Lake - our most important player

[Thai Hawk]

I think structurally our most important. When we are undersized in defence, we are forced to play loose zones in defence which takes from our midfield. This then flows on to the quality of our attack as we cant use our best weapon of fast ball movement through the middle of the ground to launch attacks.

Not our best player (Mitch) but our most important

 

[Roddy]

Horrible choice, but if I had to choose, I'd rather be without Rough than without Lake. We still have many many avenues to goal, but we have no more gorilla defenders.

 

[Aeon05]

Spangher is our most important, have never lost a game with him in the team!

 

[Main Man]

I think structurally our most important. When we are undersized in defence, we are forced to play loose zones in defence which takes from our midfield. This then flows on to the quality of our attack as we cant use our best weapon of fast ball movement through the middle of the ground to launch attacks.

Not our best player (Mitch) but our most important

Correct, not only does our back line function better with him in there it also allows for Hodge/Burgoyne and even Birchall/Stratton to be used and have more influence further up the ground.

Hodge and Burgoyne are excellent on the half back flank but are elite and at their most damaging when they play midfield forward and impact the scoreboard.

 

[Great 2008]

I loved him at the Bulldogs and I love him even more now that he's at our club.

So did I. Was one of my favourite opposition players. (Plus I had a small wager on him at 100-1 on GF day so the love has increased)

 

[Neville Bartos]

He's played in 21 wins from 23 games at the Hawks. Speaks for itself really.

 

[Dewnior]

Agree with Phil. People don't realise how much more there is than the goals Rough kicks.

His true value includes all goals created by bringing ball to ground / taps to advantage for our smalls to run onto plus his stoppage work.

 

[Ranj Sri Lanka]

Roughy spends the majority of his time in the part of the ground where we are at our strongest, we would still kick a mountain of goals without him in the team.

Lake on the other hand plays in the part of the ground where we are at our weakest (size wise), without him we would have a mountain of goals kicked against us and makes us easier to coach against with the simple plan of spreading and isolating our undersized defenders (Geelong this year).

To be honest I think we would struggle to win without either of them but I think we would manage better without Roughead in a cut throat final against Tippet/Franklin/Hawkins?

Spot on... Well summed up.

 

[cuttlefish]

Twofold benefit of having Lake in: 1. He takes the big forward
2. The flow on effect to the rest of the ground.
Easily our most important, no question. Rough a very close second.
Getting Gibbo back is going to be massive for us.

 

[Procrastinator35]

He is also one tough, mean SOB, who takes shit from no one.....No team has monster-ed or intimidated us since his arrival.

Re-watch the 2014 GF & see who actually sets the trend early in physical punishment on the Swans....This bloke!

Without an enforcer, Our Premiership cupboard would be bare; so we'll need to find a suitable replacement once he's gone.

I'm hopeful that one of Frawley/McEvoy has it in them. Both possess the necessary physical requirements, just not sure bout their psyche's.

 

[marklar]

Re-watch the 2014 GF & see who actually sets the trend early in physical punishment on the Swans....

Sam Mitchell. Gary Rohan says "ow!"

 

[Whirling Dervish]

Sam Mitchell. Gary Rohan says "ow!"

Yep, and I think he gets Malceski a minute or two after Rohan, before the Lake tackle.

 

[Procrastinator35]

Mitch is always solid, hard & uncompromising in & under....He's not called 'The Anvil' for nufin....But an enforcer he ain't.

Hard to recall a time, if ever, when Sammy's fists were raised in anger at anybody.....Just not his style.

 

[Whirling Dervish]

Not commenting on that. You said re-watch the 2014 GF and see who sets the trend for physicality early. I am, and i'm seeing Mitch, Mitch, Mitch, with a dash of Cyril.

12 seconds in, Mitch puts a heavy bump on Rohan.

1.07 in, bumps Hannebery on Malceski's kick-in, ball spills to Malceski, Mitch gets across and bumps him out of bounds.

Brian gets in on the act immediately after this with a Mitch-like tackle.

 

[seysearles]

He is also one tough, mean SOB, who takes shit from no one.....No team has monster-ed or intimidated us since his arrival.

Re-watch the 2014 GF & see who actually sets the trend early in physical punishment on the Swans....This bloke!

Without an enforcer, Our Premiership cupboard would be bare; so we'll need to find a suitable replacement once he's gone.

I'm hopeful that one of Frawley/McEvoy has it in them. Both possess the necessary physical requirements, just not sure bout their psyche's.

 

[Mitchell54]

If we had to get rid of one of either Roughead or Lake. I would get rid of Lake. Roughead is more important. Who becomes our Key Forward and steps up as a brilliant leader. Lake can be replaced although he is also yet so vital to the team. We would very much miss his contested marking, strengh and abilty to read the play. But we have young KPD's and lockdown defenders that are starting to look promising.

 

[Procrastinator35]

 

[Mitchell54]

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Show them who's boss Lake

 

[moginie]

Mitch is always solid, hard & uncompromising in & under....He's not called 'The Anvil' for nufin....But an enforcer he ain't.

Hard to recall a time, if ever, when Sammy's fists were raised in anger at anybody.....Just not his style.

Maybe not his fists, but Sam's late tackle on Ablett in the 2008 GF, the knees into (can't remember which North player) last year, the targeting of McGlynn & the just-not-high-enough hit on Rohan in last year's GF - these are events that immediately come to mind - he doesn't mind "enforcing" when he needs to.

 

[Dipper]

I love Brian

A lot of those forwards are bigger than him, like tubby porka, but he just intimidates him. It's beautiful to watch.

 

[Dipper]

If we had to get rid of one of either Roughead or Lake. I would get rid of Lake. Roughead is more important. Who becomes our Key Forward and steps up as a brilliant leader. Lake can be replaced although he is also yet so vital to the team. We would very much miss his contested marking, strengh and abilty to read the play. But we have young KPD's and lockdown defenders that are starting to look promising.

It's reversed itself now, when he came we had Buddy and Rough but hardly any ready to go KPD, the only one was Schoey who wasn't best suited to playing close to goal on the top FF. Now we have Frawley, we have Spangher, Heatherly and Brand are further progressed and as you point out there is a vacuum of direct replacements for Roughie. I think it's going to be the biggest list challenge over the next few years, especially as they're copping such mega salaries, so even FA doesn't look like a possibility.

But there's no doubt that Lake has been the missing piece over the last 2 years. I hope he goes again next year.

 

[Brant]

Mitch is always solid, hard & uncompromising in & under....He's not called 'The Anvil' for nufin....But an enforcer he ain't.

Hard to recall a time, if ever, when Sammy's fists were raised in anger at anybody.....Just not his style.

Grimley?

Yeah, nah...

 

[LindaCresLove]

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I'm just loving those images, mr Procrastinator.
Have a deep dislike for that flog "Perkins"
Thankfully Brian has the required stature to get the message across.
Go, you good thing!

 

[Matt Slade]

If we had to get rid of one of either Roughead or Lake. I would get rid of Lake. Roughead is more important. Who becomes our Key Forward and steps up as a brilliant leader. Lake can be replaced although he is also yet so vital to the team. We would very much miss his contested marking, strengh and abilty to read the play. But we have young KPD's and lockdown defenders that are starting to look promising.

Yeah......nah
I love how Lake owns Hawkins. Hawkins is Lake's bitch. What do you reckon?

 

[crazywildhorse]

Spangher is our most important, have never lost a game with him in the team!

Definately the big omision for the first 2 NAB matches