Review 24 - Ben Stratton (2019)

Ben Stratton

Games: 19
Goals: 0
Yabby Medal votes: 0

Milestones

First game as Hawthorn captain (round 1, 2019 versus Adelaide Crows)
First win as Hawthorn captain (round 1, 2019 versus Adelaide Crows)
First loss as Hawthorn captain (round 2, 2019 versus Western Bulldogs)

Standout

Round 1, 2019 (versus Adelaide Crows): Stratton got his time as Hawthorn captain off to the right start, with a composed and assured performance against the Crows. Although Eddie Betts kicked two goals for the game, Stratton marshalled the defence well to restrict the Crows to 55 points for the game.

Shocker

Round 13, 2019 (versus Essendon Bombers): Having been caught on camera the previous week pinching his Brisbane Lion opponents, Stratton doubled down on a Friday night and constantly harassed Orazio Fantasia, leading the Bomber to complain to the umpires and drawing the attention of the Friday night commentators. To make matters worse, Hawthorn looked toothless against the Bombers and Stratton was sent straight to the tribunal but the Match Review Officer, culminating in Stratton missing the next two matches through suspension.

24 - Ben Stratton (2018)
 

cs61

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Who has actually said that?

Stratton definitely had a very poor season, there's no denying that.

When Sicily was out injured in 2018 it was some of the best football I've seen Stratton play. Was aggressive, dominant in the air (Hodge like at times), and really led us with his reading of the play and ability to spoil and mark in the air. I think on the back of that performance he was named captain; such was his form. Was in all australian type form (even though it didn't last the full season; mostly the second half).

I was looking forward to more of that, but didn't see him play that way last year, and I wonder if his role is very different when Sicily and Frawley are in the side. Seemed to go back to the lock down, smaller forward type opponent. Makes me think he was doing more unrewarded type defending than the year before, and more one on one pure defensive roles.

Wonder if we kind find a way to get him playing a role, but still see some of his aggressive, team lifting play in the air where he can be so dominant and team lifting, and take those valuable intercept marks. It seems that 2018 role was better suited for a captain of our club, who can really have a a presence on the field and control our back half. Perhaps Frost can be the lock down player, and we will see Stratts and Sicily have more freedom in the air to peel off and take grabs?
 
Who has actually said that?

Stratton definitely had a very poor season, there's no denying that.

But Frawley had one of his best. Scrimshaw was very impressive when he played. Impey was great up until his injury. Hardwick was solid as ever IMO. Sicily was in AA contention (and should have been two years in a row). Burgoyne was mostly ageless.
No stratts didnt perform poorly according to the pcm. The defense all year out performed just about every other part of the ground. Like it or not Stratts led that backline.

In the end the coaches have a lot more information especially the role that stratts was asked to play. Its interesting because i reckon and i have a feeling he may relinquish the captaincy to focus on his game. Has a steely focus at training and is primed for another year in that backline
 
He was mostly terrible last season, so he will need to show that he's still got it this season.
Why do you keep ignoring the reality of Stratton's season in favor of your own personal view point?

A “mostly terrible” player does not earn enough coaches votes to place in the top 10 of the best and fairest.
 
Aug 31, 2008
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Why do you keep ignoring the reality of Stratton's season in favor of your own personal view point?

A “mostly terrible” player does not earn enough coaches votes to place in the top 10 of the best and fairest.

Because I'm able to form my own opinion based on watching him the whole season. Anyone who watched us would have seen that he was beaten regularly, made uncharacteristic blunders and looked lost for the most part.

He had a few games where he played at a higher level near the end of the season, but for the majority of it he was poor in general and mostly terrible when comparing him to his best form.

If you go back through the game and analysis threads you'll see that I'm not the only one who thought this, but you already know that. In fact I remember reading you post that he was struggling too.
 

Simon Crawshay

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Because I'm able to form my own opinion based on watching him the whole season. Anyone who watched us would have seen that he was beaten regularly, made uncharacteristic blunders and looked lost for the most part.

He had a few games where he played at a higher level near the end of the season, but for the majority of it he was poor in general and mostly terrible when comparing him to his best form.

If you go back through the game and analysis threads you'll see that I'm not the only one who thought this, but you already know that. In fact I remember reading you post that he was struggling too.
I have posted on this topic already but I will say it again, Stratton finishing top 10 in the B&f was flat out weird.
Totally agree, he needs to lift big time in 2020 and I am not entirely sure giving him the captaincy again will help him do this.
 
