Toast Do we underrate Ricky Henderson?

Mojo

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Rhetorical question, really... I think even we Hawthorn supporters underrate what Ricky brings to the table each week - adds an element we lack when absent from the side; run and a goal-a-game.

IMO, since Bradley Hill's departure, our running ability has dried up somewhat, leaving burden on the shoulders of Isaac Smith. The injection of a fit Tom Scully and Chad Wingard, on top of Ricky Henderson, begins to balance up a midfield of primarily inside players (Worpel, Cousins, O'Meara, Howe, Shiels).

Thoughts?
 
He’s coming off a career best season and is comfortably in the best 22.

Not sure why his name is floated around at times by some posters on here calling for him to be dropped for one of the younger players.

Henderson’s value will be even more important when Scully comes back.
 

Zack

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In exactly the same way we underrated Bradley Hill. His job is simply be where the free man from the opposition is so they don't look up and say free player I will kick it to him. They say damn not a free player there who do I kick it to now? And when footballers slow down play when they are attacking backlines get flooded. It's the exact same reason we went after Scully who's the best at it... if you don't count Bradley Hill when he was at Hawthorn. Smith is excellent too but is too good breaking up the game to purely do it.
 

COKEandCOLA

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Rhetorical question, really... I think even we Hawthorn supporters underrate what Ricky brings to the table each week - adds an element we lack when absent from the side; run and a goal-a-game.

IMO, since Bradley Hill's departure, our running ability has dried up somewhat, leaving burden on the shoulders of Isaac Smith. The injection of a fit Tom Scully and Chad Wingard, on top of Ricky Henderson, begins to balance up a midfield of primarily inside players (Worpel, Cousins, O'Meara, Howe, Shiels).

Thoughts?

Bloody oath we do, everyone seems to want to drop him for Scully.

Personally I think he's playing career best football with us and would love to keep him in the side.

A possible move into the forward line with Nash coming out perhaps?

That would allow Wingard to play FWD/MID with say a Cousins or Morrison coming out for him.

It depends on how seriously we take this season, if we're aiming for a flag then he stays.

If we're looking to develop the kids then he'll unfortunately make way for one of the above mentioned inclusions.
 

Simon Crawshay

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Great post.

Definitely underrated by many on this forum. It baffles me that he is constantly talked about being dropped from the side and there was even talk about him not getting a contract after a career best year in 2018 (as well as being one of the few senior players who stood up in the finals).

To my mind Hendo's most underrated trait is his consistency. Every week he will give you 20+ possessions, 5 to 8 marks and a goal (or thereabouts). Other more decorated players on our list don't have that ability (not saying Hendo is better than them but he has a lot of them covered for consistent performance).

Really for what we are probably paying him he is excellent value for money.
 
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Timely thread with the imminent return of Scully and the Chad. Barring injury a couple will have to make way. Scrimmers a likely candidate and the other unlucky one from Henderson, Morrison or maybe Nash. If it happens to be Hendo, he’d be the best player running around in the magoos and by a fair stretch
 

PT Bar None

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I love his work. Torches opponents nearly every game. Plus, DFA!

I hope Clarko had a rummage through the bins out the back of AO before we left!
 

Hawk Dork

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Would love to see Scully, Smith and Hendo all in the same side. 3 elite runners would be a handful for all sides.
On the AFL site theres a video clip of Hill today, just runs forward after a bounce into a 666 formation as number 7 because of his speed and kicks a goal
 

Rocket72

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Bloody oath we do, everyone seems to want to drop him for Scully.

Personally I think he's playing career best football with us and would love to keep him in the side.

A possible move into the forward line with Nash coming out perhaps?

That would allow Wingard to play FWD/MID with say a Cousins or Morrison coming out for him.

It depends on how seriously we take this season, if we're aiming for a flag then he stays.

If we're looking to develop the kids then he'll unfortunately make way for one of the above mentioned inclusions.

Interesting idea. Would probably be an upgrade on Nash but I think we'll keep backing Nash given his age and upside.
 

hk89

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Definitely underrated, but will be interesting to see how we structure the side when Scully comes in. You'd hope we can find a spot for him, as he deserves it, but if we do, it will likely be at the expense of developing a less experienced player given someone is going to have to make way for Scully and Wingard (and potentially Birchall). If Henderson doesn't come out for Scully the next closest like-for-like would perhaps be Morrison (based on roll rather than pace) who doesn't deserve to be dropped either. Nice to have some selection dilemmas coming up. Nice to see we've transitioned from a side with big issues with outside run to a side having to make tough decisions on which set of outside runners we'll be going with.
 
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Do we underrate Henderson?
Yes we do - and we generally underrate those middling players who come from other clubs - such as Hale, Guerra and even Josh Gibson.

In Henderson's case, the knee jerk reaction from many was more than a kind and gentle underrating of him.
It was more like -
WTF !!
and
Why the hell have we got this dud ?
and
He's just a list clogger
and
Why the f*ck do we want this Adelaide reject??

But those who piled on that initial abuse, often vicious, quickly morphed their opinions into more of the standard -
"... I must admit, I didn't think he was as good as that ..."


The best knee jerk reaction in my memory was given to David Hale. Typically -
"What a flog - can't ruck, can't play forward - just making up the numbers ".

Join the club, Hendo !
 
Do we underrate Henderson?
Yes we do - and we generally underrate those middling players who come from other clubs - such as Hale, Guerra and even Josh Gibson.

In Henderson's case, the knee jerk reaction from many was more than a kind and gentle underrating of him.
It was more like -
WTF !!
and
Why the hell have we got this dud ?
and
He's just a list clogger
and
Why the f*ck do we want this Adelaide reject??

But those who piled on that initial abuse, often vicious, quickly morphed their opinions into more of the standard -
"... I must admit, I didn't think he was as good as that ..."


The best knee jerk reaction in my memory was given to David Hale. Typically -
"What a flog - can't ruck, can't play forward - just making up the numbers ".

Join the club, Hendo !
My issue isn’t with people underrating him before he got here or our selection of him. My issue is 2yrs in & people still want to drop him the first time that ANY OTHER PLAYER is almost fit from injury.
 
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