Opinion Hawthorn Captain 2020

Who should be Hawthorn Captain?


  • Total voters
    129

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Simon Crawshay

Premiership Player
Jun 4, 2016
4,810
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For reference
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The yabby vs b&f correlation is often ovee blown
We tend to rate some players consistently higher and some consistently lower than the club
Yes fair point.
I struggle to understand how Stratton could have finished above Gunston, Smith and Bruest in 2015 as to my recollection those three all had excellent years in 2015.
My only take away from the results above (and this years) is that Clarko really, really, really (and I mean really) loves negating, lock down defenders.
 

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Yes fair point.
I struggle to understand how Stratton could have finished above Gunston, Smith and Bruest in 2015 as to my recollection those three all had excellent years in 2015.
My only take away from the results above (and this years) is that Clarko really, really, really (and I mean really) loves negating, lock down defenders.
Hodgey said he was the bravest bloke on the team when asked a few years ago.
He played tall and short, give him a job and he'd do it, he helps it hold its shape
He frees others up to be more attacking, he goes third up and puts his body on the line time and time again.
He's got his flaws like any player, he's not at his peak but it's no accident that when he came back after his suspension and played much better that our defence became very stingy.

The guys that make our structures work down back have always polled well in the votes.

Birchall, Gibbo, Starts and Hodge all come to mind.

He's valued for what he does to help the team win not what his supercoach score is.
 

Simon Crawshay

Premiership Player
Jun 4, 2016
4,810
13,077
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Hodgey said he was the bravest bloke on the team when asked a few years ago.
He played tall and short, give him a job and he'd do it, he helps it hold its shape
He frees others up to be more attacking, he goes third up and puts his body on the line time and time again.
He's got his flaws like any player, he's not at his peak but it's no accident that when he came back after his suspension and played much better that our defence became very stingy.

The guys that make our structures work down back have always polled well in the votes.

Birchall, Gibbo, Starts and Hodge all come to mind.

He's valued for what he does to help the team win not what his supercoach score is.
No disrespect to Stratts but it is fair to say that Birch, Gibbo and Hodge were all much more gifted players.

I mean Gibbo routinely used to rack up 30 plus disposals, plus 10 marks, plus numerous spoils, plus an outstanding kick all whilst playing on the key forward who usually outsized and outweighed him by 10+ cm and kg.

Stratts on the other hand has a simpler role in that he has to play on usually a 2nd or 3rd string forward and just negate his player.

I am not saying that is not a valuable role but really you cant compare a player like Stratts to someone like Gibbo (or Birch or Hodge).

Those three players were match winners at their best whereas Stratts is a role player pure and simple.

I don't doubt that backmen can be some of your best players (I routinely pump Sicily up as being probably our most gifted and valuable player) but they need to have more strings to their bow than pure negating to be considered in that stratosphere.
 
No disrespect to Stratts but it is fair to say that Birch, Gibbo and Hodge were all much more gifted players.

I mean Gibbo routinely used to rack up 30 plus disposals, plus 10 marks, plus numerous spoils, plus an outstanding kick all whilst playing on the key forward who usually outsized and outweighed him by 10+ cm and kg.

Stratts on the other hand has a simpler role in that he has to play on usually a 2nd or 3rd string forward and just negate his player.

I am not saying that is not a valuable role but really you cant compare a player like Stratts to someone like Gibbo (or Birch or Hodge).

Those three players were match winners at their best whereas Stratts is a role player pure and simple.

I don't doubt that backmen can be some of your best players (I routinely pump Sicily up as being probably our most gifted and valuable player) but they need to have more strings to their bow than pure negating to be considered in that stratosphere.
He doesn't just stick to one bloke, he shuts that guy down and still peels off to help out.

He and Frawley allow Sicily to play looser, they allowed Gibbo to peel off which is why we played Soangher and Lake or Frawley and Lake most games during the threepeat.

His game isn't built around howany times he wins it it's about the defensive system we can play when he's up and about.

Teams win, our systems win and players that sacrifice their own games to allow the stars to do what they do best are important.

Poppy and Hale did that up forward. So did Rough and Cyril they just had the talent to be match winners as well. Shiels was that guy in the middle along with Lewis most of the time.

There is a reason some of the blokes that are pretty consistently in the top 10 in the b&f but not considered stars end up there, not sure why so many refuse to see that
 

cs61

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 5, 2004
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Land of the Rising Sun
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Surprised it wasn't Shiels last year in this little transitional period. Similar reasons to when Vandenberg was captain; does the team things first, under-rated defensively, but a much better player than Vanders offensively as well. Think he would handle all parts of the role well, and don't think it would affect his game. Also think he's up there with most under-rated player at Hawthorn.

Not sure we will change now; but thought it should have been Shiels initially.
 

