Hawthorn are a joke! *MB Thread*

[cs61]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

At full strength our last 6 are very good, except for our 2nd ruck (either Taylor or Renouf).

 

[tazhawk]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

Why does the fact that the Hawks are struggling in 2009 mean they fluked the 2008 Flag.

It is a sad old line that Geelong supporters like to trot out.

In 2008 the Hawks finished 2nd after the home and away season then blew away the teams that finished 3rd and 4th.

They then went on to comprehensively beat the team everyone thought (except for Hawthorn) were unbeatable.

Sure go ahead and bag the Hawks for a ordinary 2009 so far but please stop this "they fluked the 2008 flag" crap.

 

[absfab]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

It is a sad old line that Geelong supporters like to trot out.
.

Not just Geelong supporters. The best way to bury the idea that the Hawks nicked a premiership from a clearly superior side would be to walk the walk on the field.

Now while I see a number of Hawthorn players walking where running would perhaps be a better strategy, that don't count as walking the walk.

 

[Hawkk]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

Not just Geelong supporters. The best way to bury the idea that the Hawks nicked a premiership from a clearly superior side would be to walk the walk on the field.

Now while I see a number of Hawthorn players walking where running would perhaps be a better strategy, that don't count as walking the walk.

...Like Carlton

Hard to imagine Carlton actually lost to Hawthorn (Fev I know) and sit percentage above Hawthorn

Carlton are coming, Hawthorn supposedly on the wane (despite a ridiculous injury count in the back half, injuries no excuses etc. I know)

Make of that what you will

 

[Hoops]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

I was hoping this thread was not started by a cats supporter.

 

[absfab]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

...Like Carlton


Make of that what you will

What I will is:

Improvement >>>>>>>> than deterioration. Geddit?

 

[tazhawk]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

What I will is:

Improvement >>>>>>>> than deterioration. Geddit?

6 in a row and counting. Geddit?

 

[Cousins2Higgins]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

the umps didn't hand them the game on a silver plate? would of won if they played melbourne i reckon.

Lol. still b*tthurt?

 

[cackstar]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

The game if i'm not mistaken is called football not handball. Yesterdays game adds proof that most of these footballers are athletes first footballers second. Hawthorn were indecisive, handballing in ridiculous situations throughout the entire game, putting themselves and team mates under pressure through stupid bloody handballs. They supposedly have two of the best forwards in the game but instead of kicking it long to them they stuffed around with it by handballing trying to look flash but looked second rate.

Hawthorn are not the only culprits of this ridiculous handballing that in my opinion is ruining the game. If they continue to play like the way they did yesterday they won't have to worry about finals.

 

[Blues_Man]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

Why does the fact that the Hawks are struggling in 2009 mean they fluked the 2008 Flag.

It is a sad old line that Geelong supporters like to trot out.

In 2008 the Hawks finished 2nd after the home and away season then blew away the teams that finished 3rd and 4th.

They then went on to comprehensively beat the team everyone thought (except for Hawthorn) were unbeatable.

Sure go ahead and bag the Hawks for a ordinary 2009 so far but please stop this "they fluked the 2008 flag" crap.

If the Hawks current for continues the 2008 premiership will be known as the Bradbury premiership, and rightly so.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

Just more typical deflections...without a point.
The "problem" is between the ears of a lot of your best players, coupled with a pretty ordinary group past player 16.

Where's the deflection??

I've spelt out the main problem Hawthorn are having, yet you're still not onto it.

The Melbourne supporter above has more clue than you do. We've been indecisive and average at best thru the midfield for most of our games this year. Getting beaten in contested possession and it seems Sewell and Mitchell are only ever able to play well for 3 of 4 quarters. Lewis being the exception in most games.

Where we needed Hodge last year was in the backhalf, whereas now we need him back in the guts, but the problem is that the loss of Croad and Gilham has kept him as well as our best ruckman in defense.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

If the Hawks current for continues the 2008 premiership will be known as the Bradbury premiership, and rightly so.

