Is Tom Hawkins criminally underrated?

[Benny78]

Inspired by my conversations with humble forum members TiggyTig and Dez! I ask you in all seriousness, who can kick better than Tom Hawkins?

Tom Hawkins is without doubt an incredibly remarkable talent. There are many forwards currently in the game that are also incredibly remarkable talents. There forwards I assume many would rank before him, but more talented?

It's easy to forget some of the amazing things Tom Hawkins has done over his career.

My case for arguing he is one of if not the best kicks currently in the comp would be as follows.






Maybe it's my bias but those are some incredibly impressive examples. I have seen other forwards and watched other highlights, and I'm most impressed by Tom Hawkins. My only critique would be he hasn't kicked 100 goals in a season, but Hawkins literally everything else. His instinctive kicking comes second to no key forward. Criminally underrated player imo.

 

[Boxhead_31]

Yeah, this isn't going to end well.

 

[demondavey]

Very good footballer. Very good career. Interesting to see how the next few years go with a trend towards a more medium sized forward line.

 

[demondavey]

Yeah, this isn't going to end well.

OP has a pretty fair point. Hawkins has had a good career.

 

[Benny78]

Yeah, this isn't going to end well.

Hopefully that's a better thread title.

I was hoping to see other highlights on other forwards as I'm sure you could nit pick better stuff. But Hawkins = Criminally underrated. I don't think many people have seen enough of his game.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

This is worse than the Kelly brownlow thread.

 

[Dez!]

Off the top of my head Josh Kennedy and Ben Brown are better kicks than Hawkins.

Also lol'd at this:

Maybe it's my bias but those are some incredibly impressive examples. I have seen other forwards and watched other highlights, and I'm most impressed by Tom Hawkins. My only critique would be the other top forwards do have more impressive marks compared to Hawkins, but Hawkins literally everything else. His instinctive kicking comes second to no key forward. Criminally underrated player imo.

What's "everything else"? He can mark and kick, they are his only qualities which doesn't work with today's football.

He's merely a good player, nothing more.

 

[quotemokc]

I think he is overrated. (by the media at least)

 

[Benny78]

Off the top of my head Josh Kennedy and Ben Brown are better kicks than Hawkins.

Also lol'd at this:


What's "everything else"? He can mark and kick, they are his only qualities which doesn't work with today's football.

He's merely a good player, nothing more.

I added if you watch the highlights of the other forwards you will find they have more impressive marks. I'm not saying they can mark better than Hawkins. It's hard to gauge Hawkins marking ability as he is constantly tagged by 2-3 players in comparison to these less bulky forwards who can mark better in these situations from their maneuverability.

I'd argue he's more than a good player. Haven't seen anything from Kennedy or Browns highlights that compete in terms of kicking. Hawkins is mercurial in comparison. Kennedy is the better player though.

Hawkins is actually a brilliant mark. Tore Ben Reid to pieces then after Pods/Moons retired he's been bogged down by defenders. ALL the other clubs have at least 2 forwards. It's literally only Hawkins with Menzel (who's man runs too Hawkins) and occasionally Stanley.

All he needs is another decent forward alongside him to occupy a defender

 

[Furn2]

2 goals 11 disposals and 1 tackle a game isn't outstanding as far as forward careers go.

 

[Gumby2Hurley]

Poor man's Cloke

 

[Benny78]

2 goals 11 disposals and 1 tackle a game isn't outstanding as far as forward careers go.

Same as Cyril and we all know what an outstanding player he is. Watch Toms highlights that off the ground stuff he would've done over 10 times in his career. Stevie J and Aker like. I'm currently trying to find similiar type goals from Josh Kennedy on youtube but can only find drop punts

 

[Power Raid]

a solid full forward who has managed his body really well over the year and delivered consistently

and most teams would love to have the services of Hawkins

criminally underrated though? nup

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

He could EASILY be an 80-100 goals-a-season forward if the delivery service to him wasn't so bloody woeful. They just bomb it in on his head and expect him to stay static and wrestle with two opponents until the ball arrives. On his head! We failed in Grand Finals back then, but Blighty's Boys had it worked out - ruck taps to rover, rover either gets it outside who then goes long to leading forward or goes long himself to that same leading forward.

Barnes to Hocking, Couch or Bairstow to Ablett. Rinse and repeat.

 

[Brennan Huff]

In future years, when people are discussing with reverence the pantheon of the great key forwards of Australian Football, tummy porkins will not rate a single mention. By anyone. Ever.

That’s because he’s criminally underrated.

 

[Carson Dial]

Hawkins = Tank
Big, strong, packs a punch,
Slow to react to change, not great at defending, is often caught out by small faster moving vehicles, runs out of fuel at critical times during an offensive.
Rapidly heading for obsolescence. Effective in its day but has been passed by.

 

[Ando727]

If underrating a player, or overrating a player for that matter, becomes a crime, we might as well bring back the death penalty because there aren't enough prison cells to hold us all.

 

[TiggyTig]

OP has a pretty fair point. Hawkins has had a good career.

All his own doing I’m sure

 

[TiggyTig]

I added if you watch the highlights of the other forwards you will find they have more impressive marks. I'm not saying they can mark better than Hawkins. It's hard to gauge Hawkins marking ability as he is constantly tagged by 2-3 players in comparison to these less bulky forwards who can mark better in these situations from their maneuverability.

I'd argue he's more than a good player. Haven't seen anything from Kennedy or Browns highlights that compete in terms of kicking. Hawkins is mercurial in comparison. Kennedy is the better player though.

Hawkins is actually a brilliant mark. Tore Ben Reid to pieces then after Pods/Moons retired he's been bogged down by defenders. ALL the other clubs have at least 2 forwards. It's literally only Hawkins with Menzel (who's man runs too Hawkins) and occasionally Stanley.

All he needs is another decent forward alongside him to occupy a defender like in the 2011 Grand Final.

So he’s a better forward when he plays as the second or third player? Hmm do you know how football works? I’d take Kennedy Daniher Brown Cameron Riewoldt Franklin Patton Tex over Hawkins every day of the week just to name a few

 

[TiggyTig]

Same as Cyril and we all know what an outstanding player he is. Watch Toms highlights that off the ground stuff he would've done over 10 times in his career. Stevie J and Aker like. I'm currently trying to find similiar type goals from Josh Kennedy on youtube but can only find drop punts

Off the ground coz he can’t pick it up you mean?

 

[PetterdHoisted]

Needs to drop 10 kegs to begin to be relevant, might have dominated 20 years ago.

Still, for a bloke who grew up in or around dairy farms, he done good, secured his families future irrespective of milk prices.

 

[Luv_our_club]

I don't like it when he smiles. It gives me the creeps.

 

[TJASTA]

Not as good as Jack Graham. Delete thread.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Hawkins = Tank
Big, strong, packs a punch,
Slow to react to change, not great at defending, is often caught out by small faster moving vehicles, runs out of fuel at critical times during an offensive.
Rapidly heading for obsolescence. Effective in its day but has been passed by.

Yeah, but who else have they got?

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Looks like a world beater when he is up against lesser players, but is unsighted when he goes up against anyone who’s half decent

Add to that his petulant displays when he has a decent matchup, and it’s obvious why he isn’t rated