DaSawx
Brownlow Medallist
Decent, nothing more
VFL Past #77: Heath Hocking - Coach of JHA
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Decent, nothing more
gussy6isagun
Senior List
Re: 39. Heath Hocking
If Rama wasn't on da rookie list i recckon hocko would have been elevated instead of him. I think he is something special.
If Rama wasn't on da rookie list i recckon hocko would have been elevated instead of him. I think he is something special.
ant555
The Oracle
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Re: 39. Heath Hocking
Has been an interesting discussion point recently with some debate over how people see his skills. Having seen him play a good portion of his footy for the last 3 years i feel i am in a good position to discuss him.
For a start he has good skills. All along he has been good at hitting targets. Very rarely kicks to ball directly to the opposition. If he makes a mistake it is usually that he kicks one just short of his target or puts it over their head. Particulary when he gets a bit tired. He is pretty creative in close and he does have good vision. A number of times i have seen him when under pressure spot players over 30 meters away and switch play and hit them on the chest. He isnt ever going to be called the most skillful at a club but he is good in the area and has a very decent long left foot kick.
Becasue of injury last year and a few niggles this year he hasnt always spent a lot of time in the midfield. Has often seen the half forward line or the bench due to rotations.The game against the Bullants last week was the first time he has spent a full day in the midfield this year and he was very good. He has averaged over 20 possessions (lowest 14 , highest 36) this year and has been as good as any of our other young midfielders. Has kicked a few goals but his set shots for goal havn't been great this year.
Another of his upsides is his tackling. He is very strong and very good in this area and he has a good enough build to be very hard at the footy.
There is a question mark over his pace. It is not that he is slow but more that he doesnt really have what you would call explosive pace. He can excellerate nicely but thats about it as far as speed goes.
I think the best way to describe him is a Jason Johnson type player with a bit of a upgrade in skills.
Can he make it ? Well it is still very much 50/50 but he has done enough this year to deserve a shot IMO.
Has been an interesting discussion point recently with some debate over how people see his skills. Having seen him play a good portion of his footy for the last 3 years i feel i am in a good position to discuss him.
For a start he has good skills. All along he has been good at hitting targets. Very rarely kicks to ball directly to the opposition. If he makes a mistake it is usually that he kicks one just short of his target or puts it over their head. Particulary when he gets a bit tired. He is pretty creative in close and he does have good vision. A number of times i have seen him when under pressure spot players over 30 meters away and switch play and hit them on the chest. He isnt ever going to be called the most skillful at a club but he is good in the area and has a very decent long left foot kick.
Becasue of injury last year and a few niggles this year he hasnt always spent a lot of time in the midfield. Has often seen the half forward line or the bench due to rotations.The game against the Bullants last week was the first time he has spent a full day in the midfield this year and he was very good. He has averaged over 20 possessions (lowest 14 , highest 36) this year and has been as good as any of our other young midfielders. Has kicked a few goals but his set shots for goal havn't been great this year.
Another of his upsides is his tackling. He is very strong and very good in this area and he has a good enough build to be very hard at the footy.
There is a question mark over his pace. It is not that he is slow but more that he doesnt really have what you would call explosive pace. He can excellerate nicely but thats about it as far as speed goes.
I think the best way to describe him is a Jason Johnson type player with a bit of a upgrade in skills.
Can he make it ? Well it is still very much 50/50 but he has done enough this year to deserve a shot IMO.
Re: 39. Heath Hocking
He played a good game for Bendigo on the weekend
He played a good game for Bendigo on the weekend
Re: 39. Heath Hocking
Great report ant and I also think he deserves a shot at being put on the list.
Great report ant and I also think he deserves a shot at being put on the list.
ant555
The Oracle
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Re: 39. Heath Hocking
Just an observation on Hocking over the last two weeks and that is the club must be impressed with his motor becasue he is the one midfielder that they dont rotate off the ground. He has more times than not been sent to half back to pick someone up when he has been out of the middle.
Against the Bullant's he was only rotated to the bench 4 times and yesterday he only went to the bench twice and the second time was not a rotation. He had to come up after being hit head high in a marking contest.
It doesnt seem to effect him a lot as he is still going hard at the end of games. The only real worry for him is i think he starts to feel his legs a bit when he kicks late in the game and he doesnt get the same penetration as early on.
Just an observation on Hocking over the last two weeks and that is the club must be impressed with his motor becasue he is the one midfielder that they dont rotate off the ground. He has more times than not been sent to half back to pick someone up when he has been out of the middle.
