News Hawthorn in the media 2023

[Strapping Young Lad]

Please don’t bring Barrett’s sliding doors rubbish here. That’s not the Hawthorn footy club in the media.

That’s a desperate article, trying to get clicks every week.

 

[unitedhawk]

I haven’t. I already said he’s a very good tap ruckman.

I get it, you’re absolutely in love with his weapon.

Good on you.

Nothing wrong with that.

I simply would like him to improve on his weaknesses.

Amen.

 

[Steven Tyler]

Reeves is an elite centre square ruck man who needs to improve his around the grounds contests and hurt factor when moved forward

Meek is a competent centre square ruck man who needs to improve his around the grounds contests and hurt factor when moved forward

 

[Brant]

Reeves is an elite centre square ruck man who needs to improve his around the grounds contests and hurt factor when moved forward

Meek is a competent centre square ruck man who needs to improve his around the grounds contests and hurt factor when moved forward

Is Meek competent as a Centre Square Ruckman?

 

[wahawk]

Here we go again

 

[wahawk]

Same s**t, different ruckman

 

[Yardie]

Reeves is an elite centre square ruck man who needs to improve his around the grounds contests and hurt factor when moved forward

Meek is a competent centre square ruck man who needs to improve his around the grounds contests and hurt factor when moved forward

Our coach's favourite word.

 

[kazzooka]

Yes out of the square it does but if we don't kick a goal straight from the bounce he becomes a liability around the ground.

Maybe it's a personal bias of mine but I have always really rated mobile, high possession rucks like Cox, Gawn and Brumby.

Even Cegs was good at this (on his day).

And conversely I always thought Nic Nat was massively overrated as he did sweet FA around the ground and apart from the odd hanger only averaged a couple of marks a game.

Personally I would say Reeves needs to at a minimum get his disposal average to 11 and his marking average to 2 to be considered a good AFL ruckman. Those aren't unreasonable expectations given what the likes of English, Gawn, etc produce.

Nic Nat's influence was often supressed by players going 3rd man up around the ground so he could only dominate at centre bounces. Then then when he did, teams would read to his tap and lock it in for a second bounce so they can do 3rd man up and crowd the stoppage. AND when he did win a tap leading to a centre bounce clearance, teams had an extra in defence as they knew he was dominant in the middle so didn't want to risk a clearance > goal > Repeat scenario.

These days you can't go 3rd up so you can win taps in all contests. Teams can't protect against losing a centre bounce AND don't want to forfeit their chance of a 6v6 forward entry so will not be as defensive on a centre bounce. If you watch the 2021 prelim and grand final Melbourne had patches where Gawn and Jackson were so dominant in the middle they just piled on goals without Geelong or WB touching it.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Nic Nat's influence was often supressed by players going 3rd man up around the ground so he could only dominate at centre bounces. Then then when he did, teams would read to his tap and lock it in for a second bounce so they can do 3rd man up and crowd the stoppage. AND when he did win a tap leading to a centre bounce clearance, teams had an extra in defence as they knew he was dominant in the middle so didn't want to risk a clearance > goal > Repeat scenario.

These days you can't go 3rd up so you can win taps in all contests. Teams can't protect against losing a centre bounce AND don't want to forfeit their chance of a 6v6 forward entry so will not be as defensive on a centre bounce. If you watch the 2021 prelim and grand final Melbourne had patches where Gawn and Jackson were so dominant in the middle they just piled on goals without Geelong or WB touching it.

But for all Reeves good work in the centre bounces last year I struggle to remember us kicking many goals from centre bounces clearances.

Admittedly a lot of that is probably down to our less than stellar forward line.

Look at the Hawks vs Blues game this year. The Blues basically conceded the hitouts with Silvagni in the ruck but Silvagni then absolutely destroyed Reeves and Meek around the ground with his mobility and was close to best on ground.

I use the example above to show that you can't judge a rucks output on hitouts alone.

 

[Tony3163]

But for all Reeves good work in the centre bounces last year I struggle to remember us kicking many goals from centre bounces clearances.

Admittedly a lot of that is probably down to our less than stellar forward line.