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I have posted on this topic already but I will say it again, Stratton finishing top 10 in the B&f was flat out weird.
Totally agree, he needs to lift big time in 2020 and I am not entirely sure giving him the captaincy again will help him do this.

Yeah it we baffling. In our backline alone Frawley had a much better season, yet was behind him.
 
Because I'm able to form my own opinion based on watching him the whole season. Anyone who watched us would have seen that he was beaten regularly, made uncharacteristic blunders and looked lost for the most part.

He had a few games where he played at a higher level near the end of the season, but for the majority of it he was poor in general and mostly terrible when comparing him to his best form.

If you go back through the game and analysis threads you'll see that I'm not the only one who thought this, but you already know that. In fact I remember reading you post that he was struggling too.
Right, so you think your opinion is better than that of the people who tasked him with his job each week.

Gotcha.
 
Aug 31, 2008
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Right, so you think your opinion is better than that of the people who tasked him with his job each week.

Gotcha.

Who had a better season, Frawley or Stratton?

What's the point of having a discussion forum if we can't form our own opinions? We may as well shut down any player-related thread until after the PCM, that way we will know what we are allowed to think.
 

4THAWN

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Mar 25, 2019
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Right, so you think your opinion is better than that of the people who tasked him with his job each week.

Gotcha.
we all love hawthorn, but in fairness there is absolutely no way that Stratton was a top 10 player for us in any capacity this season. Had a few decent games in the back end of the season, but in general was way off his best this year.
 

Carl Spackler

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Who had a better season, Frawley or Stratton?

What's the point of having a discussion forum if we can't form our own opinions? We may as well shut down any player-related thread until after the PCM, that way we will know what we are allowed to think.

No one said you couldn't have an opinion. The argument is that you have a poorly formed one. There's a difference. Just my opinion.
 

Carl Spackler

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we all love hawthorn, but in fairness there is absolutely no way that Stratton was a top 10 player for us in any capacity this season. Had a few decent games in the back end of the season, but in general was way off his best this year.

The problem with this argument is that it relies on one of two possibilities:

a) the coaches are lunatics and don't know what they are doing, or

b) the B&F is a political farce and the coaches cover their asses for making Strats captain


The counter argument merely relies on your judgement being wrong. The counter argument is significantly stronger.
 
Who had a better season, Frawley or Stratton?

What's the point of having a discussion forum if we can't form our own opinions? We may as well shut down any player-related thread until after the PCM, that way we will know what we are allowed to think.
Did Strattons finish in the b&f give you pause to consider that your view of his season might be worse than his season actually was?
 
Aug 31, 2008
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Did Strattons finish in the b&f give you pause to consider that your view of his season might be worse than his season actually was?

In your opinion who had a better season, Frawley or Stratton? One of you can surely answer the question.

His placing in the PCM doesn't change what I saw with my own eyes.
 
Aug 11, 2013
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The problem with this argument is that it relies on one of two possibilities:

a) the coaches are lunatics and don't know what they are doing, or

b) the B&F is a political farce and the coaches cover their asses for making Strats captain


The counter argument merely relies on your judgement being wrong. The counter argument is significantly stronger.
Coaches are only humans and can make mistakes😉
 
In your opinion who had a better season, Frawley or Stratton? One of you can surely answer the question.

His placing in the PCM doesn't change what I saw with my own eyes.
So no then.

Coaches gave Stratton one more vote than Chip so it was pretty line ball in their eyes though clearly not in yours.
 
Who had a better season, Frawley or Stratton?

What's the point of having a discussion forum if we can't form our own opinions? We may as well shut down any player-related thread until after the PCM, that way we will know what we are allowed to think.
Ask ureself why the coaches think stratton had a better year. Its never been about the individual player but how they play as a team in that defence. Structure is important to the way we play. How many times was he covering for players that were more attacking. Each player has a role given to them some of it may be to cover a specific player but more and more its about playing an attacking brand which inevitably means there are players that are covering others in that defence
 

flinchfree

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For most of his career Stratton's great play helped us win games. Took an opposing danger and turned him in to pud, rolled back tides with fearless aerial play and insinctive closing and shut down.
For some games over the years, his play seemed just ok, but the 'structure' of his play again contributed to us winning games.
Last year, I felt for the first time I saw him play in a manner that truly helped lose us games. He was playing woefully before the pinches, his marking was non existent, his speed of mind and play were down, and his passing of the footy was really poor.
Took another 3 games or so after pinchy times before he started playing confidently again.
For half a season, I thought he was poor, then ok for a few, and good for a few more.
I'm another idiot who has no idea how the coaches could have watched the same footy games, especially the first half of the season, and thought he was doing a good job.
 
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