Preview 2017: how do we bounce back?

[Buddyball]

Team focus:
1) Contested ball - O'meara and Tom Mitchell will help with this
2) Electric run off from half back- Burgoyne is getting on in age, a solution would be to recruit a dashing halfback in the mould of Jason Johannasen, Nathan Wilson, Zac Williams. Someone like Hartung could do this
3) Contested marking in the back half- trade another key defender and recruit in a marking small defender
4) Wingman who win contested ball

All these are keys to what the game is moving towards. I see a team looking like this:
Player focus:
1) We should try to trade in Jackson Trengove, who is a solid key CHB and also a part time ruckman
2) Vickery will help with marking power in the forward line and also in the ruck
3) Play O'Rourke on a wing
4) Burton should be a regular best 22
5) Pittonet (need to improve on endurance) should play as the no.1 ruckman with Trengove and Vickery as backup
6) Hartung as a dashing half-back in the mould of Johannasen from the Bulldogs

2017 Best 22:
FB Stratton Frawley Gibson
HB Birchall Trengove Burton
C Smith S.Mitchell O'Rourke
HF Gunston Roughead Hodge
FF Rioli Vickery Puopolo
F Pittonet T.Mitchell Lewis
Int: Burgoyne, Shiels, Duryea, Hartung

 

[crazywildhorse]

So are we into Morabito? You guys with all your mates, mates of mates and little birdies. I'm so far away from the action, I rely on you guys to deliver. What's going on?

 

[hk89]

2017 Best 22:
FB Stratton Frawley Gibson
HB Birchall Trengove Burton
C Smith S.Mitchell O'Rourke
HF Gunston Roughead Hodge
FF Rioli Vickery Puopolo
F Pittonet T.Mitchell Lewis
Int: Burgoyne, Shiels, Duryea, Hartung

O'meara not making best 22 in first year back from injury? Would think he'd be ahead of O'Rourke, if not at the start of the year, at least by the end. Would probably at least have on interchange ahead of Hartung?

 

[Thaihawk]

Seriously, we have to practice throwing the ball over our heads, or as it's called, handballing the ball over our heads. I believe this is a major reason the dogs give away a lot less frees than other clubs. Just think about it you get tackled but your hands free so you throw the ball over your head, but it looks as though you hit it with a clenched fist. Play on is the call.

This kind of disposal will be done by all clubs, and when you hear a familiar voice behind you, wham and he's away, you you are still being held, so there is a chance for a free, but if your teammate has some space, then it is "advantage."

The doggies used this very successfully this year, but other clubs will bridge the gap in 2017.

Add JOM, TOM Trengrove (he's in my 2017 dream) and Ty, plus Burton and Howe have massive years, then we become a very serious chance.

 

[The Lemon]

Looking forward to an easier draw

 

[crazywildhorse]

Seriously, we have to practice throwing the ball over our heads, or as it's called, handballing the ball over our heads. I believe this is a major reason the dogs give away a lot less frees than other clubs. Just think about it you get tackled but your hands free so you throw the ball over your head, but it looks as though you hit it with a clenched fist. Play on is the call.

This kind of disposal will be done by all clubs, and when you hear a familiar voice behind you, wham and he's away, you you are still being held, so there is a chance for a free, but if your teammate has some space, then it is "advantage."

The doggies used this very successfully this year, but other clubs will bridge the gap in 2017.

Add JOM, TOM Trengrove (he's in my 2017 dream) and Ty, plus Burton and Howe have massive years, then we become a very serious chance.

I was on the Bulldog bandwagon, but you got to be blind to not see they've gotten a good amount of whistle assistance. The little throws, and the way they draw so many free kicks will be looked at.

 

[Qlder_19]

Looking forward to an easier draw

Draw won't be any easier we finished 3rd

 

[The Lemon]

Draw won't be any easier we finished 3rd

Who did we lose to in the prelim?

 

[crazywildhorse]

Draw won't be any easier we finished 3rd

Yeah, 2016 is pretty much a blur of the past now.

 

[Qlder_19]

Who did we lose to in the prelim?

Thought the draw was done on the end of the home and away season

 

[badgrill]

Thought the draw was done on the end of the home and away season

Nah, there's heaps of other factors taken into consideration. For instance, which Northern state you are in, how many colours of Red and White are in your jumper.

Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

 

[Brant]

Thought the draw was done on the end of the home and away season

Nope.

#Pick14


*Pick 26 once the AFL has finished handing out 'equalisation' allowances...

 

[Hawker98]

Get Mitchell, O'Meara and Vickery and we are definitely back in the mix.

Our backline needs reconfiguring to allow us to move the ball quicker. Maybe Kiwi CHB with Duryea moving up the ground. Another player who can consistently damage by foot in the back half would be handy as it would free up Birchall. Burton looked good in that role.

That's something I think Litherland was going be great at doing, but by the sounds of things he's on the way out


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[HODGEYROAD]

Draw won't be any easier we finished 3rd

We finished 5th.

 

[Bumps"N"Grins]

We finished 5th.

Draws are broken down into blocks of six for difficulty, is that right?

 

[The Lemon]

Draws are broken down into blocks of six for difficulty, is that right?

http://m.afl.com.au/fixture/fixture-explained

 

[The Lemon]

In other words...our easier fixture was a lie it'll probably be harder to really end us

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Draws are broken down into blocks of six for difficulty, is that right?

Correct so we will be in the top 6 bracket.

 

[Brishawk]

My seat wasn't in a good position to assess Gibson , so I'll take your word for that. He was definitely tagged against Geelong and games before that.



You don't think having Stratton out would have led to him needing to be more accountable, and less able to involve himself in the possession chains coming out of HB?



