Review 7 - Ben McEvoy (2019)

[Dixie Flatline]

Ben McEvoy

Games: 19
Goals: 8
Yabby Medal votes: 28 (fourth)

Averages

Kicks: 5.3 per game
Handballs: 7.1 per game
Disposals: 12.4 per game
Marks: 4.8 per game
Hit-outs: 28.3 per game

Milestones

Ranked ninth in the AFL for total hit-outs
Ranked eighth in the AFL for total contested marks
Ranked 14th in the AFL for hit-outs per game
Ranked eighth in the AFL for contested marks per game
500 hit-outs for the season (537)
Equal career low hit-outs in a game (0) in round 23, 2019 (versus West Coast Eagles)
100 AFL games for Hawthorn (round 4, 2019 versus St Kilda)

Standout

Round 3, 2019 (versus North Melbourne): Earned maximum Yabby medal votes for his 16 disposal, two goal and 22 hit-out performance against North Melbourne at the MCG. The Hawks needed to come from behind to secure victory against the Kangaroos, and as part of a dual-pronged ruck division (Ceglar had 11 disposals and 17 hit-outs himself) against Goldstein and Tom Campbell, McEvoy was influential in securing Hawthorn's victory.

Shocker

Round 14, 2019 (versus Sydney Swans): McEvoy enjoyed a fairly consistent season but one low-light was his round 14, 2019 performance against the Swans and Callum Sinclair. With Sydney going into the game with only one full-time ruckman (Sinclair had support from Sam Reid), you'd think that the combination of McEvoy and Ceglar would eventually wear down their opponent. However, while McEvoy had 24 hit-outs, he only had six disposals (all handballs) and no marks for the game as the Hawks went down by 19 points to spell the end effectively of Hawthorn's chances to play finals.

7 - Ben McEvoy (2018)

 

[The Receding Pony]

What is Big Boys outlook for 2020 looking like in regards to positioning on the field? Hawks played him in defence at the backend of the year and let Cegs ruck. Is this going to be the go in 2020??

 

[Brant]

What is Big Boys outlook for 2020 looking like in regards to positioning on the field? Hawks played him in defence at the backend of the year and let Cegs ruck. Is this going to be the go in 2020??

Was alluded to by Wright during the week, but then he also tried to make a case for Pittonnet becoming No. 1 Ruckman if he had a great pre-season & continued to improve - this after we re-signed Cegs for 3 years only a month back & traded in a CHB the day before...

Short answer - he will ruck.

 

[killerspud]

Was alluded to by Wright during the week, but then he also tried to make a case for Pittonnet becoming No. 1 Ruckman if he had a great pre-season & continued to improve - this after we re-signed Cegs for 3 years only a month back & traded in a CHB the day before...

Short answer - he will ruck.

No he'll play key defender on Ratugalea, Soldo, mason Cox, basically any huge gorilla foward/resting ruckman type and relief ruck when needed. Chip and Frost take other tall fowards and Sicily Impey et al get licence to be creative

 

[The Receding Pony]

Was alluded to by Wright during the week, but then he also tried to make a case for Pittonnet becoming No. 1 Ruckman if he had a great pre-season & continued to improve - this after we re-signed Cegs for 3 years only a month back & traded in a CHB the day before...

Short answer - he will ruck.

I feel like Big Boy thrives in the ruck position and loves grinding out/rucking and rolling whlole games by himself. It seems like he lost abit of his identity when he went into the key defender role. Fingers crossed its just pre - preseason shittalking from Wright

 

[Brant]

I feel like Big Boy thrives in the ruck position and loves grinding out/rucking and rolling whlole games by himself. It seems like he lost abit of his identity when he went into the key defender role. Fingers crossed its just pre - preseason shittalking from Wright

For some reason, people seem to forget that we played 2x Ruckmen at the end of the season because the Team had no height/weight around the ground. We haven't had a CHB since Lake retired & Mitch Lewis was out of the side with his shoulder.

Whilst playing 2x Ruckmen, BigBoy sat at CHB & was pretty effective in that he took a couple of grabs & wasn't exposed for a lack of pace. He is adept at playing a kick behind the play & intercept marking or controlling the air if you can squeeze up an opponent's midfield & force them to kick high - but he's not a defender.

We now have a CHB.
Also, we'll have Mitch Lewis (198cm, CHF) back in the side & we're likely trading in Jon Patton (198cm, FF). We don't lack height/weight around the ground anymore & to play a 2nd Ruckman so as to sit the 1st at CHB & force the CHB to play like a small is madness.

It's come from the club a couple of times that we'll play BB in defence so you can take it at face value (may as well), but it makes no sense & will further restrict our ability to move the ball from defence through the midfield to attack, resulting in terrible forward entries - which was our main problem in 2019.