Review R21: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly vs. Hawthorn

[PeterSalt]

Probably the wrong thread for this but anyway

ROB playing well this year partly because the rucks are allowed to wrestle at the centre bounce instead of jumping. Signs three year extension

Greg Swann joins AFL and says they’ll look to bring back jumping for rucks

I sense a problem here..

Yep, we'll remember why they introduced the rule change initially when the rucks start going down with collision and other injuries after launching themselves at each other for a couple of hours

Swann has also mentioned getting rid of the sub. Some talk if this happens a lot of clubs may play a second ruck on the bench

Maybe there's a reason around the rumour we're still into Draper?

 

[Jack McKraken]

Best way to be.

Chirp too much, it losses effect.

Thought Sicily was close to a meltdown around then - was hoping for a bit of lip after the goal to bait a reaction and get a second shot

 

[George CantStandYa]

In the event we don't win, it will come down to who wins their percentage boosters by more

If Geelong win their three, and we win our two, all by similar margins, we finish 2nd

I can see Geelong winning by 119 today

 

[Shuestar13]

West Coast are the closest I go to having a second side. Sheed's goal was my favourite GF moment since 1998.

I’ve seen a few on here talk about how you’ve had to “pay back” whatever luck or good fortune was used in 98. We (WCE) are now having to do the same for our miracle. A long (long) time of further payback to come you would think!

My affinity for the Crows probably started at that time, the mid-late 90’s as a young kid loving football, I enjoyed watching the games telecast here to Perth from Football Park and as a West Aussie, seeing the cup stay out of Victoria was very well received here also from my recollection.

Gone off on a tangent… but seriously impressed with the AFC this year, I knew you would improve but this is beyond expectations. What’s more exciting is that it doesn’t “look” to be a flash in the pan, with your squad/list demographic, you should be in contention for some years. Really hoping now that you get that slice of well deserved of good of fortune on top of that, on a Grand Final Day in the not too distant future. Exciting times

 

[Southerntakeover]

Doing the predictor. There's a good chance that Geelong get 2nd from us on % if we lose to Collingwood.

Ten percent up on them with games against West Coast, and Kangaroos (inc in the final round).

Really shouldn't get overun from there.

 

[Scorpus]

I can see Geelong winning by 119 today

My hot take is it won't matter

I have us beating Collingwood and Geelong losing to Sydney at the SCG

 

[Redleg Crow]

Nicks in the presser “Dan Curtin.. my favourite”

 

[Gtowncrow]

Hopefully new Nicks can bring Draper in next week.

Draper in next week seems logical...but is it?

I'm thinking that the hff position we'd be looking to fill doesn't necessarily be a goal kicking forward as we have plenty of them already. I think a replacement who can contribute to offensive chains but still have good defensive nous and contested ball winning skills.

Draper is the future but not ready yet. I'm suggesting Billy Dowling offers more for this year.

It shouldn't be Pedlar. Or Cook. Or Murphy. And it could have been Max but... It's Rachele's spot and given all of our efforts since the knee injury, it's now Billy's turn. He did very little wrong in his previous afl games and importantly, he's a running machine and can find the ball.

Now wouldn't that be refreshing when compared to the others we've tried?

 

[Redleg Crow]

Berry with the most pressure acts in the game

 

[Gtowncrow]

Yes, another howler, but your perspective is skewed.
As far as the Umps and Hawks' fans are concerned Milera face-butted that poor Hawks Player's hand .

Milera probably at that point thought the umpires were a bit of a rabble.

 

[Scorpus]

In my ladder predictor I have this game costing Hawthorn finals

 

[Southerntakeover]

Draper in next week seems logical...but is it?

I'm thinking that the hff position we'd be looking to fill doesn't necessarily be a goal kicking forward as we have plenty of them already. I think a replacement who can contribute to offensive chains but still have good defensive nous and contested ball winning skills.

Draper is the future but not ready yet. I'm suggesting Billy Dowling offers more for this year.

It shouldn't be Pedlar. Or Cook. Or Murphy. And it could have been Max but... It's Rachele's spot and given all of our efforts since the knee injury, it's now Billy's turn. He did very little wrong in his previous afl games and importantly, he's a running machine and can find the ball.

Now wouldn't that be refreshing when compared to the others we've tried?

With a team this strong, we can absolutely afford to give Draper a full game against West Coast.

Getting him up to speed, and not just resting on where our team is now but adding the value of a pick four elite midfield talent significantly increases the chances of our snatching a trophy in the next few years.