Look at the Hawks vs Blues game this year. The Blues basically conceded the hitouts with Silvagni in the ruck but Silvagni then absolutely destroyed Reeves and Meek around the ground with his mobility and was close to best on ground.

I use the example above to show that you can't judge a rucks output on hitouts alone.

Give it a rest.

 

[The Spirit of Cricket]

But for all Reeves good work in the centre bounces last year I struggle to remember us kicking many goals from centre bounces clearances.

Admittedly a lot of that is probably down to our less than stellar forward line.

Look at the Hawks vs Blues game this year. The Blues basically conceded the hitouts with Silvagni in the ruck but Silvagni then absolutely destroyed Reeves and Meek around the ground with his mobility and was close to best on ground.

I use the example above to show that you can't judge a rucks output on hitouts alone.

this is more of an indictment on our fwd line + our mid's poor connection with them in the earlier part of the season that it is Reeves. i think CBCs are more important than ever given the 6-6-6 rules and how hard it is to score vs a set defense.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Give it a rest.

What is it with this incredible sensitivity around Reeves?

I haven't even gone that hard at him, I merely pointed out that he has some pretty obvious deficiencies in his game that means that the gap between him and Meek is not huge.

And it's a valid observation that we seem to be taking a different path to most other AFL teams in picking a pure tap ruckman.

 

[MrPremiership]

We need all of our ruckman to be more dangerous up forward.

Reeves played 21 games in 2023 and kicked only 2 goals.

Just not dangerous enough.

 

[Yardie]

What is it with this incredible sensitivity around Reeves?

I haven't even gone that hard at him, I merely pointed out that he has some pretty obvious deficiencies in his game that means that the gap between him and Meek is not huge.

And it's a valid observation that we seem to be taking a different path to most other AFL teams in picking a pure tap ruckman.

Please tell us why you are so obsessed.

 

[cryptor]

But for all Reeves good work in the centre bounces last year I struggle to remember us kicking many goals from centre bounces clearances.

So the player who wins the ball for the team and starts the chain of play is ultimately responsible for whether or not it results in a goal?

 

[Tony3163]

What is it with this incredible sensitivity around Reeves?

I haven't even gone that hard at him, I merely pointed out that he has some pretty obvious deficiencies in his game that means that the gap between him and Meek is not huge.

And it's a valid observation that we seem to be taking a different path to most other AFL teams in picking a pure tap ruckman.

You must be talking about your sensitivity here because you continue the same point rephrased in slightly different ways.
We get it, now move on and give a rest.

 

[derp de derp]

Same s**t, different ruckman

I rewatched the 2014 prelim and GF during the holidays.

We were spoilt having Hale, McEvoy and Cegs.

 

[Middle Pocket]

Is this thread about media or ruckmen?

 

[MrPremiership]

Is this thread about media or ruckmen?

ruckman in the media

 

[MrPremiership]

Looking forward to the 2024 predictions from the media.
Suspect the mood is more positive than last year and we won't be tipped for the spoon, but keen to see which experts have the belief in the list

 

[FB19]

I haven’t. I already said he’s a very good tap ruckman.

I get it, you’re absolutely in love with his weapon.

Good on you.

Nothing wrong with that.

I simply would like him to improve on his weaknesses.

Can we hear more about SYLs love for big Neds weapon please…

 

[Mercy Seat]

Not sure if we have a new photographer at the club, but the quality and style of the training photos so far this off season are

 

[arupist]

Can we hear more about SYLs love for big Neds weapon please…

You seem to be a little preoccupied with Ned's weapon. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

 

[Bugs1977]

You seem to be a little preoccupied with Ned's weapon. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Speaking of Ned's, I haven't seen Ned Ryerson around here for a while

 

[Elhawko]

Just to change tack, a Mount Rushmore article that suggests our best four might be THE best four....

Every AFL club's Mount Rushmore: The four faces of each team — ESPN Australia

Who are the four faces of your team? These aren't necessarily the best players to ever pull on the guernsey, but the four players that should immediately spring to mind when you think of any given club.

apple.news

 

[MrPremiership]

Speaking of Ned's, I haven't seen Ned Ryerson around here for a while

And that's a shame. He's a quality poster