Hawkins

[footscore]

I have no idea how you turn the tap back on with footy players, but he just needs to regain that early season form ...

he will

once the team regain some confidence it will surge through every player including Tomahawk.

 

[Turbocat]

Well IMO he was a very good player. Some are obviously biased in their assessment of him. Whether or not he should be at the club is someone else's call but my point was he was a very good kick and a hell of lot better than TomH

 

[year of the cat]

Your wrong he was a very good player. You are obviously biased in your assessment of him. Whether or not he should be at the club is someone else's call but my point was he was a very good kick and a hell of lot better than TomH

I didn't say he wasn't a good player or a poor kick - he was very good - but he could have been a great player - his attitude to training and recovery was abysmal. I know some will say that he was a product of his era - I don't buy that - by the 90's he should have been aware of what a professional outlook to training entailed.

 

[Turbocat]

I didn't say he wasn't a good player or a poor kick - he was very good - but he could have been a great player - his attitude to training and recovery was abysmal. I know some will say that he was a product of his era - I don't buy that - by the 90's he should have been aware of what a professional outlook to training entailed.

I quoted the wrong post YOTC and have not been quick enough to correct it. Distracted watching the u18's. Sorry for that.

Billy was a product of our era then. He may have been a lot better but then so could a lot of players. Listen to the stories of what Carlton was like and the had a period like ours 3 Flags in 4 years. I have often wondered if he been traded for a Roos type that would have made our backline better , we may have done the business.

 

[year of the cat]

I quoted the wrong post YOTC and have not been quick enough to correct it. Distracted watching the u18's. Sorry for that.

Billy was a product of our era then. He may have been a lot better but then so could a lot of players. Listen to the stories of what Carlton was like and the had a period like ours 3 Flags in 4 years. I have often wondered if he been traded for a Roos type that would have made our backline better , we may have done the business.

No worries. With regard to Carlton though they won their flags in the late 70's, early 80's when knowledge in sport science was no where near where it was by the time Geelong was challenging 10 years later. I'm not saying Brownless was on his Pat Malone - but he was so talented that for me it just makes his case in particular that much more frustrating. I'd love to know how much time he spent in the gym, how often he was maggoted after a match etc - in fact I probably wouldn't. With regard to Roos, with him we would have won at least 2 flags. We sorely needed a class tall backman over that period - the likes of Spencer, Handley, Schulze and Darcy were either too small (Darcy) or just not good enough (the other 3).

Btw how is the U18 Champs going? Anyone stick out that we haven't yet discussed?

 

[Turbocat]

No worries. With regard to Carlton though they won their flags in the late 70's, early 80's when knowledge in sport science was no where near where it was by the time Geelong was challenging 10 years later. I'm not saying Brownless was on his Pat Malone - but he was so talented that for me it just makes his case in particular that much more frustrating. I'd love to know how much time he spent in the gym, how often he was maggoted after a match etc - in fact I probably wouldn't. With regard to Roos, with him we would have won at least 2 flags. We sorely needed a class tall backman over that period - the likes of Spencer, Handley, Schulze and Darcy were either too small (Darcy) or just not good enough (the other 3).

Btw how is the U18 Champs going? Anyone stick out that we haven't yet discussed?

Carlton -70'80's true but we were so close but imo its our defensive end that we were poor in. Attitude may or may not have been the difference anyway.

U18's
Daniher ...wow , no.. WOW . The type of blurb that was being said about Hawkins.Just toss the ball up in the ball stick like he has velcro on the hands. Salmon reicarnated

Wines . really showed what he could do today.

Someone new who I liked was Nathan Wright. sort of a rangey type on the HB for VC , good leap and run.

 

[Partridge]

I didn't say he wasn't a good player or a poor kick - he was very good - but he could have been a great player - his attitude to training and recovery was abysmal. I know some will say that he was a product of his era - I don't buy that - by the 90's he should have been aware of what a professional outlook to training entailed.