Against the Bullant's he was only rotated to the bench 4 times and yesterday he only went to the bench twice and the second time was not a rotation. He had to come up after being hit head high in a marking contest.
It doesnt seem to effect him a lot as he is still going hard at the end of games. The only real worry for him is i think he starts to feel his legs a bit when he kicks late in the game and he doesnt get the same penetration as early on.
monty1104
Premium Platinum
Re: 39. Heath Hocking
I hope he does get elevated at years end. From what I've seen and heard, it sounds like he can really add something to our midfield.
I hope he does get elevated at years end. From what I've seen and heard, it sounds like he can really add something to our midfield.
ant555
The Oracle
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Re: 39. Heath Hocking
Had a big game yesterday for Bendigo in the VFL final. 31 possessions 3 goals,9 tackles, 9 marks and clearly our best player. Great game that IMO should cement a spot on the list for next year.
If we dont promote him someone else will pick him up as i know a couple of other clubs have put out the feelers for him.
Had a big game yesterday for Bendigo in the VFL final. 31 possessions 3 goals,9 tackles, 9 marks and clearly our best player. Great game that IMO should cement a spot on the list for next year.
If we dont promote him someone else will pick him up as i know a couple of other clubs have put out the feelers for him.
RED AND BLACK SOLDIER
All Australian
Re: 39. Heath Hocking
Should definitely get promoted to the senior list for next year, and hopefully cement a spot in the 22. Hocking should have become a key midfielder and develop into the hard running inside midfielder with good skills we've been needing. Will be very suprised if he doesn't get promoted and in the side week in week out next year.
Should definitely get promoted to the senior list for next year, and hopefully cement a spot in the 22. Hocking should have become a key midfielder and develop into the hard running inside midfielder with good skills we've been needing. Will be very suprised if he doesn't get promoted and in the side week in week out next year.
Re: 39. Heath Hocking
Have to disagree with you on Hocking. Doesn't look like he has enough tools to make a meaningful impact at senior level over a number of seasons.
Have to disagree with you on Hocking. Doesn't look like he has enough tools to make a meaningful impact at senior level over a number of seasons.
ant555
The Oracle
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Re: 39. Heath Hocking
So i guess the interest shown by a couple of other clubs is based on something other than football tools
So i guess the interest shown by a couple of other clubs is based on something other than football tools
Re: 39. Heath Hocking
Nope.
We've been replacing C grade midfielders with B grade for too long and those B grades have quickly become C.
Either trade for a better player(Judd,Prismall) or invest in Dempsey, Hislop, Houli who have a much higher upside.
He can only replace Pev or JJ. JJ for mine is finished and Pev has a year to go as transition and backup for the younger guys.
Nope.
We've been replacing C grade midfielders with B grade for too long and those B grades have quickly become C.
Either trade for a better player(Judd,Prismall) or invest in Dempsey, Hislop, Houli who have a much higher upside.
He can only replace Pev or JJ. JJ for mine is finished and Pev has a year to go as transition and backup for the younger guys.
Re: 39. Heath Hocking
Prismall is a class above VFL.
Hocking is just another very good VFL player.
Prismall is a class above VFL.
Hocking is just another very good VFL player.
Re: 39. Heath Hocking
Who is 19 and 7 months old. The dominance he displayed in the match against North Ballarat suggests that he is above VFL level or will be very soon.
Re: 39. Heath Hocking
Maybe you can make an argument for Alvey but Haynes and Bolts were never a class above.
Prismall is a much better player than any of those guys.
How Haynes was on our list for a few years still baffles me.
Maybe you can make an argument for Alvey but Haynes and Bolts were never a class above.
Prismall is a much better player than any of those guys.
How Haynes was on our list for a few years still baffles me.
Re: 39. Heath Hocking
Very good kick on both sides.
Good pace, not overly quick but not slow.
Read the play well and had very good hands. Good on the lead.
Had all the tools, but was soft, pea hearted and lacked work rate.
Ben Haynes was a good footballer, but he never had the ticker to get the most out of himself.
Haynes?
Ben Haynes?
You feeling alright?
Very good kick on both sides.
Good pace, not overly quick but not slow.
Read the play well and had very good hands. Good on the lead.
Had all the tools, but was soft, pea hearted and lacked work rate.
Ben Haynes was a good footballer, but he never had the ticker to get the most out of himself.
