Opinion Can the Hawks make finals in 2024?

[peetoo]

Seem to be losing ‘soldiers’ at a rate now. 3 best 22 and mitchell

 

[phlogiston]

Is that a cryptic crossword clue? Could the answer be linked to the great 17th century
English philosoher?

I'm just worried about the size of the crossword grid if the answer has 2025 letters.

 

[Slainte]

I'm just worried about the size of the crossword grid if the answer has 2025 letters.

Will it still be possible to buy envelopes in 2025, let alone in that quantity?

 

[Roger Rogerson]

I reckon this year is the first year we see evidence of Mitchell as a coach and how his game plan stacks up. Is he single minded to a style of play or can he mould it to the group. We get ripped apart in defence regularly and badly again this season then I start to have questions for the first time. If it has tightened and we are scoring more then onwards and upwards.

I think the Blanck injury hurts if we are expecting to play finals and we need a dependable key back to break even on a gorilla. I don’t think it will significantly alter our approach to this season.

 

[MasterSamurai]

Not sure about finals but if anything, I really don't wanna finish bottom four! Good solid season of improvement doesn't always equate to top 8 finishes, but anywhere around 10-13th would mean we got a lot right.

 

[CHUBBSS]

I reckon this year is the first year we see evidence of Mitchell as a coach and how his game plan stacks up. Is he single minded to a style of play or can he mould it to the group. We get ripped apart in defence regularly and badly again this season then I start to have questions for the first time. If it has tightened and we are scoring more then onwards and upwards.

I think the Blanck injury hurts if we are expecting to play finals and we need a dependable key back to break even on a gorilla. I don’t think it will significantly alter our approach to this season.

Based on the random snippets I’ve watched of every clubs pre season vids we look very direct, Collingwood are really pushing the spread. Liked Carlton and lions, bombers look odd, west coast are running a fish and chip shop and Hardwick will be good for gc as much as it pains some. I still think we are while off clicking but it’s close. Still to watch the sa and NSW clubs.

I reckon the hardest part about Mitchel’s games style is having every player function in that flow, roll back to the next line for defence then shuffle back the players that stream through and repeat. Why I think Gunston ends up behind the ball a lot because his basically our on field coach.

I’ll be very happy if we can kick a 100 each week even it means we leak 100…

 

[TheFourPillars]

Based on the random snippets I’ve watched of every clubs pre season vids we look very direct, Collingwood are really pushing the spread. Liked Carlton and lions, bombers look odd, west coast are running a fish and chip shop and Hardwick will be good for gc as much as it pains some. I still think we are while off clicking but it’s close. Still to watch the sa and NSW clubs.

I reckon the hardest part about Mitchel’s games style is having every player function in that flow, roll back to the next line for defence then shuffle back the players that stream through and repeat. Why I think Gunston ends up behind the ball a lot because his basically our on field coach.

I’ll be very happy if we can kick a 100 each week even it means we leak 100…

I am only laughing at the last bit. Because if we r kicking hundred each week we will be contenders and likely playing finals. Kicking a hundred each week is not as easy as u think.

 

[CHUBBSS]

I am only laughing at the last bit. Because if we r kicking hundred each week we will be contenders and likely playing finals. Kicking a hundred each week is not as easy as u think.

Realistically probably not possible but it feels like that’s the aim, I believe we have the capability to do it now just not the consistency

 

[Bugs1977]

I am only laughing at the last bit. Because if we r kicking hundred each week we will be contenders and likely playing finals. Kicking a hundred each week is not as easy as u think.

Well considering no team averaged more than 100 last season I'd say it's very unlikely we will
Crows 95.34
Lions 94.7
Power 93.43
Pies 93.13

 

[Bedi]

I am only laughing at the last bit. Because if we r kicking hundred each week we will be contenders and likely playing finals. Kicking a hundred each week is not as easy as u think.

Esp if we get to 100 before the other team as proven by science in line with the Brereton Theorem

 

[Roger Rogerson]

Based on the random snippets I’ve watched of every clubs pre season vids we look very direct, Collingwood are really pushing the spread. Liked Carlton and lions, bombers look odd, west coast are running a fish and chip shop and Hardwick will be good for gc as much as it pains some. I still think we are while off clicking but it’s close. Still to watch the sa and NSW clubs.

I reckon the hardest part about Mitchel’s games style is having every player function in that flow, roll back to the next line for defence then shuffle back the players that stream through and repeat. Why I think Gunston ends up behind the ball a lot because his basically our on field coach.

I’ll be very happy if we can kick a 100 each week even it means we leak 100…

Que?

