Autopsy AFL 2025 Semi Final - Crows v Hawks Fri Sept 12th 7:40pm EST/7:10pm CST (AO)

[Nelso]

Crows had the softest draw imaginable this season and took full advantage of it.

Their position at the end of the minor round flattered them.

A midfield containing Berry, Soligo, Peatling and co was never going to to win enough contests come finals time.

 

[chickenonachain]

To think if bulldogs won there last game hawks wouldn’t have made the eight

 

[PiCkLeJuiCe]

To think if bulldogs won there last game hawks wouldn’t have made the eight

wrong

 

[Mayes2Gray]

You should have a bit of empathy for Pies supporters, who have fronted up for losing grand finals more than anyone.

Sydney have lost more in the afl era

 

[demondavey]

Spoken as a supporter with authority on the straight sets experience.

After we’d won a flag

 

[PiCkLeJuiCe]

According to Jude Bolton

Jude Bolton

Age

45

Ht

181cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.9

4star

K

9.6

4star

HB

8.4

5star

M

3.1

3star

T

4.6

5star

CL

3.3

5star

No current season stats available

D

11.8

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

4.6

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

1.6

4star

"Hawks just snuck into the 8". What bullshit.

The team was one win away from finishing 3rd.

 

[MisterMarcus]

1. DON'T let Jai Newcombe roam around on the loose doing whatever he wants without any pressure on him.

2. Lay more than 50 tackles in a finals game.

 

[Hamingja]

3 talls is never going to work in finals where they traditionally struggle to impact games.

Are they going to make the tough decision and retire Tex?

 

[Lunchlady Doris]

I agree Hawthorn are complete trash and only ever win when the opposition have a stinker.

Nobody said that petal, you've got a whole week to wait, don't blow a valve.

 

[voorhees]

out in straight sets...
Adelaide fans would be so disappointed with the way the last month turned out

 

[Lunchlady Doris]

Let's hope you win easily next week, or you'll look quite the nuff nuff.

Come on, let's not pretend we're anything but, muchacho.

 

[Crow till I die]

Congratulations Hawks fans. Miles too good last night and it felt like a 10 goal loss rather than 34 points. Gunston with 71 goals is unbelievable...at what, 35 years of age.

 

[Crow till I die]

out in straight sets...
Adelaide fans would be so disappointed with the way the last month turned out

Midfield got completely exposed. Don't buy nicks bemoaning Rankine not playing, will day was not there for hawthorn either and did it affect how they played..

Crows got some structural issues to address over summer with a retooled midfield being front and centre and a much better midfield coach being critical. Hard to win games against the best in finals if you get belted in the middle every time

 

[voorhees]

Congratulations Hawks fans. Miles too good last night and it felt like a 10 goal loss rather than 34 points. Gunston with 71 goals is unbelievable...at what, 35 years of age.

Gunston really is a sight to behold.
no show time, no look at me, just a man who quietly goes to work and does his job.
man keeps on keeping on

 

[Blackhawk42]

1. DON'T let Jai Newcombe roam around on the loose doing whatever he wants without any pressure on him.

2. Lay more than 50 tackles in a finals game.



View attachment 2424756

Jai had 17 contested possessions. He wasn't left to roam around. He's just hard to contain when he's in finals mode.

 

[JackFlash]

This was the most predictable finals game result in living memory. Adelaide shot themselves in the foot weeks ago and were never going to beat anyone in this finals series. I suspect they might have to tumble down before rising up again next year? I've got them missing altogether in 2026.

 

[Yellow Feathers]

Woke up with a smile on my face.

Still hilarious.

 

[Yellow Feathers]

Bulldogs and St Kilda have obvious finals ambitions in 2026.

I could see a world where Adelaide and GWS make space.

 

[unitedhawk2]

"Getting into the prelims is not the aim."
Sam Mitchell, Adelaide Oval, 12 September 2025

Those eight words, my dear friends, encapsulate the vast difference between:
a) A club that knows what sustained success is, having experienced it consistently over several decades;
and
b) An ultra-consistent club that has only experienced sporadic success over the years but is nevertheless lauded by its acolytes in the footy media as being 'successful' for having reached 'x' number of prelims in 'y' number of years.

All the best to both teams next Friday - it shouid be an absolute cracker! Fwiw, I reckon the club that prevails in this prelim will go on to win the flag this year.

 

[Fadge]

"Getting into the prelims is not the aim."
Sam Mitchell, Adelaide Oval, 12 September 2025

Those eight words, my dear friends, encapsulate the vast difference between:
a) A club that knows what sustained success is, having experienced it consistently over several decades;
and
b) An ultra-consistent club that has only experienced sporadic success over the years but is nevertheless lauded by its acolytes in the footy media as being 'successful' for having reached 'x' number of prelims in 'y' number of years.

All the best to both teams next Friday - it shouid be an absolute cracker! Fwiw, I reckon the club that prevails in this prelim will go on to win the flag this year.

You were going well until your last sentence...

 

[Festerz]

 

[Soggy2112]

You have just proved my point which is that Adelaide were a false minor premier. They didn't finish top because they were the best side they finished top because their 2 A grade mids carried them similar to Sydney last year. When Gulden and Rankine weren't in the side the lesser players aren't good enough to step up. Hawthorn finished lower than they should have ability wise because they've had some of their players out of form or not performing to their potential. There's a reason I've been saying all year Adelaide weren't a flag threat, eventually you have to start winning as a team, not just because your stars are carrying you.

There’s no such thing as a “false minor premier”.

We were the best performing team in the home and away season. The game goes up a gear in finals and we weren’t ready for it, but that doesn’t change anything about what happened in the home and away season.

 

[Spook]

"Getting into the prelims is not the aim."
Sam Mitchell, Adelaide Oval, 12 September 2025

Those eight words, my dear friends, encapsulate the vast difference between:
a) A club that knows what sustained success is, having experienced it consistently over several decades;
and
b) An ultra-consistent club that has only experienced sporadic success over the years but is nevertheless lauded by its acolytes in the footy media as being 'successful' for having reached 'x' number of prelims in 'y' number of years.

All the best to both teams next Friday - it shouid be an absolute cracker! Fwiw, I reckon the club that prevails in this prelim will go on to win the flag this year.

Geelong have not beaten Hawthorn in a knock out final since 1963, there have been 6 finals.

The 2 non knock finals that Geelong won were 2011 QF and 2016 QF Issac Smith after siren miss.

 

[SSSSSS]

3 talls is never going to work in finals where they traditionally struggle to impact games.

Are they going to make the tough decision and retire Tex?

Hawthorn played three talls although with the exception of Lewis, they are all quite mobile (Chol/Gunston).

 

[Mofra]

out in straight sets...
Adelaide fans would be so disappointed with the way the last month turned out

When was the last time in finals that 1st at home lost to 8th place?
Seems pretty rare.