Especially because at the same time he had two teammates in Garry Hocking and Gary Ablett who didn't drink. Not coincidentally they were our two best players.

 

[Partridge]

Carlton -70'80's true but we were so close but imo its our defensive end that we were poor in. Attitude may or may not have been the difference anyway.

I think they were poor across the board. Lack of quality key defenders hurt us, poor coaching tactically definitely hurt us, there were lots of reasons. It's only been recently that sides have realised you need 22 geniunely good footballers, not 5 superstars and 17 making up the numbers.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Well IMO he was a very good player. Some are obviously biased in their assessment of him. Whether or not he should be at the club is someone else's call but my point was he was a very good kick and a hell of lot better than TomH

Billy kicked 441:291 across his career @ 60.2% - pretty damn good for a CHF
Toms conversion is going the wrong way:
2007 12:10 @ 54.5%
2008 13:5 @ 72.2%
2009 34:17 @ 66.7%
2010 21:13 @ 61.8%
2011 27:17 @ 61.4%
2012 28:21 (rnd 12) @ 57.1%

I suspect his set shot % is worse than that as he slots quite a few from close range from handballs over the top and soccers etc.
He's getting good supply but he needs to improve his conversion.

 

[The rabbi]

Often see him on camera down at Geelong watching the team and he was also in the change rooms after the game in one of the matches this year.

A waste I agree because he'd offer some invaluable knowledge. He's obviously been a good coach to his son and helped him along in his development as a player.

That hardly means that he is involved in the club.

 

[The 747]

4 goals yesterday, 8 marks. His kicking is such a mystery though, he kicked some beautiful goals yesterday.

Amidst what is a fairly lacklustre season for us, it is pleasing to see how far Tommy has come.

Evidence is he plays better when Pods isnt there.

 

[The Casey Cat]

Yep definitely plays better when Pods is not there. Tom and the team needs to work on what he does after he presents and marks on the wing though. Far too often is just leads nothing or a turnover.

But yes he kicked very well for goal. Got much better momentum into his kicks and some sort of run up. Still had a tiny bit of left to right about his shots but it was manageable unlike the kicks from rounds before fading across at right angles.

 

[Belisarius]

4 goals yesterday, 8 marks. His kicking is such a mystery though, he kicked some beautiful goals yesterday.

Amidst what is a fairly lacklustre season for us, it is pleasing to see how far Tommy has come.

Evidence is he plays better when Pods isnt there.

Yep - have to agree. I think Hawk looks good as the main forward target and no one should contest a mark against him. If others are around they should be waiting for a crumb.

Too often Pods and Hawk are going to the same contest. I believe we need a lead up CHF - that will open the space up in the forward line and take a mark outside the forward 50 and deliver well into the forward line (Hawk).

I am all for trying Harry as the lead up CHF - as he is a good mark and a nice kick. I think Hawk would really like the space and the delivery this combination might produce.

I would prefer to see Brown on a HFF or wing. Also a nice kick and can lead up the ground and take mark.

But who play down back if Harry plays foward ? Obviously that is the weakness in the argument. Although I think generally it is easier to find a CHB than a CHF.

Much depends on Scarlett - if elects to play on next season. If he does let him play FB and Lonergan CHB. And Mackie plays on the third tall opposition forward.

Taylor / Hawk forward line would be great. However it does not improve our biggest deficiency - the midfield.

We need to play Simpson and get him up to speed and get someone like Boak - and if these two things happened and worked we would have a good midfield, a decent backline and a really good forward line.

If Vardy makes it as a forward then Harry can go back to the backline - but that is a big IF and a fair way away yet from happening.

 

[geelong_boy]

Couldn't agree more. Just an absolute buffoon. Everytime I hear him I cringe. Still pisses me off that we wasted those opportunities back in the late 80's, early 90's purely through a poor attitude - Brownless being at the top of that list. The fact that he appears proud of his incompetence just rubs salt into the wound.

