Preview Hawthorn vs Essendon - Changes and Discussion

[Ram-Man]

Hodge needs to play sooner rather than later IMO. If he is part of the September plans he should be tested this week and get a month of football under his belt to see if his body can cut it.

In: Hodge, Guerra
Out: Murphy, Savage

 

[Ram-Man]

What worries me is I am wayy too confident about this game

... aren't you supposed to be pessimistic ??

You can be confident BUT - Bombers have their backs to the wall - are a better team than most give them credit for - and if they get their run going they are difficult to stop. I think this will be extremely tight.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Agreed. He isn't doing a lot wrong.

IMO Smith is in a similar boat. Is running hard & getting to the right spots. I expect he'll find space & get on his bike a bit tomorrow night. I think Smith is working harder in & around the contest this year as well as being more accountable - I'm not surprised that his disposal is a little worse as a result.

Smith got over the hump last week.

Took on a few tacklers and got through, then steadied and delivered well. In previous rounds he was still working hard, but running into trouble and disposing poorly. It came together against the pies. Really interesting though that he was avergaging 1-2 goals a game last season (his first 16 games) but this year is averaging 0.5 goals a game.

 

[MrFujiMoto]

I must say - I think Savage is a 3-goal bag away from getting the confidence boost he needs.

Agreed. He isn't doing a lot wrong.

IMO Smith is in a similar boat. Is running hard & getting to the right spots. I expect he'll find space & get on his bike a bit tomorrow night. I think Smith is working harder in & around the contest this year as well as being more accountable - I'm not surprised that his disposal is a little worse as a result.

I agree with both, between the getting a little bit more attention from our coaches and the oppositions, they have had dimished output. Both have been working hard though and I expect Smithy might have a blinder tomorrow night. (I hope)

 

[B&GBlood]

Smith did a good run with role with Thomas if I am not mistaken. He may have gotten his confidence back after a good performance last week.

 

[apiro]

The powers that be will hav ethe final say on whether Hodgey plays, but boy, wouldn't it be great to see him in action again!

 

[Davo23]

Clarko's offered to be the official runner this weekend, to keep a closer eye on the umpires!

 

[Jiggystoon]

Clarko's offered to be the official runner this weekend, to keep a closer eye on the umpires!

LOL that was kind of him to do

 

[xellis]

Sooner we get Hodge in, the sooner he will get back to full fitness and impacting games again.

In: Hodge, Guerra
Out: Murphy/Cheney, Savage

Hodge to be sub/subbed

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Clarko's offered to be the official runner this weekend, to keep a closer eye on the umpires!

Clarko would run through brick walls for our club (or punch plaster ones).

 

[philohk]

Surely it'll just be Goo back in, probably for Murph. The week after maybe Cheney out for Hodge. Any love for Bud coming in for Sav if he's still not finding it? Could be an interesting way of adding another damaging player to the forward-midfield rotation. I was one of those earlier who wanted to keep the big fella forward, but the versatility and unpredictability we've shown without him and the fact that Gunston has demanded a spot has made me rethink. Glad I'm not making the decisions.

 

[UAWM]

In: Hodge,Guerra,Bailey,Gilham
Out: Murphy,Cheney,Smith

 

[Dixie Flatline]

In: Hodge,Guerra,Bailey,Gilham
Out: Murphy,Cheney,Smith

Who would Gilham play on, UAWM? Hurley and Ryder aren't playing. Crameri is doubtful (code for, he won't play either). Essendon are thinking of bringing back Tayte Pears so Carlisle could go forward. Then Essendon is down to pushing the resting ruckman into the forward line. IMO, Schoenmakers at CHB, Gibbo at full-back and Stratton as the third tall is probably enough, unless the club believes that Schoenmakers could go forward again, in which case perhaps Gilham returns.

By the way, you have four inclusions and only three exclusions. Are you proposing to drop Hale? If so, on what grounds? I've not been the Hale-storm's biggest fan over the past couple of years, but he's been doing a very good job in the last month or more and Bailey, good as he's been in the last two weeks at Box Hill, hasn't been good enough to replace Hale.

 

[DEECEE]

I like the idea of hodge being the sub, but what if (god forbid) someone goes down in the first 5 mins, would hodgey have enough in the tank of see out the game? if the answer is no, does it make it a risky proposition?

 

[Jiggystoon]

I like the idea of hodge being the sub, but what if (god forbid) someone goes down in the first 5 mins, would hodgey have enough in the tank of see out the game? if the answer is no, does it make it a risky proposition?

Clarkson made the same point today, Cant see Hodge starting as sub though tbh, I still think they will give him another week in the seconds

 

[Gralin]

Hodge as the sub is a bad idea IMO, if he is fit enough to play the full game he should start, if he is not fit enough he should not play, they can't take in a player that is not capable of playing out the game as you never know what is going to happen with injuries.

If he is fit enough to play then sub is a waste as he needs game time now either in VFL or AFL

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

10 pages? Wowee!

Minimal changes this week, you don't try and fix something that aint broke.

 

[hawk for 37]

One change only. Guerra in for Cheney/Murphy.

 

[Henry Jr]

Everyone trained today bar Franklin.

 

[ghalls]

Even Robbo there today for the press conference! Can't remember seeing him at at recent training sessions!

 

[Fatessendonman]

Is hale in doubt?

 

[Stard Picket]

Hodge and Goo in for Cheney and Murphy

This is fact the teams are in

 

[scout]

Even Robbo there today for the press conference! Can't remember seeing him at at recent training sessions!

Amazing, it takes a storm in a teacup to get these writers out to training.

 

[bugalugs213]

It'll be so good to see Hodgey running around again!
Hope it doesn't backfire on him though so close to 200.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

good luck this weekend, particularly to Hodgey - one of Footy's true good guys