Hartlett in 2014

Hellgood

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May 21, 2006
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Just interested to see what others are expecting from Hartlett next year? He's coming to a stage where you'd expect to be seeing him produce a bit more if he's going to be the elite player we all hope he can be.

I'm pretty optimistic. I really like the comparison between he and David Mundy - both were high draft picks with exceptional foot skills, both battled injuries for a number of years, both battled the perception of being soft and laconic as well as the continual questions over whether they'd be more value to their team on a flank or in the middle. I really want to see Hamish to be able to play consistently in the middle as I think his capability to shrug of players and find a bit of space in congestion is absolutely invaluable - which are the things Mundy has been rightly lauded for since he really 'made it' as an 'elite' footballer a couple of years back.

Injuries have no doubt been a huge factor in reducing the impact that he has been able to have on the competition and will probably continue to be a concern in the future, but I felt as though that the general sentiment towards him this year swung from 'he's a young guy affected by injuries, give it time' to 'he really should be delivering more for what he is capable of'. Like 2012, he started the year with some very strong performances, but his ability to handle a tag came into question after being comfortably beaten by the likes of Rhys Palmer and Ryan Bastinac who not only stifled him to a single figure disposal count, but also racked up possessions at will against him in our first loss of the season. It was pretty hard to tell whether or not his poor performances in this stretch of games could be put down to his sore ribs or simply from not working hard enough.

I thought his form picked up pretty well in the back half of the season and whilst he didn't have his greatest games in both of our finals, overall he still had a positive impact in the matches on the big stage.

He's clearly capable of being an exceptional damaging footballer playing off a half back flank, but I see him as an even more valuable player playing as a clearance midfielder who can give us those deep entries into our forward line. Leadership qualities seem to be there too - just from watching the videos that the club put up it appears he is a very good communicator and his teammates rate this aspect pretty highly and he likes to dish out a bit of physicality and verbal aggression on the field. I think it's only a matter of time before he joins his mate Boak as one of the best midfielders going around in football today.

So theres a few questions I'd like to get the general sentiment on here for:

Where do you see him playing his best football?
Do you think that next year will be the year or will he tantalise us again with the odd match of brilliance?
Ridiculous to consider trading him if he doesn't have as good a year as we'd hope? (this came up a few times during our lean patches this year - IMO it would be a very silly move)
Potential future captain? (I know we have a few exceptional candidates - Trengove, Wines, Wingard, Ebert - not to mention the fact that Boak still has a heck of a lot of footy to play)
 
But in all seriousness, I expect Hartlett to play a role in the continued improvement of our midfield unit as a whole next season. I know it sounds vague, but our midfield is still young and improving, and the specific players within the group are improving with it. Hinkley's gameplan works as a midfield unit, and I wouldn't isolate any particular player (outside of performing their role adequately) in regards to expectation.
 
I'm concerned about his shoulder. May never become the player he could have been

He can still perform a role for the side though, if that's the case he will play more on the outside / HFF than he could have, but he will still be able to influence the contest from there.
 
Apr 7, 2013
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Do you think that next year will be the year or will he tantalise us again with the odd match of brilliance? He'll probably continue the same *show glipses of elite then vanish* s**t, whether we like it on it. Perhaps just more 4 quarter efforts would be nice
Ridiculous to consider trading him if he doesn't have as good a year as we'd hope? (this came up a few times during our lean patches this year - IMO it would be a very silly move) Can this question please stop coming up. DOESN'T WANT TO MOVE, CULTURE, ETC ETC. How much s**t have people been giving to the crows for this kind of thing this trade period?
Potential future captain? (I know we have a few exceptional candidates - Trengove, Wines, Wingard, Ebert - not to mention the fact that Boak still has a heck of a lot of footy to play) Boak has a LOT of football to play. Jacko or Brad would be next in line for me, either way
 
Oct 11, 2006
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Would be very helpful if Wingard and Wines take another step up in the middle.

Boak will be getting first tag next year so anything less than borderline AA will be disappointing from Hartlett imo.
 

ploppy

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Is like a weapon of mass destruction that you don't want to put out there too early in case it get wasted..cant last a whole season but could save him for big matches and go kaboom ..at his best the most damaging player in the league..needs to be managed too impact at the most important occasions..
 
Needs to spend the summer working on repeat sprints.

When he's switched on and hunting the ball Hartlett is an obscenely good footballer, perhaps even Brownlow medal quality. I'm expecting big things in 2014.

he reminds me of a buckley but the difference is buckley was intense and focused. If Hartlett can focus and do the work as you suggest, there is no reason why he can't achieve what buckley did.
 

240volt

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Jul 23, 2007
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With Hartlett i still go back to that Hawthorn game at the M.C.G when he showed us just how good he was as a player.
I have never had a doubt about his talent but have also never been sold on his body standing up to A.F.L footy.
Yes he can play some very good footy for us and be a part of our rise up the ladder but for me the body will always be there to hold him back from being the elite player he could have been.
He had a shoulder recon before we drafted him and he is still not right and thats after 5 years at the club.
I think with the fitness people we have at the club now his football career can be managed to get the best out of him.
The only other problem i see with him is he tends to look like he's not putting in his best each and every week,now i don't know if that's because of his body or he gets a bit lazy sometimes.
I hope it's not the latter.
 
I would hope he'd get into the AA 40 man squad, playing the Hodge/Mitchell role of 60% midfield time, 40% HBF. I see a lot of merit in him lining up behind the stoppage and bursting through for the link handball from Boak or Wines and then pumping it deep up forward. And I expect him to have a ripper 2014 - this year was the first one he's had that he hasn't had a hamstring to deal with...yes the shoulder is bad, but Pavlich has bad shoulders and it never stopped him. Tredrea had bad knees and it never stopped him. It's all mental application for Hamish from here on in, and I have faith he'll bring it to the table.
 
If he stays healthy, that shoulder reco went well and no more bad knocks, I want him to get more of the ball, both his own and handball receives and to use that booming right leg to go from kicking 16 goals to 25 if he stays in the middle or 30-35 if spends a lot of time at half forward. Only turned 23 in August so he will be coming into his prime in the next few years. He wont be a Gary Ablett but he is good enough to be ranked from 10th-15th best mid fielder. He achieves all that next year ( and everyone else stays healthy) and we will make another jump up the ladder.
 
you gotta feel the sky is the limit for HH. whatever he wants out of his career he can get. he'll probably still be used as a specialist, game turner, because of his age and his injuries and because we can cover him. he doesn't have to be that complete midfielder like I'd say wines, boak, ebert, cornes will be.. you would put those four guys ahead of HH in midfield wouldn't you? we can afford to use him more as a weapon.. conversely.. this role is very difficult to play consistently for anyone, and we'll probably accuse him of floating in and out of games because he can't be an elite attacking mid every game (or can he?!).
 

Jakko

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Apr 7, 2005
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I'm unconvinced that he will become a truly elite player. But I am confident that whenever he strings together games, he will be dangerous and valuable, with the occasional blue chip performance. As others in the side improve, Hammer may get less attention and get off the leash a few more times a year.

His quality of touch is a great asset.
 
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