I think you're being a bit hard on Brownless there. For starters, as good as the top end of that team was it was a poor backline and the lesser lights which made up the last six spots which IMO was far more crucial as to why that team didn't win a flag. Yes, attitude was also important but no more than having a more well rounded team (which Hawthorn, WC, and Carlton had).

Sure he had a poor finals series in '92 against McIntosh but apart from poor kicking I think he redeemed himself to a degree in the '94 GF. I always used to think that he didn't really care but I think we got a true glimpse during the last term of the '07 GF what that day/the Geelong Football Club means to Billy.

 

[geelong_boy]

I thought that with his two goals in the third quarter his approach looked far more comfortable and relaxed and that there was no fade with those two kicks. Also didn't seem to turn his body to the left as he often seems to do after he's kicked the ball.

 

[Partridge]

I thought that with his two goals in the third quarter his approach looked far more comfortable and relaxed and that there was no fade with those two kicks. Also didn't seem to turn his body to the left as he often seems to do after he's kicked the ball.

Those words could not be more accurate. Absolutely right. Gun barrel straight and easily over 50m. Just shows he's got the tools.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Those words could not be more accurate. Absolutely right. Gun barrel straight and easily over 50m. Just shows he's got the tools.

Looked very composed , relaxed and fluid in his approach and agree - gun barrel straight over long distances
Hallelujah - just what the doctor ordered , took some nice grabs as well.......

 

[winty]

I thought that with his two goals in the third quarter his approach looked far more comfortable and relaxed and that there was no fade with those two kicks. Also didn't seem to turn his body to the left as he often seems to do after he's kicked the ball.

Could just be that he was so far out he actually had to kick through the ball, rather than stab at it which he tends to do when he's closer to goal. Often amazes me how often players stab at kicks within 30m of goal when they don't the further out they are.

 

[SJ]

I thought that with his two goals in the third quarter his approach looked far more comfortable and relaxed and that there was no fade with those two kicks. Also didn't seem to turn his body to the left as he often seems to do after he's kicked the ball.

Those words could not be more accurate. Absolutely right. Gun barrel straight and easily over 50m. Just shows he's got the tools.

Unfortunately I feel he's the sort of player who across his career will be far more comfortable and relaxed in the smaller games than when he is really needed.

 

[Berserker26]

Unfortunately I feel he's the sort of player who across his career will be far more comfortable and relaxed in the smaller games than when he is really needed.

Just like the Grand Final and the entire finals series where he dominated and showed up big time.

 

[SJ]

Just like the Grand Final and the entire finals series where he dominated and showed up big time.

Do you think he kicked as well in the grand final as he did on Sunday?

 

[Berserker26]

Do you think he kicked as well in the grand final as he did on Sunday?

Obviously not, but it's splitting hairs. Grand Final Day he banged one from 50...and stepped up on the big stage. Norm Smith Worthy. I think giving him the forward 50 to himself has more weight.

 

[SJ]

Obviously not, but it's splitting hairs. Grand Final Day he banged one from 50...and stepped up on the big stage. Norm Smith Worthy. I think giving him the forward 50 to himself has more weight.

No he didn't. He kicked two off the ground and one from about 25.

I am not knocking him as he is one of my favourites and unfortunately I think he hit the post twice in the grand final (so was very close to kicking a bag). But it's hard to argue that his kicking rhythm is not more relaxed in the smaller games than when it really counts.

 

[Partridge]

Obviously not, but it's splitting hairs. Grand Final Day he banged one from 50...and stepped up on the big stage. Norm Smith Worthy. I think giving him the forward 50 to himself has more weight.

Umm, no he didn't.

I think the composure with kicking will improve all the time. It's important he keeps taking the responsibility himself too, it won't get better if he hands off to others. I just want him to keep taking those shots.

 

[Hoffy95]

Lucky Collingwood isn't a big game.