Earlier in the year I heard a stat that really staggered me. Despite the fact that the Hawthorn and Collingwood teams playing against each other were almost the same average height each Collingwood player was on average 4 kg heavier. I didn't check it out but remained in the memory bank
Tonight I thought that I would see how we stacked up against Geelong at last week's Qualifying Final - and this is what I found:
Cats Hawks
Brad Ottens 106 David Hale 102 -4
Trent West 104 Lance Franklin 102 -2
James Podsiadly 102 Max Bailey 101 -1
Tom Hawkins 101 Grant Birchall 93 -8
Josh Hunt 100 Josh Gibson 92 -8
Tom Lonergan 98 Luke Hodge 90 -8
Matthew Scarlett 94 Brent Guerra 90 -4
Cameron Ling 92 Jordan Lewis 90 -2
Harry Taylor 92 Shaun Burgoyne 88 -4
Corey Enright 91 R. Schoenmakers 86 -5
Paul Chapman 88 Brad Sewell 86 -2
James Kelly 88 B. Whitecross 85 -3
Jimmy Bartell 88 Thomas Murphy 85 -3
Andrew Mackie 87 Sam Mitchell 83 -4
Steve Johnson 87 Matt Suckling 82 -5
Joel Selwood 86 Michael Osborne 81 -5
Mitch Duncan 82 Liam Shiels 80 -2
Mathew Stokes 80 Cyril Rioli 80 -
David Wojcinski 80 Isaac Smith 77 -3
Travis Varcoe 80 Paul Puopolo 76 -4
Daniel Menzel 79 Luke Breust 76 -3
Allen Christensen 77 Chance Bateman 75 -2
Total Wt Kg Geelong 1982kgs Hawthorn 1900 kgs -82kg
Average Wt Kg 90.1kg 86.36 kg
Once again the difference is huge - and it helps explain the strengths Hawthorn plays to - keep possession - because in the crunches we are at a significant weight disadvantage.
What I find puzzling is why Hawthorn has not bulked up like Geelong and Collingwood (and West Coast, I believe, who have always had muscles on muscles).
Tonight I thought that I would see how we stacked up against Geelong at last week's Qualifying Final - and this is what I found:
Cats Hawks
Brad Ottens 106 David Hale 102 -4
Trent West 104 Lance Franklin 102 -2
James Podsiadly 102 Max Bailey 101 -1
Tom Hawkins 101 Grant Birchall 93 -8
Josh Hunt 100 Josh Gibson 92 -8
Tom Lonergan 98 Luke Hodge 90 -8
Matthew Scarlett 94 Brent Guerra 90 -4
Cameron Ling 92 Jordan Lewis 90 -2
Harry Taylor 92 Shaun Burgoyne 88 -4
Corey Enright 91 R. Schoenmakers 86 -5
Paul Chapman 88 Brad Sewell 86 -2
James Kelly 88 B. Whitecross 85 -3
Jimmy Bartell 88 Thomas Murphy 85 -3
Andrew Mackie 87 Sam Mitchell 83 -4
Steve Johnson 87 Matt Suckling 82 -5
Joel Selwood 86 Michael Osborne 81 -5
Mitch Duncan 82 Liam Shiels 80 -2
Mathew Stokes 80 Cyril Rioli 80 -
David Wojcinski 80 Isaac Smith 77 -3
Travis Varcoe 80 Paul Puopolo 76 -4
Daniel Menzel 79 Luke Breust 76 -3
Allen Christensen 77 Chance Bateman 75 -2
Total Wt Kg Geelong 1982kgs Hawthorn 1900 kgs -82kg
Average Wt Kg 90.1kg 86.36 kg
Once again the difference is huge - and it helps explain the strengths Hawthorn plays to - keep possession - because in the crunches we are at a significant weight disadvantage.
What I find puzzling is why Hawthorn has not bulked up like Geelong and Collingwood (and West Coast, I believe, who have always had muscles on muscles).