Review Round 11, 2025 - Hawthorn vs. Brisbane Lions

[braddsey]

Are Fagan and Mitchell on good terms from his time as AC at the Hawks?

I imagine Fagan is on good terms with everyone he worked with in the past.

 

[Lions2Good]

Brisbane to lead by more than 10 goals at some point and win by 6 or less

crystal ball for the hawthorn Gabba game eh?

 

[Grasshopper17]

The biggest challenge in the game when you're a very good side is the mental challenge.

You could tell from the first bounce we were a different team from the last 2 weeks. Neale set the tone . He was in there desperate for every possession. Unlike the Neale from last week.

Then once we had a sniff and got some dominance the short break and the soreness seems to become a badge of honour.

Much like our finals series 2024. The challenge now is to maintain the intensity against a lesser opponent on Thursday.

Yes I remember the very first switch Hawthorn attempted in the first two minutes and how comfortably we dealt with it. They got as far as the wing, were forced to kick long down the line where Payne I think punched it out of bounds. Immediately they were better signs than what we showed, even early on, against Melbourne.

Our defence got a bit untidy in the third quarter when I thought we were struggling to go with them on the spread, and then started getting opened up in the corridor.

But our last quarter response was really impressive, mainly because we were able to turn it into a contest fest and prevent the ball getting to the outside really at all for the whole quarter.

We got close against St Kilda (3.5) and Gold Coast (3.75) but forget the fact we lost 2 quarters on the scoreboard... I'd say this was our first and best four quarter performance of the season.

 

[Grasshopper17]

It was frankly unfair having Payne on Gunners. Payne's just about the most athletic key defender and Gunners is uh... not.

I wasn't exactly paying it close attention but early in the game (at the city end, where we were sitting) there looked to be a bit of ring-a-rosie going on and it looked as though Gunston was trying to get to Andrews. Obviously we won the battle of wills there because Payne was on Gunston for most of the day and did superbly.

 

[martinson]

Yes I remember the very first switch Hawthorn attempted in the first two minutes and how comfortably we dealt with it. They got as far as the wing, were forced to kick long down the line where Payne I think punched it out of bounds. Immediately they were better signs than what we showed, even early on, against Melbourne.

Our defence got a bit untidy in the third quarter when I thought we were struggling to go with them on the spread, and then started getting opened up in the corridor.

But our last quarter response was really impressive, mainly because we were able to turn it into a contest fest and prevent the ball getting to the outside really at all for the whole quarter.

We got close against St Kilda (3.5) and Gold Coast (3.75) but forget the fact we lost 2 quarters on the scoreboard... I'd say this was our first and best four quarter performance of the season.

It's why I'm more optimistic than not.

Choc has won 2 Brownlows and Captained a Premiership team . The only thing worth doing is doing that again.

He's pacing himself this year to be 100% towards the pointy end of the year , unlike last year when he had to draw on all he had just to be there.

The Hawks game was one we needed to win and you could see we set ourselves for that. We've got a few things to sort but I think we can rise to the occasion when we need to. The biggest issue I see is how much other teams have improved , plus we're now fully respected , so it's going to be tougher.

 

[Grasshopper17]

That was what shifted the momentum IMO

Yes that period of the game right before half time was reminiscent of the Grand Final. 5 minutes of perfect football and then lock down to make sure Hawthorn couldn't get a late one. That 4 goal burst proved decisive given the final margin of 33 points.

 

[Grasshopper17]

Any idea what Mitchell meant in his press conference about Brisbane being very good at "taking pressure off themselves"?

I assumed it was a reference to being able to find uncontested marks from a position of chaos/contest and being under pressure.

 

[Grasshopper17]

I too don't think Lester's spot is in danger, is a premiership player and doing a good role, but Weddle ran away from him yesterday whilst bouncing the ball at least three times down the wing and almost scored a goal.

Or rather, Frog's effort to keep up with a bloke 10-12 years his junior and force him towards the boundary saved a goal. I don't know what game you were watching but it was certainly not the one we saw.

 

[Grasshopper17]

Leading into the game, I was listening to a podcast (it was either Browny's, Buddy and Shane or the Roar Deal) I can't recall which one but it was about how the umpires do not like being taken for fools and that it would eventually come back to bite the Hawks in the arse when legitimate ones are 'missed' because the umpire won't call them out of fear of being taken advantage of.

Zac Bailey will also do well to take heed of this.

 

[Grasshopper17]

You melbourne fans - loved the noise coming through. going to book tickets at that lions end vs the pies.

Just be careful with this; we were at the city end against the Hawks but if I recall correctly Collingwood takes the city end goals at their home games, leaving us to the Punt Road end.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Leading into the game, I was listening to a podcast (it was either Browny's, Buddy and Shane or the Roar Deal) I can't recall which one but it was about how the umpires do not like being taken for fools and that it would eventually come back to bite the Hawks in the arse when legitimate ones are 'missed' because the umpire won't call them out of fear of being taken advantage of.

Joel Selwood being the exception?

 

[Nunez]

Zac Bailey will also do well to take heed of this.

I don't think Bailey does it a hell of a lot. Did so against the Hawks but that came across to me as Zac wanting to give them a dose of their own medicine above all else.

 

[dlanod]

Joel Selwood being the exception?

He's such a good bloke, he couldn't possibly be taking the umpires for fools.