Autopsy 2025 Preliminary Final: Hawks get rolled

[BlueWaterHawk]

In the end it came back to the very issue we've had all year. The midfield struggles against quality opposition.

Loved the coaching from Sammy, the first quarter was excellent, but Geelong just controlled the game from midfield from there on. Dangerfield is a freak. I'd like to see us improve our ability to stand up in tackles the way Geelong do, they keep themselves in every contest and just move the ball to advantage at all times.

Enjoyed the year, hopefully we can improve enough to take the final step forward next year.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Would want to renegotiate the deal after tonight effort.

They probably offered another acre on the land

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

Great season overall from our boys but hugely disappointing to lose to the Cats and the umps.

In an era of so called equalisation you have to wonder how it is that Geelong are always contending. Something stinks.

 

[LunchboxLegend]

The Good:
Chol superb.
Gunstons forward craft is all-time good.
Moore battled hard.

the Bad:
Weddle
Worps
Scrims marking.
Our tackling.

The Ugly:
Umpiring. It kills me.

The non-existent:
Wards second half.
Composure.

Can’t help but think we may have been better with Stewart un-injured…

 

[On Topic]

Well that hurts

 

[MinerBoy]

Incredibly proud of our season but disappointing to end it like that. Geelong were undeniably the better team tonight but jeez the umps gave them a leg up.

All true but also only true because they were allowed to be. They were clearly not the better team until the umps changed the game and got them running

 

[mknaven]

I would've subbed Mitch Lewis not butler, I know hindsights 20 20 and he kicked 3 early goals but my gut feeling was he wasn't Guna impact after half time.

Personally I woulda sub'd Tom Barrass. I really hate that we sub'd Butler. CJ could've at least been a body down back, but we needed to win it up fwd (midfield!). Oh well. Was a strong season nonetheless

 

[killerspud]

Sucks to be us

Great season

Would have been more beneficial if they concussed Atkins - he shut newcombe out of the game

To raw to process everything right now

But worpel, mcdonald didnt do much

Gunston, Lewis and Chol were good.

Nash and Moore were solid.

While our defence works against tall forward lines like Adelaide we are way too tall for a smaller mobile forward line like the cats or lions. Should have a horses for courses policy for this situation - Scrimshaw out for a small defender

We know what we need to get.
Need to find specialist doctor who can fix Day

Here's to next year

 

[Glebehawk]

Good season, good finals. Just a really flat second half. No champions stepping up and that’s what makes a GF team. Disappointing way to end. Do Day and Merrett make the difference, hope so!

 

[DearJai]

Ran out of petrol tickets, and a soft Geelong capitalized.

Lot of tired Hawthorn bodies out there tonight. The fact we were still in it in the third playing on heart says a lot.

Onwards and upwards, if the offseason plays out the way we want it to we’ll give top 4 a shake in 2026.

There’s a lot of development to come yet from Ward, Butler, Dear, Watson, Weddle and co.

Mraz is waiting in the wings, with others. Ned Reeves may come into his own with the rule changes next year.

Disappointed to lose, but the weight of the interstate finals travel caught up with us. It would have done most sides in.

 

[barbster]

He had a great half.

Maybe he was down on match fitness.

 

[checkraiseulite]

Gunston, Lewis, Nash... can I vote for Gunston 3 times? (throw in Meek)

chol?

 

[madhawksfan]

Disappointed with the results tonight but what an effort to get this far and push them the way we did.

Was a typical game against them with the umps giving them a boost when they needed it and their guns stepping up while ours wilted.

Nash was outstanding. Probably his best game. Moore battled hard and Chol was good around the ground. Hopefully some of our young guns who had dirty nights will learn from that and came back stronger.

They are a finals hardened side and it took career best finals games from Danger and Smith to beat us.

Add Day, Dear, Trac and Merritt and we are a contender. Cats beat us with individual brilliance from 2 or 3 players.

We go from here.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

There was more than a few of our players who didn't have great nights tonight, and after the year that we had, I just can't understand those who decide that the first thing they want to do is single out 1 or 2 players and insult them. That's not what this place is about, and it's never been.

Why not congratulate the team on the ride they gave you? Why not think about how huge it was to even make a prelim from 8th?


Congrats to Gunners on a magnificent year.

 

[PlayHard]

Disappointed but beaten by a better side. The cats were there for the taking, three goals up and Stewart subbed but sadly we couldn't get the job done. They exposed our biggest weakness while too many shit themselves under the pressure. The cats were just harder, faster and cleaner with the footy than us.

