Analysis Embrace the pain

[Mitchell Madness]

its only early, but this season looks like it will go the way of 2009. This is not a bad thing.
We got a couple of highly rated players from other clubs, but we are starting to get injuries.
We appear to be struggling in second me halves (just like in 09) and we also appear to have a few holes that need fixing.

It's ok though. This is like watching your child go through school. They are going to struggle at times, but you never give up on them.
It's exciting not knowing what the future holds

 

[Ned Ryerson]

We all need to not be the flog I saw yesterday at the game who yelled himself hoarse, criticised everything that went wrong loudly but never cheered on any of the good efforts put in and then leave halfway through the final quarter. Acting like a petulant campaigner when you're balding and have hypertension isn't a good look.

 

[Gold Member]

We all need to not be the flog I saw yesterday at the game who yelled himself hoarse, criticised everything that went wrong loudly but never cheered on any of the good efforts put in and then leave halfway through the final quarter. Acting like a petulant campaigner when you're balding and have hypertension isn't a good look.

I overheard flogs bagging O'Meara's disposal with complete disregard to the increase in the pace of the game over the 2 years he was sidelined with injury.

What the hell do people expect? He's over 150 games short of being the 200 game veteran we expect!

 

[Ned Ryerson]

I overheard flogs bagging O'Meara's disposal with complete disregard to the increase in the pace of the game over the 2 years he was sidelined with injury.

What the hell do people expect? He's over 150 games short of being the 200 game veteran we expect!

It's odd. We all love winning, we've all become accustomed to it. I hate when my teams lose - but sitting there yesterday as frustrated as I was and as disappointing as the second half got I couldn't help but enjoy Burton's game, loved the courage and commitment to hitting blokes twice his size from Miles, loved watching what Langford, O'Meara and Mitchell are sewing the seeds for. Anyone who expected a flag this year was honestly delusional. I didn't expect us to be this far off being top 4 quality - but such is life. Yesterday we lost to a side that will likely be top 4, while we had injured players, new combinations and only fell short by 24 points. Things could be a lot worse. We'll be fine - people need to listen to the song and ride the bumps with a grin.

 

[Gold Member]

It's odd. We all love winning, we've all become accustomed to it. I hate when my teams lose - but sitting there yesterday as frustrated as I was and as disappointing as the second half got I couldn't help but enjoy Burton's game, loved the courage and commitment to hitting blokes twice his size from Miles, loved watching what Langford, O'Meara and Mitchell are sewing the seeds for. Anyone who expected a flag this year was honestly delusional. I didn't expect us to be this far off being top 4 quality - but such is life. Yesterday we lost to a side that will likely be top 4, while we had injured players, new combinations and only fell short by 24 points. Things could be a lot worse. We'll be fine - people need to listen to the song and ride the bumps with a grin.

In saying that, I don't think the top teams will enjoy playing us in the back end of the season when some of our personnel have either scraped off the rust, gelled with teammates, learnt the game plan or even just cemented their spot in the 22.

 

[OnTheRocks]

In saying that, I don't think the top teams will enjoy playing us in the back end of the season when some of our personnel have either scraped off the rust, gelled with teammates, learnt the game plan or even just cemented their spot in the 22.

^^^This

 

[MadDawg]

Love the discussion going on in here by some standup gentlemen!

I'm not counting out finals just yet - a little tweakage to that backline in the form of Brand and/or Heatherley, along with some continuity in the middle could make us dangerously awesome in the second half of the season.

 

[Walshawk]

Agree. Once one accepts that we are not a flag threat this year, one can sit back and enjoy watching the younger player develop and be thankful for the past deeds of our veterans.
No need to stress. Enjoy the slide down. The lower we go (I predict 9 - 10 wins) the better the climb back will be.