 

[Mitch75]

Haha…. If we kick 100 pts each week we will end up winning a minimum of 19 games! I’d settle for scoring 90 points and conceding 75. If we do that, we play finals. The mid to long term losses to injury so far are deflating… particularly Blanck, but DGB and CJ weren’t in our best 22 on form. I reckon we still have the troops to make finals. The biggest difference compared to last year is the forward line potency and flexibility. Even if Lewis goes down early, plonking Gunston at full forward is now an option. He’s good enough for two goals a game from the goal square. I think we can get to 13-14 wins but the start is crucial. Must beat Essendon in Rd 1, and win two of the next four games. Then we’re in for a good season.

 

[KermitJagger]

Irrespective of scores, I'd just like to see us end the season with a positive I50 differential. That's the best measure I can think of that we've turned the corner into winning the contest and giving both our forwards and defenders the best opportunity.

 

[The hands of stone]

I am only laughing at the last bit. Because if we r kicking hundred each week we will be contenders and likely playing finals. Kicking a hundred each week is not as easy as u think.

You often see teams go all out offensive and score 10 goals ......while conceeding 15-16

 

[Mitch75]

You often see teams go all out offensive and score 10 goals ......while conceeding 15-16

Yeah that was us at times last year. We’d go inside 50 over 50 times a game only to see it come out 35 times. You’d think that will be much more difficult for our opponents to do this year with crafty players like Ginnivan, Watson, Chol and Gunston in our forward 50. These guys are all capable of turning half chances into goals. Very different to the battlers we had in there last year. So our efficiency inside 50 should improve. You wanna score from one in two entries and score a goal from one in three. Do that from 50 inside 50s and there’s your 100 pts a game, and you’re on your way to being a bloody good team.

 

[HeHateMe]

We probably need everything to go right to make finals but I do believe it's a possibility. Hopefully the recent bad luck on the injury front isn't a sign on what's to come.

 

[FB19]

It was always odds against and now more so but I’m still not worried about that I don’t think it’s a particularly relevant marker of 2024 success. Continued development of the young players, strong competition from box hill for spots, a much more cohesive forwardline (which will take time given the necessary but significant upheaval) and a percentage in the 90s would mark a very good year indeed. Then Big Rough goes to work!

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Haha…. If we kick 100 pts each week we will end up winning a minimum of 19 games! I’d settle for scoring 90 points and conceding 75. If we do that, we play finals. The mid to long term losses to injury so far are deflating… particularly Blanck, but DGB and CJ weren’t in our best 22 on form. I reckon we still have the troops to make finals. The biggest difference compared to last year is the forward line potency and flexibility. Even if Lewis goes down early, plonking Gunston at full forward is now an option. He’s good enough for two goals a game from the goal square. I think we can get to 13-14 wins but the start is crucial. Must beat Essendon in Rd 1, and win two of the next four games. Then we’re in for a good season.

The round 1 match against the Scum is absolutely huge in terms of our progress this year.

If we can beat them (smash them preferably) we will get a good momentum boost for the tricky first part of the year. Like you say if we can halve those first four games we are in with a great chance.

If we lose though I fear it will be another slow start to the year followed by the obligatory strong finish when final chances are long gone.

 

[parsons nose]

The month of June will be indicative. It’s around this time of year when we usually go to water.

 

[moginie]

The month of June will be indicative. It’s around this time of year when we usually go to water.

Well, that's games v the crows, GWS, Richmond, bye and WC. All winnable. Two at the MCG, one in Launceston and one in Perth.

 

[Brant]

The month of June will be indicative. It’s around this time of year when we usually go to water.

You basing this on our previous terrible coaching/game plan or recently having the youngest side in the comp. & getting sore/tired?

 

[parsons nose]

You basing this on our previous terrible coaching/game plan or recently having the youngest side in the comp. & getting sore/tired?

More the latter.

 

[grumbleguts]

I had such high hopes heading down to Metricon last year and we looked great for the first 15 mins. Putrid for the remainder of the game. Hoping for a better result this year though

Me too, not to mention we were two goals up in the VFL game when we arrived. (it's us isn't it?)

 

[Judd2Sewell]

The month of June will be indicative. It’s around this time of year when we usually go to water.

It's the tough start that's going to be a bigger issue.

 

[Fleabane]

It's the tough start that's going to be a bigger issue.

Yeah, I was hopeful we'd have a better start than we have in recent years but with the injuries adding up and the tough opponents, it's going to be difficult. Will be interesting to see how it plays out.