The midfield obviously needs serious reinforcements and i don't think Merrett alone is enough, need two quality additions IMO to join Newcombe and hopefully a fully fit Will Day, do that and we can beat anyone.

 

[ShortRaver]

Despite the heartbreak of losing this one, the season has been great overall. To get as far as we did with the weaknesses in our roster, that’s impressive. And that finals run was a dream run considering we started at 8th, and just fell short of the GF. Now, to add to that with a couple of gun midfields over the break, and it’s 2026 for the grabs.

The AFL really need to sort out the umpiring, it’s the worst it’s ever been. A few years ago, I could watch games across each weekend and just enjoy it, but in recent times, it’s the most inconsistent pile of garbage I’ve ever seen, and it’s taking a lot of the enjoyment of it. Tonight might have been the worst of the year with the HTB calls.

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

Completely deflated. Bloody proud to get this far but this game has just wrecked me. Staying off social media for a few days - some weird vibes watching grown men instantly resort to bagging out Watson, a 19 year old kid, after we lost from 8th place.

Yep, real flat ATM, I'll pick myself tomorrow though because the missus is a Pies fan so I'll watch it out of consideration for her hoping the Lions win secretly. .

 

[Fastback]

Great year, but geez we lack some hard at it players. Our midfield hopefully adds a couple of big midfielders for next year, as we desperately need it.

This... Geelong were a lot harder and committed to the pill tonight, smashed us in 1:1s, stuck tackles, won loose ball and hunted the packs. We have too many receivers in the side who were exposed tonight. CMac again.

 

[checkraiseulite]

Asked before and answered.

MacKenzie and MacDonald and Ramsden and HH. They dont get startled and can tackle.

CJ was a liability for his 3rd final in a row.

Refusing to bring anyone else in made it impossible to replace him because noone else had the chance.

If we think MacKenzie is worth Saints pick 7 but cant pick him ahead of CJ we are absolutely deluded.

no one is giving us pick 7 for mckenzie - this is dreamworld stuff

 

[Franko Armani]

Totally agree mate , I’m in disbelief that we let all of that happen with obviously having no plan to quell the Newcombe situation; Dangerfield doing as he pleased - that wouldn’t happen with another single team in the comp; Bailey Smith

3

Bailey Smith

Age

25

Ht

185cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.3

5star

K

8.5

3star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

3.8

5star

CL

2.7

4star

D

19.8

5star

K

9.6

4star

HB

10.2

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.2

4star

CL

3.2

4star

D

14.8

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

7.2

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

3.4

5star

CL

1.6

4star

left alone completely at every clearance. Totally mind boggling after how well Sam has coached this finals series.

Anyway , we’ve over achieved with the injuries and lack of continuity we’ve had all season because of injuries to our key players.

Was disappointing that Ward couldn’t continue his good finals series and without him stepping up we had no one to win and use the ball well with Newk being crushed. Nash was our best mid tonight and probably our BOG. Can’t win games like that, Worps has nothing which is so dissapointing.

Gunners take a freakin bow mate ,just over and above and kept us in every finals game - absolutely amazing.

Need 2 tough mids next year and players need to learn to tackle - we couldn’t lay finger on them all night.

Aim for a flag in the next 3 years boys!

Go hawks

 

[scrim reaper]

I have no respect for Dangerfield whatsoever.

Sounds like a cop out but Day is everything we need, extremely winnable game and flag with him.

 

[LunchboxLegend]

That underhand flick/throw after we kicked 3 on the trot… FMD

 

[Mrzohs]

Look the result hurts but not unexpected we showed glimpses tonight. In the end but they are a hardened finals team. I am pissed we lost our finals record over them.

The jury was out on our midfield and rightly so, we didn't have to many winners in their.

They shut our match winners down on other lines Weddle and Whiz. (I thought we could of payed more attention to their big names)

The defence stood tall outside the onslaught and M.lewis was nice to see. A fit Dear & Day next season bring it on.

 

[Buttonsticher]

I'd like the 'kick left out of goal square until they kick a goal' strategy looked at.

 

[Symons]

It might not feel like it at the moment, but we're close.

A few boys need more experience, which this finals series has helped to provide, and we need one or two player upgrades.

We've had a strong season with two fantastic finals wins on the road.

We're a different outfit when Day is playing - not just because of his skill, but because it frees up Newk. Newk can't do it alone, although he's had a bloody good go the last few weeks.

Just felt like we had a bunch of tired, sore boys out on the field today.

We'll be better again next year with another preseason under our belts.