Hawk_francais

Cancelled
Sep 20, 2015
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Stratts didn't have the sort of season he would've wanted. He ran a tight ship in the backline, but he wasn't able to influence games like he has in years past through his marking and intercepting. The major lowlight was getting suspended for something really silly which probably cost us a spot in the finals. He missed two very winnable games.

But he knows all this, he will continue as captain and I'm sure he's expecting to do better.
 

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May 3, 2018
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Contrary to what many of you guys think about Stratts year the coaches rated him pretty highly according to his B&F result and he finished top 5 in the time trial this arvo. Stratts will be captain this year. It may be up for discussion next year though

Does anyone know if Stratts just had a crap season just gone by or was he injured? He looked absolutely cooked at times andI guess it was normal for others to question whether the captaincy weighed him down a bit. If he returns to form then boy oh boy our backline is gonna be great.
 
Jan 17, 2008
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For reference
View attachment 783290View attachment 783292
The yabby vs b&f correlation is often ovee blown
We tend to rate some players consistently higher and some consistently lower than the club
I thought Rioli was a long way our best player in 2015. Yeah thought it was an all time great season from a small forward. While good I felt the signs of age were already affecting Gibson’s output so it was a surprise to me that he pipped Rioli.
 
Aug 27, 2015
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Anyone would be better than Stratton. Rare to see any AFL captain deliver as little on-field leadership as he did this year, and I don't see the sense in giving him another season to prove how unsuited he is to the role. It was a baffling call to give the job to a low-profile lockdown defender in the first place.

I'd suggest handing the job to Tom Mitchell in a heartbeat if not for his broken leg which he doesn't need further pressure heaped on his shoulders to recover from. As things stand giving the captaincy to JOM for a year before reassessing would be my choice, with a view to grooming James Worpel as a future leader.
 

Simon Crawshay

Premiership Player
Jun 4, 2016
4,810
13,077
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Anyone would be better than Stratton. Rare to see any AFL captain deliver as little on-field leadership as he did this year, and I don't see the sense in giving him another season to prove how unsuited he is to the role. It was a baffling call to give the job to a low-profile lockdown defender in the first place.

I'd suggest handing the job to Tom Mitchell in a heartbeat if not for his broken leg which he doesn't need further pressure heaped on his shoulders to recover from. As things stand giving the captaincy to JOM for a year before reassessing would be my choice, with a view to grooming James Worpel as a future leader.
What worries me that if you want to make the top 4 and contend for the flag you need to;
1. Get almost every decision right regarding tactics, list management, etc
2. Have a decent slice of luck throughout the year with injuries, etc
To me making Stratts captain again after his struggles this year is a high risk decision that could negatively affect the teams performance (especially if he is struggling to such a degree that he is keeping a young gun such as Scrimshaw out of the team).
I would go a lower risk option and pick someone such as Shiels, Gunners, Big Boy or JOM. They are fine citizens and would perform capably if only for a year or two (with view to making Worps captain after that).
Its only my opinion and if we win the GF this year with Stratts as captain please feel free to make a an orderly line to make me eat humble pie!
 
I thought Rioli was a long way our best player in 2015. Yeah thought it was an all time great season from a small forward. While good I felt the signs of age were already affecting Gibson’s output so it was a surprise to me that he pipped Rioli.
He wasnt far behind gibbo in the pcm but a lpmg way in front in the yabbie and a lpnf way behind Sam

My point was what we value amd what the coaches value is often a lot further apart than we think it is.
 
He wasnt far behind gibbo in the pcm but a lpmg way in front in the yabbie and a lpnf way behind Sam

My point was what we value amd what the coaches value is often a lot further apart than we think it is.
Shows Clarko & his mates aren't quite as clever as we give them credit for - they very rarely predict the correct order of the Yabbie Medal.
 

Hawk_francais

Cancelled
Sep 20, 2015
3,509
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Anyone would be better than Stratton. Rare to see any AFL captain deliver as little on-field leadership as he did this year, and I don't see the sense in giving him another season to prove how unsuited he is to the role. It was a baffling call to give the job to a low-profile lockdown defender in the first place.

I'd suggest handing the job to Tom Mitchell in a heartbeat if not for his broken leg which he doesn't need further pressure heaped on his shoulders to recover from. As things stand giving the captaincy to JOM for a year before reassessing would be my choice, with a view to grooming James Worpel as a future leader.
His first half of the season was a let down, but he got cracking when we did. You cant say what you like about his performance, but our backline was a well-oiled machine all year thanks to his leadership
 
It's clear that Stratton wasn't a particularly great choice, but probably worth persisting with for 1 more year to see who puts their hand up.

Would love JOM as captain as he could be our skip for the next 6 odd years!
 
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