Unofficial Preview 2015 Three-peat??

[Flag08]

Lowden, Hallahan sure... Woody has barely spent any time at the club fit, I have no idea why he would leave consider he's really just serving his VFL time at the moment

Agreed but watch this space.

 

[Hawks13]

I think if we can land Frawley, a three-peat is definitely on the cards. He should be a high priority as good KPDs don't come around too often.

Here is a 22 with incredible depth - all players have AFL exposure. Then there's the possibility of someone like Brand or Sicily debuting and showing they belong.

Suckling Frawley Gibson
Birchall Lake Stratton
Smith Mitchell Hill
Rioli Roughead Burgoyne
Hale Gunston Breust
McEvoy Lewis Hodge
Shiels Puopolo Whitecross Langford

Defensive depth: Spangher, Litherland, Duryea, Schoenmakers, Cheney, (Brand?), (Kelly?), (Heatherley?)
Midfield depth: Woodward, Hallahan, Anderson, Simpkin, Hartung
Ruck depth: Ceglar, Lowden, Grimley
Forward depth: O'Brien (Sicily?)

Then there are the rookies - Ross played a few games, Wanganeen debuted, and Heatherley and Willsmore look okay. Webster has had some injuries and Shem is a project player.

Who stays, who goes? I'm assuming Sewell will retire, will we trade some of our depth? It's a fantastic position to be in.

 

[walhawk]

OUT - Garlett, Sewell, Kelly, Ross, Wangers gone. Lowden/Grimley/Hallahan/Simpkin - trade any/all of these and pick 18 for a better pick, also maybe Shoe if we get Frawley.
IN - Frawley, ugraded draft picks

2015 Premiership Team
B: Burger Lake Gibbo
HB:Birchall Frawley Stratts
C: Suckling Mitchell Hill
HF: Smith Gunston Rioli
F: Breust Rough McEvoy
R: Ceglar Hodge Lewis
I: Shiels Langford Anderson WhiteX (sub)

Even with a few players out we have great depth
Mids - Woodward, Hartung
Forw - Pup, O'Brien, Sicily
Back - Duryea, Lithers, Spang
Ruck - Hale
We need to get a 10+ games into all depth players, by resting Mitch, Hodge, Hale, Lake, Burger as much a possible. I would only play Lake 10 games.

 

[Chrisonater]

Back 2 Back 2 Back sounds good

 

[Hawk Dork]

An unaided hat trick would eclipse the AFL propped up Brizzy effort

 

[Bedi]

we so don't need Frawley to win the flag next year. We should save our money to get Dangerfield for our 4th in a row 2016

 

[Sixpence]

As far a a 3peat next year I believe the Hawks may be

TOO OLD, TOO SLOW.

That makes me think we're going to miss out on the Grand Final next year and win the flag in 2016.

 

[treefingers]

The thought of a 3peat is too much too handle

 

[Bayer_]

Funny thing is I think the media doubters give us the extra motivation.Lets go 13/55 and third on the Premiership table.Look out Carlton!!!Always Hawthorn.

Agree - I actually prefer it. Yesterday there was no pressure on us, like in 08. And like in 08, the reward was 100 times as sweet, compared to the feeling of relief after beating Freo last year.

 

[Bayer_]

Having now seen b2b, I'll be happy even if we don't see another GF for a decade. It's highly possible that our ageing stars (Mitchell, Hodge, Gibson, Lake, Burgoyne, Hale) start breaking down next year, or just drop off in form. That would most likely rule a three peat out. But if we have most of them fit for most of the year, we'll probably only be possibly shaded by Port, so good is the team (and the youth). Otherwise, I'd be expecting a lull of three to four years, before the next crop of youth hit their straps.

Bloody hell though - a three peat would be ridiculous in this current era.

 

[Davo-27]

EPISODE 3: RETURN OF THE JEDI

PS: I DONT COUNT THE PREQUELS AS FILMS

 

[Cdreamer]

The biggest factor will be hunger. If the team and especially the younger guys don't get carried away and put in the hard yards and improve like Langford this year then we are half a chance.

The other issue is our best players like Burgoyne, Hodge, Mitchell, Lake are 1 year older and even though they looked great on Grand Final day they may lose a bit of pace and the likely hood of soft tissue injuries increases. I hope they've got a few more years in those legs but age catches up with all of us.
In saying that I think Hawthorn manages its older players as well as any team

 

[Billyc]

Hunger is the key. In 2014 we were the best side all year - the media just didn't care to recognise it.

We had the toughest fixture and the toughest injury list, faced the most adversity and still finished equal top. I was supremely confident our best was the best and that only injuries could stop us. When we entered the GF with our strongest side, I knew we'd win.