 

[PeterSalt]

In my ladder predictor I have this game costing Hawthorn finals

Hard to see them beating both Brisbane & Collingwood, particularly if Day is in a moon boot

 

[Southerntakeover]

I'm just blown away by the potential upside of this group.

Like, most of our key players still you'd project still have significant improvements left in them, very few of our core are even at the beginning of their peak other than Dawson (and obv Tex who's passed his).

Add in Draper, and this core could have us around the mark for a very very very long time. I don't know whether I've ever felt that about our list before.

I guess that strategy of never bottoming out wasn't the best thing after all.

 

[Gtowncrow]

Some of the hawthorn favouritism was:

View attachment 2383630

Anyone want to try and decipher this?

Looks a tense atmosphere to me. Like disagreement.

Anyone?...

 

[Shuestar13]

My hot take is it won't matter

I have us beating Collingwood and Geelong losing to Sydney at the SCG

Buckley said last week he wouldn’t like Geelong’s prep leading into the finals (as who they are playing) and that it would be causing Scott some angst.

Perfect prep for the Crows, two tough finals like home games and two away games where you should be able to manage/rotate players and get it done without too much fuss.

 

[Gtowncrow]

If it's Crouch or Berry I'm taking Berry. Has the ability to break lines that Crouch doesn't have.

When Nicksy was asked about Crouch in his presser during the week he was lot more vague than he'd usually be if he was frothing to get him back in the team. Very non-committal and talked more about wanting to be sure he can get his body right to go week after week without soreness. Could be selective hearing but sounded to me like he was giving themselves an excuse to not play him.

My interpretation exactly.

 

[steve9798]

I couldn’t tell where he was playing but he seems to excel as the link player who can deliver cleanly into the 50 but last night was more of an arm wrestle and that’s not his skill set

Agreed. Unfortunately for Cook, finals are an arm wrestle. He won't get time and space in Sept.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Anyone want to try and decipher this?

Looks a tense atmosphere to me. Like disagreement.

Anyone?...

The on-field incident escapes my memory .....but first time I've seen Nicks lose it ....Davis tried to calm him down

 

[Alwaysacrow]

Yeah but to overtake us we need to barely squeak over North and the Eagles. Possible, yes

EDIT - just re did it - yeah if they win all by 60 and we only win by 30 they go 2nd. Faaaaarrrk

I suspect Sydney will be more competitive. Maybe even a sneaky chance to win that one on their home turf.

 

[Geoffa32]

Correct. As Scorpus said, it's all in our hands - beat Collingwood and it's not a problem, but if we don't, then it's still in our hands for big wins over WC and North if needed. We aren't relying on anyone else.

As long as we can beat up on Norf and WCE to keep Geelong at bay, I won't be upset about losing to Collingwood.

Something about going into Finals on a 9 game winning streak unsettles me.

 

[pjcrows]

Buckley said last week he wouldn’t like Geelong’s prep leading into the finals (as who they are playing) and that it would be causing Scott some angst.

IIRC our 2012 run home was really easy. Pretty much bottom 8 opponents in the last 8 weeks or something, including 17th and 18th in the last two weeks, and snagged 2nd. Then Swans smashed us in the home Qualifying Final.

 

[Geoffa32]

Anyone want to try and decipher this?

Looks a tense atmosphere to me. Like disagreement.

Anyone?...

Murray was going to hand Nicks some lollies teeth....Nicks said no.

 

[GreyCrow]

While the best I could do was watch on my phone between jobs I did like the overall arc of the game

We were severely challenged and questioned - then reset at 1/4 time - well done Nicks

Then Hawthorn kept coming back and we kept answering the challenge

Ive had my doubts and these kinds of games dont really make them go away but we are doing all we can

We have set ourselves up for 2 home finals which is massive

On Hawthorn and Mitchell - I dont think he would be too upset. Day 2nd game etc - come finals if we have to play them again I think it will play out similarly and we have to be on song to win because Mitchell will swing from the rafters

 

[CrowBloke]

Hopefully new Nicks can bring Draper in next week.

A Plea to the Aliens who have captured the Old Nicks:
--- first of all, thank you; his replacement has been very good.
--- please look after the Old Nicks; he's a decent bloke, but return date ... uhhhh, can we negotiate?

Oh, and:
--- don't puzzle too long over the small dents/tracks on his pate; they're fly-footprints.