I think you're getting Richmond and North Melbourne confused. He got 31 against Richmond, and 22 against North, and was in our best players for both games. Gibson's ability to get 31 playing off HB is partly a function of how the opposition structure up in the back half. If he's made accountable or has a player sacrificing their game to curtail his run, he's not going to get 20+ every game. He was in our best enough times during the year - including several in the last 8 games to make me think he can contribute again next year.



Hope not.

Yes sorry, it was the North game he got 22. That game was without stratton btw. He got 13 disposals against WC and her certainly didn't have a hard defensive duty. Could not get across and spoil kennedy either. Just couldn't get near it. Most of the side was the same but against Pies where we played better he was also lacked effectiveness. Brand played both of those games and so did frawley so structurally he was a third tall/HBF.

 

[OzJohnnie]

My thoughts in next year's game plan, for any who care:

First, we succeeded the previous three years as a concept with a rock solid backline that opposition teams crashed to a halt against. A midfield that applied great pressure, reducing decision time and picking up scraps. And a balanced front line that enabled great variety in attack, making defense very difficult.

Last year our backline was unable to withstand the increased pressure that our slower midfield allowed through. The midfield was half a step late to the loose ball and under too much pressure to cleanly pick targets in a significantly less dynamic front line. In essence, our game play slowed a little and we got crunched by faster, harder teams. Particularly teams playing a speed game out of defense as opposed to our precision game.

So you can't completely change overnight but change you must. So if I were picking the change I would look for a defensive setup that frees 'Gibson' to dash up field and break lines. I put Gibson in quotes because he's been the free player the last few years but used to re-enforce the defensive wall as opposed to dash. I think we'll change that free player plan to dash.

In the mids I would look for renewed chase the ball intensity. The mid plan remains the same - increase pressure to reduce decision making time and hunt the ball. We need new blood to keep the performance up (hence the trade focus).

And in the front line we will look to replicate the Roughie dynamic. It's the best scheme that anyone has created yet. Missing roughie made the front line too fluid. He anchored the 'chaos' up there. I think Vickery is an uninspiring and uninspired hack but maybe he'll blossom under new coaching.

So I'm guessing that the only real change in strategy this year will be the change in focus for the Gibson role. If we can increase midfield pressure and create a more dynamic front line then the Hawks will present a very formidable squad.

(Also, this is my first post since the end of the season. It's taken a while for the disappointment to wash over.)

 

[Manila_Hawk]

That's a great summary OJ.

My view:

Problem #1: We got killed in the middle and the clearances
Action: Get JOM and TOM.... whatever we need to pay. Invest time in Lovell, Langers and/or JOR

Problem #2: Birchall and Chippa struggled against better teams without Lake there. Gibbo couldn't play his best role
Action: Get a new Lake. Don't ask me who. This is the GW masterstroke we haven't heard about

Problem #3: Not enough run off half-back
Action: Burton was a revelation but arrived too late in the year. Put maximum time into Conor Glass

Problem #4: Bombing it into the forward line
Action: Gunners was everywhere trying to plug holes. He should stay forward with runs up to the wing. Fixing defence helps here
Stick with Sicily. Trade TOB
Vickery becomes the tall target to knock it down to the crumbers

Just my thoughts.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

That's a great summary OJ.

My view:

Problem #1: We got killed in the middle and the clearances
Action: Get JOM and TOM.... whatever we need to pay. Invest time in Lovell, Langers and/or JOR

Problem #2: Birchall and Chippa struggled against better teams without Lake there. Gibbo couldn't play his best role
Action: Get a new Lake. Don't ask me who. This is the GW masterstroke we haven't heard about

Problem #3: Not enough run off half-back
Action: Burton was a revelation but arrived too late in the year. Put maximum time into Conor Glass

Problem #4: Bombing it into the forward line
Action: Gunners was everywhere trying to plug holes. He should stay forward with runs up to the wing. Fixing defence helps here
Stick with Sicily. Trade TOB
Vickery becomes the tall target to knock it down to the crumbers

Just my thoughts.

I think investing time into Langers and or JOR will prove to be a waste of time.

 

[JoeHawk]

Team focus:
1) Contested ball - O'meara and Tom Mitchell will help with this
2) Electric run off from half back- Burgoyne is getting on in age, a solution would be to recruit a dashing halfback in the mould of Jason Johannasen, Nathan Wilson, Zac Williams. Someone like Hartung could do this
3) Contested marking in the back half- trade another key defender and recruit in a marking small defender
4) Wingman who win contested ball

All these are keys to what the game is moving towards. I see a team looking like this:
Player focus:
1) We should try to trade in Jackson Trengove, who is a solid key CHB and also a part time ruckman
2) Vickery will help with marking power in the forward line and also in the ruck
3) Play O'Rourke on a wing
4) Burton should be a regular best 22
5) Pittonet (need to improve on endurance) should play as the no.1 ruckman with Trengove and Vickery as backup
6) Hartung as a dashing half-back in the mould of Johannasen from the Bulldogs

2017 Best 22:
FB Stratton Frawley Gibson
HB Birchall Trengove Burton
C Smith S.Mitchell O'Rourke
HF Gunston Roughead Hodge
FF Rioli Vickery Puopolo
F Pittonet T.Mitchell Lewis
Int: Burgoyne, Shiels, Duryea, Hartung

Where is Breust?

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Looking forward to an easier draw

Helooooooooo.....

AFL

 

[Hawker98]

Yes sorry, it was the North game he got 22. That game was without stratton btw. He got 13 disposals against WC and her certainly didn't have a hard defensive duty. Could not get across and spoil kennedy either. Just couldn't get near it. Most of the side was the same but against Pies where we played better he was also lacked effectiveness. Brand played both of those games and so did frawley so structurally he was a third tall/HBF.

Gibson was being tagged in the backline so he had less of an impact in the back half of the season


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