Maybe in your little dream world.

The only word that matters is 'Premiership' and you can try to belittle it as much as possible but the cup is in the cabinet, champ.

 

[MinerBoy]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

Not just Geelong supporters. The best way to bury the idea that the Hawks nicked a premiership from a clearly superior side would be to walk the walk on the field..

By winning a premiership? I thought we had done that. The fact we have the 2008 flag is all the evidence we need that we were an excellent side in 2008. This year's poor showing is irrelevant.

Just as 2006 is to Geelongs 2007 flag and every season is to St Kilda. Good sides have poor seasons - we are doing that in 2009.

Bad sides don't win flags.

 

[cs61]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

If the Hawks current for continues the 2008 premiership will be known as the Bradbury premiership, and rightly so.

Victory needs no explanation.

Hawthorn: 2008 premiers.

 

[Crazyhawk]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

If the Hawks current for continues the 2008 premiership will be known as the Bradbury premiership, and rightly so.

Jeez Carlton's won a few Bradbury Premierships then haven't they? You must be quite embarassed, and rightly so

 

[lewdogs]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

It's great for the Hawks that they won the flag last year, but it doesn't excuse them from being utter crap this year. If anything it taints the flag just a little and thats not what you want surely.

 

[Blues_Man]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

Maybe in your little dream world.

The only word that matters is 'Premiership' and you can try to belittle it as much as possible but the cup is in the cabinet, champ.

Bradburys gold medal is in his cabinet as well ...your point being ?

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

There aren't many hawks supporters that are happy with how we're playing.

99% of us are ****ing furious with how things are going.

Yet somehow we've scraped together wins in half of our games.

IF it all starts to come together (and yes that seems as unlikely as the grand final win did before it happened) then we'll probably win 70% of our remaining games.

That would give us 13 wins for the season which would be reasonable.

If we completely bomb out for the rest of the year we'll have a post-mortem similar to the 2006 Geelong end of year leadership camp or whatever they did and we'll start delivering something close to our potential again.

Forget injuries - the whole team is playing like a pack of dogs.

For some reason our poor season makes Geelong feel better about losing the GF last year. Wouldn't it make it worse?

 

[krisholio14]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

There aren't many hawks supporters that are happy with how we're playing.

99% of us are ****ing furious with how things are going.

Yet somehow we've scraped together wins in half of our games.

IF it all starts to come together (and yes that seems as unlikely as the grand final win did before it happened) then we'll probably win 70% of our remaining games.

That would give us 13 wins for the season which would be reasonable.

If we completely bomb out for the rest of the year we'll have a post-mortem similar to the 2006 Geelong end of year leadership camp or whatever they did and we'll start delivering something close to our potential again.

Forget injuries - the whole team is playing like a pack of dogs.

For some reason our poor season makes Geelong feel better about losing the GF last year. Wouldn't it make it worse?

More like it makes us feel better about winning the GF this year.

 

[Sando]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

I am not sure why, with Croad carrying what increasingly looks like a career threatening foot injury and a clear lack of big bodies in our backline we didn't address our lack of depth in defence over the off-season. Who the hell were we kidding thinking that we could rely on having only 2 big defenders (if you can even call Gilham big) on our list?

The fact that instead we were focused on landing Ryan O'keefe to me says it all. Our backline was managed to perfection last season and had a balanced and cohesive unit implementing the 'rolling zone'. What this system doesn't take into account though is what happens when this structure is reshuffled.

Once injuries entered into the frame it clearly exposed our lack of depth on this part of the ground. It is beyond me that the recruiting staff swept this reality under the carpet and managed to convince themselves that a backline could operate on the strength of the zone alone. I would have been willing to trade a M Williams, C Brown, C Young or even a C Bateman (in that order) for 1 or 2 decent alternatives to Croad (ie a big bodied defenders)

Now im not saying that our defence is the sole reason we're losing. I think the hangover factor has definitely played a part, but its a lot easier to address personnel issues than psychological issues and i'm starting to resent the fact that in the wake of the celebrations no-one had the sense to confront this reality.