 

[MistyAvalon]

after listening to Clako's presser, I feel a lot better about the game

Carna Hawks

 

[Agent Smith]

I plan to sit back and watch the likes of O'Meara, Mitchell and Burton improve week after week, and hopefully see some others such as Miles and Stewart (and hopefully Glass) stake a claim for regular senior selection.

Then next year we can start smashing heads.

 

[NiceJacketJeff]

O'Meara and Mitchell will be huge for us for many years to come. ATM however you can see that the new players are yet to instinctively know where their teammates are, as illustrated by the large number of handball turnovers on the weekend.

As our new brigade begin to gel, we will be a team to recon with in the second half of the year. We may well miss the finals this year but I'm quite relaxed about the direction the club is headed in.

 

[Pessimistic]

In the last 22 H&A and 2 finals we beat a fellow top 7 club 3 times (all under 5 points), sydney doggies and adelaide (round 2 was eagles by 46) we also lost to geelong -30 and -2, doggies -23 sydney -14 GWS -75 Eagles - 25 and of course adelaide -25 at the weekend. North would inflate the target but this is a pessimistic post

The other 14 wins came against bottom 11 teams including North. Only Melbourne and Essendon (probably beat us)

3 from 10 games in the top 7 but 14 from 16 against the rest. a fairly honest team but theres an argument to say nothing has happened in 2017 which didnt happen in 2016. so changes in players' effect on outcomes is minimal. Will finish 6-9. Might win a final might not

 

[DrEvil_]

2 losses and it's pain, how spoilt are we?

 

[Davo23]

2 losses and it's pain, how spoilt are we?

My only beef is the fact that supporters are not turning up at games.

Come to the games, people!

 

[Ned Ryerson]

My only beef is the fact that supporters are not turning up at games.

Come to the games, people!

Agreed. Come to games or don't have a whinge when the AFL move our home games to Etihad. Give them a bloody reason not to.

 

[QuietB]

I believe the correct term is Pay the Price

 

[Pessimistic]

More came expecting a possible loss this year than a definite win v the Bombers VFL last year. Not sure we should be thinkin 37k is bad - what did Scott v Scott get?

 

[HODGEYROAD]

after listening to Clako's presser, I feel a lot better about the game

Carna Hawks

Only thing that concerned me in his presser was he beleived we had a premiership group in the making.

 

[HolyRioli]

Only thing that concerned me in his presser was he beleived we had a premiership group in the making.

He'll be aware as any who will and won't be there

 

[Mappa]

In saying that, I don't think the top teams will enjoy playing us in the back end of the season when some of our personnel have either scraped off the rust, gelled with teammates, learnt the game plan or even just cemented their spot in the 22.

When it comes to the 8..."if you can't make it, shape it"

 

[Nugett]

I'm looking forward to watching us live this week, just to see our first win, as we make a slow progression to the finals.

 

[LuckyHawk]

Amongst the pain we should be embracing hope and faith in our great club.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Pain? What pain? It's a pleasure and a privilege to be a Hawk. Enjoy the ride.

 

[MrBeefSeven]

Just because Ch7 and Fox Footy are already frothing at the prospect of a drastic decline, doesn't mean it's necessarily going to happen.
Signs haven't been great, but it's only round 2. It's not like we were massively blown out in either game. Besides, Essendon played us like it was the game of the century and most people see Adelaide as a top 4 team.
We won't dominate every year, but it's still way too early to say we won't be competitive. Don't get carried away people.

 

[wizzard400]

I don't think there's anything left to be said that hasn't been said already in this thread regarding the players or game plan etc.

I will say though that everyone should take all the articles, all the sh*t they'll say on Fox Footy, Ch 7 and Ch 9 with a massive pinch of salt. You need to remember that they need to fill air time and word counts with something and what better target than us? They're just telling us stuff we already know.

Yes, we got rid of two of our best players.
Yes, we're not as good as previous seasons.
And yes, this probably will be a long season.

But as 89Adopter adequately put it - ride the bumps with a grin.