2013 was the flag we needed to win. We needed that for this era to be considered a success and not a disappointment, which was staring to look that way after 2011-2012. 2013 was probably the least joyous of the three recent flags (how spoilt does that sound) but it was the most important. The overriding emotion from players and fans alike was relief.

But not on Saturday. This year was a flag for redemption. A big collective **** you to the AFL, everyone who questioned us and the Sydney Swans. It was a thing of beauty.

We need to stay hungry. We have some very good young players, particularly in the forward line but Mitchell, Hodge, Lake, Burgoyne and Gibson are over 30 and were instrumental in all of our finals wins. Those guys need to stay healthy and hungry.

We need to get players in. Frawley is an obvious target given the age of Lake and Gibson. An inside mid would be great but in Shiels, Langford and Woodward, maybe we back our younger blokes in and hope they develop like Lewis. And hope Breust can start to really influence the midfield. Anderson is the great unknown.

Probably one or two of our veterans will drop off a touch. It can happen quickly. For me, two things need to happen for the threepeat to be a reality- we need to stay hungry and Cyril Rioli needs to play a full season. If Rioli does what Robbie Gray did this year and finally gets a full season, history could be ours for the making.

 

[Taskmaster]

With the likes of Woody, Sicily, Hartung, Litherland etc all developing, Plus the return of Jedi Anderson and Whitey, we are looking great. And being able to manage the Lakeys, Hodgeys, Mitch's etc helps a great deal!

I think its very possible and no doubt the boys will want to be the very best, emulate the Brisbane side of the early 2000's, without the help of the AFL.

Happy for a Frawley, but not for $600 - $700k. No way. If he wants to be part of the Hawthorn FC, then he does it our way and not come in demand ridiculous amounts of money. But as i have said, I'd rather chase the Danger, Whitfield types.

 

[Hawks1994]

I reakon there could be a surprise retirement, such as Spangher.

Sewell to retire and possibly Hale too

Rookie upgrades?

Add Whitecross and Anderson, both almost certain best 22 and we are looking very very good

 

[Roddy]

I'm not sure about this whole 'going to be a juggernaut' thing. This club has been a juggernaut of the VFL/AFL for half a century....

 

[cryptor]

I reakon there could be a surprise retirement, such as Spangher.

Sewell to retire and possibly Hale too

Rookie upgrades?

Add Whitecross and Anderson, both almost certain best 22 and we are looking very very good

Spangher and Hale have signed contract extensions this year. Won't be retiring.

 

[Hawker55]

Dual Premiership player Matt Spangher sounds pretty good.

 

[Hawks1994]

Spangher and Hale have signed contract extensions this year. Won't be retiring.

I stand corrected. Just sewell then

 

[Crankyhawk]

Need to keep improving our list as Port, Shitney and North will come hard at us next year.

Picking up another mid with speed and a KPD are musts as Lake cannot play a full season anymore and Mitch, Burgoyne and Hodge all need to be managed through the season.

Will be interesting to see who we can get in trade week/free agency.

Can we have both Frawley and Lake? We need to take time (probably at least half a season) to educate Frawley in playing our gamestyle.

 

[Brishawk]

Going forward the biggest obstacle to winning premierships is roughead. Kpf typically fall off a form cliff upon reaching 28. This was roughy's best season and he is absolutely central to our forward line effectiveness. The time to strike is now before he drops away. The hope is O'Brien comes good by the time this happens of course but there are no guarantees with young players.

 

[madhawksfan]

Can we have both Frawley and Lake? We need to take time (probably at least half a season) to educate Frawley in playing our gamestyle.

Yes both could definitely play in the same side. Lake will probably only play 15 games max so that he can manage his body and Frawley is a proven number one KPD so the games Lake doesn't play he could step up.

If Geelong get Clark and Port get Ryder there will be three upper echelon sides with two dangerous big forwards so having genuine KPD who can take the bigger forwards will be vital.

 

[cryptor]

Going forward the biggest obstacle to winning premierships is roughead. Kpf typically fall off a form cliff upon reaching 28. This was roughy's best season and he is absolutely central to our forward line effectiveness. The time to strike is now before he drops away. The hope is O'Brien comes good by the time this happens of course but there are no guarantees with young players.

Big call. Plenty of KPF past and present who have maintained their form and even increased it at age 28+

 

[James Colorado]

Hopefully we have a few more milestone games in September 2015

 

[Brian Pumper]

I can't see anyone else improving to the level needed to match us. Freo are on the way down. Sydney are not as good as advertised, not to mention they had a very easy draw this year.