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IMO, Ward was dropped because he was very soft (to put it delicately) last week. I bet that’s been pointed out to him with some video footage from the game. Nash is down on form but he’s still doing the inside grunt work and we’re very short of those players. Hate to say it but Butler is not...

Yes I did too. I was hot and humid and had an attack of the vapours. The climate on the Gold Coast became so unbearable that I switched channels at 3/4 and went to Adelaide where I saw Port beat Freo in a much calmer and cooler climate.

That wouldn’t be smart at all - just ridiculously dumb. Mitchell is contracted to end of 2025. At present, we’ve regressed to our worst season opening for 54 years. And you’re suggesting, we should renew his contract to end of 2027!!?? If we were in the Premier League, Sam would have been...

I reckon that's probably a high tackle - and note that Watson hasn't lifted his arms.

In my view, the jury’s still out. At present, he’s an improvement on Gil who was just a self-entitled prig. I’m aware that Dillon has made some private comments to footy people on significant matters which are commendable but am waiting to see if he follows through on his good intentions. That...

We’re in heated disagreement, HedgeFund. This is in no way analogous to Matthews and Hodge. Every footballer, and certainly every footy commentator who’s played, has been involved in violent incidents (if you call it that) and probably been reported during their careers. But that doesn’t mean...

The heavy irony, of course, standing out like a search beacon on high beam, was that Selwood was one of the 4 commentators at the Geel v Haw game. The other 3 commentators discussed the high tackle frees not paid and as to whether Ginnivan (and Watson) were ducking into the head high tackles...

Terrific article in The Age expressing Peter Schwab’s views on Ginnivan’s non-free kicks. I’ve got a lot of time for Schwabby. He’s a former director of the umpires, as well as having done everything else in footy. He refers to the umpires “subconscious bias” when not awarding Ginnivan the...

Fabulous news, we’re so grateful AFL for shedding your newfound wisdom. Now we can all rest assured. Undoubtedly Ginnivan (and Watson too when he’s back playing) will get the 3 or 4 frees each week that are warranted. Or else it’s just f*cking lip service and the blinkered umpires will give us...

Yep, it really sucks that Watson’s out for a few weeks along with our other injuries. But the positive aspect is that we’re now forced to give the likes of Butler, Ramsden, Mitchell and others a block of games. I’d love to see Jack O’Sullivan get a few games also. After all, it’s not as if...

Don’t know Noone. What number is he? Sounds just like the guy we need in the mid season draft.

Do you remember when, in 1999, Garry Hocking (the Geelong sniper) changed his name by deed poll to “Wiskas”? Next week Ginnivan has to change his name to “Joel Selwood”. Then he may get an even break from the umpires.

Davo, you’ve had a few detractors following your post. They’ve mentioned other games where, in their opinion, we had worst quarters than last week’s. But I agree with you - because I’ve never seen a Hawthorn side so afraid to kick or run the ball into their forward half. I can wear it...

You say you’re sick of talk about the first quarter - then spend 7 paragraphs talking about the first quarter 😂

Weddle only got the MVP because he broke the team rules - he ran forward with the ball !!! :blush:

If we keep playing that shite we’ll have 20,000 fewer supporters attending games towards the end of this season. Huge pressure on the coaches to turn things around. Having young players won’t continue to be an excuse. That’s why Weddle’s game was good yesterday. He was prepared to take the game...

Today’s first quarter was simply cringeworthy- unwatchable. Our tactic seemed to be - whatever you do, don’t kick it to May and Lever. We succeeded there. We spend the quarter just chipping around half back (until we turned it over and gifted Melb a few goals). We’re a long, long way off the...

Yes to the key defender - our massive weakness. How old is Brian Lake?

Sadly, you hit the nail on the head.

I agree with you. I think the extension of Hale's pre-season comments regarding Ward is that until he gets more of the ball and hurts the opposition (his words) he won't be played in the midfield - so perhaps a bit of catch 22 there. By comparison, I don’t think Hustwaite will have to play 50...

I recall a Hawthorn player (can’t remember who but could have been David Parkin) telling me of an incident in the 1960s or 70s where a young Hawthorn player shirked a tackle in the 2nd quarter of a game. He hoped no-one noticed. Then at half time, a senior player or the captain (sorry...

The real dilemma regarding emerging players concerns the high draft picks - especially those in the to 10. We had a fabulous year with Buddy, Roughy and Lewis, and of course Hodge. But we also selected Beau Dowler (probably the softest Hawthorn player I’ve ever seen) and Mitch Thorpe. I’m still...

So who said Ward wasn’t good enough? Who are these “people”? It’s not what I’m reading on this forum.

We’re in heated agreement - about giving them time. But when a poster (or even Hale by implication) says they’ve got more work to do, to truly establish themselves, doesn’t mean they’re writing them off !! No one that I can see is actually writing them off - so don’t bloody well level that...

The reason why this is a silly post is because, as far as I can see, nobody is writing off Ward or Mackenzie, and it’s ridiculous to make that assertion. I’m certainly not, despite some silly responses. I’m hoping he’ll be club captain in 3 or 4 years. And it’s stupid to talk in terms, as...

It’s been said - but it’s also the bleeding obvious. There’s no place for Maginness in that side unless he tags the best midfielder from the first bounce. Instead, he comes on in the last quarter and gets 2 kicks. One of them was disgraceful and potentially the game changer. He’s got the ball at...

Sixpence Forget about cheap-possession stats for a moment. Have you actually seen how Wanganeen-Milera dominates a game? That's what I'd like to see Ward do this year. Here's one meaningful stat. Ward came equal 17th in the Peter Crimmins last year - equal with James Blanck and behind Frosty...

I'm certainly not denigrating Ward. He's shown he's capable of playing good classy footy. But I'm saying he has to lift significantly this year to be an intrinsic part of our midfield. As an indication - and the AFL website is certainly not the Hawthorn selection committee (!) - in its...

We're in heated agreement ! This year is the "waiting" year - not next year.

And hopefully this year, Ward can prove he’s anywhere near as good as those other 3 players, because right now he’s a long way short. Ward’s 20 possessions are relatively ineffectual, he’s just tinkering around the edges. He’s simply not impacting a game like he should be. We drafted him in...