work hard enough to make a contest.

He will benefit much more when we get bigger bodies in the forward line but he has to narrow his gap between best and worst because it's massive right now.

 

[Verdun66]

Maybe he read all the Bigfooty comments about our goalkicking when he was at the Saints and still holds a grudge.

His disdain for us is pretty obvious. Has been for ages. If he is on a show, I just turn it off.

 

[projectv]

Sharman should be the third tall. Not the main target. Tough on him. Hawks sadly have a pretty solid and experienced back line. Frustration led into some ordinary moments.

I like Keeler a lot, but he needs quite a bit of gym work. Our forward line very undermanned.

Keeler had a bad game, but it's his positioning that is the problem, not so much his size or strength.

He has no idea where to stand or where to run when the ball goes inside 50.

 

[Dard Ball Get]

Can we get an autopsy thread please mods....

 

[projectv]

Coops is pretty much a flat track bully at the moment. His best football is played in bursts when he hits confidence and usually when the team is flying.

But if the team is down or forward line is struggling as a unit, he generally drops his head and there is no coming back from that.

He is undersized so that definitely works against him but sometimes he just doesn't work hard enough to make a contest.

He will benefit much more when we get bigger bodies in the forward line but he has to narrow his gap between best and worst because it's massive right now.

He needs another game against Geelong to remind everyone that he can play like Wayne Carey at least once per season.

 

[Sully111]

View attachment 2360530

I miss George. He was always across that stuff. Obviously saw it as part of the responsibility of being a forum mod.

 

[Sully111]

Aren’t the coaches meant to improve skills? Fitness? Strength? Motivation? Get the best out of players? I don’t know how it can just be one and not the other.

Sure. But it's not the game day coaching/gameplan that is the problem. We kick at afl level and we win that game.

 

[thekizzler]

Aren’t the coaches meant to improve skills? Fitness? Strength? Motivation? Get the best out of players? I don’t know how it can just be one and not the other.

Well yeah but when you can't coach players missing 20m kicks, missing easy handballs and missing easy shots for goal. Which is what cost us at crucial times today.

The coaches put in place the structure and game plan for us to win the game. We had enough scoring shots and more inside 50's.

I understand the frustration. If the system and structure was breaking down, like Carlton for example, then it would be a different story.

One element the coaches could be liable for is the ease which we are getting scored against. Hawthorn's score conversion from inside 50s was too high today.

 

[thekizzler]

He needs another game against Geelong to remind everyone that he can play like Wayne Carey at least once per season.

Fremantle at Marvel was that performance most recently.