Its hard to tell where the Hawks will go from here. My expectations have definitely changed and I agree top 4 is highly unlikely. Id settle for us putting up a good showing against the big 3 teams in the coming weeks, sneaking into the 8 and perhaps winning a final and continuing to blood some young players (defenders!) in the process.

Ohh and regarding the OPs sour grapes comment about the fluked grand final.... really man get over it. You should be thrilled that Geelong has pushed on in 09 and not looking over your shoulder at Hawthorn. Really makes Geelong supporters look silly banging on about Hawthorn's lucky grand final, because the truth is .... it makes no difference to a supporter how his/her team wins the grand final. The fact that they're struggling now cant undo the engraving on the cup or even taint the win in the hearts and minds of the faithful (which one can only assume is your agenda). For what its worth id love to see Geelong win another grand final. They are an outstanding team and thoroughly deserve more flags.

Great post....including the dig at Geelong and sour grape's......Hawks won in 2008 end of story

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

Bradburys gold medal is in his cabinet as well ...your point being ?

Seeing as you didn't get it the first time.

The only word that matters is 'Premiership' and you can try to belittle it as much as possible but the cup is in the cabinet, champ.

 

[Johnny Roberts]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

Firstly the OP is off the mark as you can't take away the Hawks 08 premiership. It is their's to keep, as is the Swans 05 premiership that we apparently pinched and the Crows of 97/98 etc. etc.

You have to be good enough to get to the finals and then hold your form at the right time of the year- end of story

BUT!! I can't believe Hawks supporters are still bringing up injuries to Gilham and Croad- particularly as Brisbane had their own key defenders out as well.

The reality is that Croad may never return and at best he will return at a reduced capacity and the last time I checked Gilham is a talented/ developing key defender, but never realised he was a rebounding runner??

Anyway I have said plenty on this topic- but I reckon these quotes some it up better than anything I can come up with!!

Jonathon Brown:
"We haven't made a big thing of the injuries and that's why we have been able to keep going well," Brown said.

"The excuses aren't going to help us win games of footy, we just replace those guys.

vs
Alistair Clarkson
"Our run and carry from our back half hasn't been anywhere near as good," Clarkson said. "We set up a lot of rebound opportunities from our back half like a lot of good sides do. When you haven't got Ladson and Gilham and those types of guys in your side to provide that run and carry, it actually has an influence.

"At different stages in the latter part of the first quarter and the second quarter we ran the ball really well, but in the last half we didn't get that run and overlap that we usually do, so that has an influence. So we hopefully get Ladson and Gilham back over the next couple of weeks and see if our performance can improve a little bit over the second half of the season."

It is a self fulfilling prophecy, if you keep bringing up the excuse- guess what, it will become an excuse.

It is like Eddie McGuire's famous "hand tied behind the back" comment after the 2002 GF- was always going to be ammunition for the Lions in 2003 and the Pies duly got pummelled.

Well done to the Lions for getting on with the job and outrunning and outenthusing (if there is such a word) the Hawks.

 

[frednirk]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

Striking similarities hawks 08 to adelaide 98.

Adelaide pinched the flag from North. Mega pinch. North should have well and truly buried them but for inaccurate kicking. Didn't make the finals the next year.

Now hawthorn are a complete rabble.

 

[maryjames]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

Striking similarities hawks 08 to adelaide 98.

Adelaide pinched the flag from North. Mega pinch. North should have well and truly buried them but for inaccurate kicking. Didn't make the finals the next year.

Now hawthorn are a complete rabble.

yep agree

 

[blue harvest]

Re: Hawthorn are a joke!

Got to be up there on the worst reigning premiers list.

Quite happy to be on the worst reigning premiers list, if there is such a thing.