Make or break year...

[lickmerocks]

Schoenmakers and Langford are crucial to us this year. Both need to play every game/ and contribute if we are to stay in the mix.

 

[streetspirit]

I'll preface by saying I haven't bothered to check up on contract expiration dates as that would be a major factor, so not factoring that...

If I were any of the following players and I hadn't made some serious improvements this year then I'd be pretty nervous when it came to my end of season review with Clarko & Co....

- Billy Hartung
- Brendan Whitecross
- Jono O'Rourke
- Daniel Howe
- Dallas Willsmore
- Tim O'Brien
- Ryan Schoenmakers
- Will Langford
- Teia Miles

Off the top of my head, whitex, langers and miles all have contracts til the end of the next year.

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Off the top of my head, whitex, langers and miles all have contracts til the end of the next year.

I thought Whitey was on rolling one year contracts now... ?

 

[William Wonka]

I thought Whitey was on rolling one year contracts now... ?

Just re-signed till end of 18.

 

[burner1]

Would think willsmore and TOB would need to significantly improve or are gone. Same with heatherly - it's been 6 years - the experiment hasn't worked.

Miles and Hardwick (esp) in same boat but could get another year depending on doc and pops form

The rest (langers, Howe, jor, hartung) I'd think would get another year unless Jors hammies are unfixable - all need to improve though. Coaches seem to be putting acid on hartung this year - could be on draft table if doesn't come on.

Shoey and WX have regularly committed to hawthorn when trade options have come up - would be surprised if let go.

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Would think willsmore and TOB would need to significantly improve or are gone. Same with heatherly - it's been 6 years - the experiment hasn't worked.

Miles and Hardwick (esp) in same boat but could get another year depending on doc and pops form

The rest (langers, Howe, jor, hartung) I'd think would get another year unless Jors hammies are unfixable - all need to improve though. Coaches seem to be putting acid on hartung this year - could be on draft table if doesn't come on.

Shoey and WX have regularly committed to hawthorn when trade options have come up - would be surprised if let go.

Miles did more than enough in the JLT.

Heatherly was always going to be given more time, but needs to get 3 or 4 games this year at AFL level to justify anouther year on the list.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Miles did more than enough in the JLT.

Heatherly was always going to be given more time, but needs to get 3 or 4 games this year at AFL level to justify anouther year on the list.

Agree on kurt
I think we are grooming him to take over from Gibbo (given what I've seen of him at box hill and in the Melbourne game last year)

I wonder if Gibbo will be hanging up his boots, as I have it on good authority that stkilda made a play for kurt, and I don't think anyone would hang around if opportunity arises elsewhere

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Agree on kurt
I think we are grooming him to take over from Gibbo (given what I've seen of him at box hill and in the Melbourne game last year)

I wonder if Gibbo will be hanging up his boots, as I have it on good authority that stkilda made a play for kurt, and I don't think anyone would hang around if opportunity arises elsewhere

I'd expect Hodge will definitely give it away at the end of this year. Gibbo and Birch may if their form drops off and Burgers looks like he could keep going until he's 40.

 

[Mr Lizard]

Birch

Contracted til 2019

 

[threesixpio]

I'm seeing years like 2019 and thinking - shit that's ages away

But it's not...



Getting old

 

[Duritz]

By the way I did a search of "yes or no Australia" to add to the post, it came up with this...

Sorry...

I feel strangely drawn to this thread.

 

[MasterSamurai]

for me other players mentioned here are safe ie.. Langford, Hartung, JOR etc... but cant say the same about Timmy O! I think the Blues are sniffing.

 

[Sir Galahad]

I'd expect Hodge will definitely give it away at the end of this year. Gibbo and Birch may if their form drops off and Burgers looks like he could keep going until he's 40.

Gibbo - agreed
Burgers - agreed

Hodge - you might be spot-on, but i don't understand why so many ppl assume this is his last year.

Sure, he missed a swag of games last year, but the problem was impact injuries - not a factor of age.

Am i missing something?
Is he thought to be struggling for motivation?
Is his showing signs he's nearly cooked?

Or is it just that ppl assume he'll be too old to go on, at 33?

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Gibbo - agreed
Burgers - agreed

Hodge - you might be spot-on, but i don't understand why so many ppl assume this is his last year.

Sure, he missed a swag of games last year, but the problem was impact injuries - not a factor of age.

Am i missing something?
Is he thought to be struggling for motivation?
Is his showing signs he's nearly cooked?

Or is it just that ppl assume he'll be too old to go on, at 33?

I think giving away the captaincy was quite telling. There was no reason to do so unless he felt his time was coming and it made sense to transition. This often happens, doesn't it, in the last year or two of a player's career.

I think he is also the kind of bloke that would rather go out playing his best than being beaten by youngsters. He should pass 300 games and 200 goals this year and with the club rebuild well underway, it might make sense for him to start the next stage of his life.