Grant Birchall returns after 2 years out...

[Milkshaker]

Some people just want to see him fail.

This makes no sense.

 

[MrPremiership]

I'm crossing everything I can hoping Birch gets through the Box Hill game unscathed so we can see that lineup against West Coast.

Can't see Birch coming back after only 1 game in VFL. Might need a month.

 

[Changa10]

Gee I hope Birch gets through the rest of the season from here.

Get his touch back at VFL level over a few weeks and then play out the season at AFL level and impress enough to get a contract for 2020. Would be great to see him stick it right up his doubters!!

 

[TheFourPillars]

Yeah I will be the first to put my hand up and say I am excited by what he can do but training form and game form are two entirely different things. He also needs to pull up well from the game. Which will only be a Half at best this week if that

 

[Bugs1977]

'I'm tipping it wasn't a cheap dog' by Grant Birchall

Four-time premiership winner Grant Birchall returns to the field this week for the first time in almost two years. He's tried everything in a challenging time, but drew the line at a Labrador pup present from his coach.

www.playersvoice.com.au

 

[Jables]

Well at least you have not called him a parasite and someone who is just bleeding the club of money, like someone else I know on this board.

Birch has been a champion of our club and it has been frustrating for us all in the last couple of yesrs in regard to him, just imagine how frustrating it must be for the guy himself.

I want him to come back and play great footy for us and be around for a couple of years yet, which hopefully will see this said poster backpeddle at a million miles an hour.

Of course Birch may indeed not play on after this year and if he does not then so be it, the guy deserves massive respect.

People like that are just miserable. 4x premiership star that never put a foot wrong, no doubt earning less here than he would have anywhere else, doesn't deserve to be treated like that because his body wasn't right. Hope he pulls a Hodge post 2012! Not gonna lie I'd just be excited for him to get a farewell though.

 

[Randy Campbell]

'Suck on that one'. Sam Kerr

 

[spudmaster]

14:10 Saturday arvo at BHCO. Let's get around him!

 

[cryptor]

I think a lot of people (myself included) have forgotten just how much a fit Birchall adds to Hawthorn. His kicking, positioning, composure, and game sense are all elite. The drive off half back he can provide is top shelf.

If he can stay fit and make his way back into the senior team I'll be excited to see what his addition to the backline will do for Sicily's game. Sicily had only just made the switch to play in defence in the last two games Birchall played with him back in mid-2017. Since then Sicily has broken out to be one of the best rebounding defenders in the league. If Birchall can prove to be a dangerous (for our opponents) rebounding option then it could help free Sicily up. Scrimshaw too.

 

[spudmaster]

Ditto Cryptor, am also interested to see if there are any flow-on effects further up the ground too (his penetrating/long quick kicks - make us look better up the ground?), free up Impey to play up forward? Free up Smith/Hendo to play further up and perhaps have Smith taking shots from outside50 or running down the wing and booming it QUICKLY into a non-congested forward line?

 

[Flukey!]

Glad to see Birch back.
Whatever happens from here on in, i just wish him some good luck.

 

[Lawsy]

Another week until he gets to play again with Rough though. Who would have thought that 2 days ago?

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Thinking about dropping into Box Hill on the way home from work tomorrow, purely just to see hoe Birch goes.

 

[MrPremiership]

Birchall said he would play half a game this week, a full game next week and then ready for AFL selection in Round 16.

Optimistic in my view, perhaps a month at BHH would be better.

 

[TheFourPillars]

All those who can get down to box hill to watch one of our all time great players

 

[Hawkas1988]

All those who can get down to box hill to watch one of our all time great players

I think this is forgotten alot on this board. He is/was a brilliant player for us. His incredible A grade consistency in our recent golden era was only matched by Sam Mitchell.

 

[Brant]

Birchall said he would play half a game this week, a full game next week and then ready for AFL selection in Round 16.

Optimistic in my view, perhaps a month at BHH would be better.

He’ll be in for a rude shock if he thinks he can stream off Half Back & get creative, or even sneak up the field & deliver accurate passes to the advantage of our Half Forwards.

That **** just won’t fly & if he thinks he can stroll on into the 1sts & improve our ball movement, well... He’s got another thing coming...

Very optimistic indeed!

 

[Hawks1994]

God how I have missed his weird running style

Best of luck Birch, if he returns successfully to the senior side, it might just lift those around him a little bit

 

[UAWM]

Is there a way to watch this game if you can't make it to the oval? Is it on TV?

 

[eldorado]

Is there a way to watch this game if you can't make it to the oval? Is it on TV?

No more hawk games on Channel 7 for the rest of the year

 

[Lotus]

Good luck for today Grant Birchall.

 

[Nastyfish]

'I'm tipping it wasn't a cheap dog' by Grant Birchall

Four-time premiership winner Grant Birchall returns to the field this week for the first time in almost two years. He's tried everything in a challenging time, but drew the line at a Labrador pup present from his coach.

www.playersvoice.com.au

 

[Lotus]

 

[westhawk]

Really hope Birch has a good end to the year. We have missed him hugely. If he gets through the rest of the year, then would love him to play on next year.

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

Hopefully he pulls up well.
Also nice to see a tackle.