Autopsy Round 12, 2025: Hawks get swooped

[Mercy Seat]

Clubs know that we struggle to get our game going when they bring immense pressure to us. The good clubs are able to do this really effectively and as a result, we’re getting smashed. It’s clear we are trying to have a crack, but the minute the oppo gets on top, our confidence is crumbling, our work rate drops and we’re struggling to do even the simple things right.

I’m not sure what moving the magnets around will do, there’s no magic bullet or hidden gem at box hill who will change things. Obviously we need Day desperately but we just have to wait. But ultimately this comes down to form and confidence and key players for us are lacking in both.

 

[Suntory Boss Coffee]

I'm always of the belief that players try hard. But there is trying, and then there is TRYING. We just do not look intense enough. I don't think opposition teams fear playing against us right now.
Despite all the hokball from last year, our wins were built on pressure and defence. We were a very stingy side.

If I see Hardwick forward again, I will spew. It is clear we are lacking a small back there and lacking someone with ball use. If he cracks the sooks because he wants to play forward, then drop him.

Either rest Sic, play him forward, or bring Dear in. Chol and Gunston just isn't working and hasn't all year. We get murdered on the high ball because Chol can't do it all himself. Gunston has never been a contested player despite his pack mark tonight. Dear brings the ball to ground, and despite Sicily not doing much, he at least brought it to ground for our smalls.

We need pace on the wings because Harry and Mass are NOT quick.

Our stoppage work is at no mans land atm. I get we want to keep shape, but the players are almost in a flux of 'do I keep shape or go tackle' and then they choose neither and we are ****ed regardless.

 

[user33]

We have the best VFL side, so many players doing well there. if only Mitchell would actually reward them and punish players in the ones playing so poorly.

 

[Glebehawk]

The flexibility Mitchell wanted for this team has amounted to instability. I don’t know where anyone is supposed to play and it looks like neither does the team. We lack cohesion and balance.

 

[Jethro!]

We won the inside 50s +1
We won the hit outs + 5
We won the clearances + 10



The only stats that mattered:

We lost the tackle count -42 (which must be a record)

We lost the game -51

Please stop posting about inside 50s & clearances.

They mean sweet fook awl.

There's CLEARANCES and there's clearances

 

[PorkPieHat]

A tough watch after 1/4 time. I made the mistake of going on the Game Day thread, I now know it’s not for me, and that’s fine, but here’s my palate-cleanser:

Negatives: the slipped tackles are sooo irksome to any fan, anywhere, in any context
Positives (I’m trying here) and other stuff: Meek and Nash are back
I’m not fully sold on TB for this Hawks line up but loved his efforts tonight. absolute match-saver written all over him
I am fully sold on Battle but that match-up was a head-scratcher, but he kept fighting
Very fully sold on Ward and he tried just a couple of game-breaker moves tonight that i haven’t seen from him. Didn’t come off but will in time I think.
Newc solid and classy once again in a well-beaten side.
A disappointing f expected scoreline in the end. Collingwood are red hot, we’re cold. The major bummer being slipped tackles.

 

[Davo-27]

Tackle, fall of ball, running game all need work

Team going forward should be imo vvvvvv

B - Hardwick, Barras, Scrimshaw
HB - Impey, Battle, Amon
C - Morrison, Worpel, Ward
HF - Watson, Dear, Moore? (But he needs to step up soon or be in the rotation with other non performing forwards)
F - Gunston, Chol, Weddle
R - Meek, Newcombe, Nash

INT - Sicily, Jiath, MacKenzie, D'Ambrosio, Croc/Ginni/Breust/Maginness ( 1 of these 4, they are out of form)

and a versatile player as a sub

IN A PERFECT WORLD WHERE WE HAVE OPTIONS THE INTERCHANGE WOULD ALL BE DROPPED

Games recently have revealed weaknesses we need to fix, lack of fight is sad to see

 

[burger09]

The loss that opens everyone's eyes to where we are this season.

 

[kazzooka]

Our mistakes were turned into their goals, they were that much better.

Maybe Sis should drop himself to find something in the magoos.

If Sicily doesn't drop himself, I'd move the captaincy immediately.

Mitchell and Sicily have more egg on their face than that Carlton fan YouTuber.

Media gave him an out for his poor form with the injury. Had the chance to rest up and return later but declared him fit.

 

[SSSSSS]

Are we the worst tackling side in the comp?

I'm not even just talking numbers, I'm talking about how easily teams break through our tackles and get through our press.

Once they are through our defense leaks goals like a sieve.

 

[Lickmesocks]

We were able to paper over the cracks with some soft wins but we all could see that we were not playing great footy. Lots of turnovers and poor patches in games had us all concerned.

We are now copping it smack on the chin.

Massive challenge for the coaching group now to motivate the playing group to forget the fancy stuff and get back into contests again with hard work.

 

[user33]

We are floating down shit river with no paddle.

Sicily needs to be "rested" No more stupid defending the blatantly obvious.

Finn as sub is just TERRIBLE. Sam Butler should be there. It feels like Sam has his core and isn't deviating.

We are where we were at with the Gold Coast game last year albeit different W/L. Its either we step up now of I think we struggle to make the 8.

Ward is progressing nicely.

Really impressed with Ward tonight.

It’s Clarko level stubbornness at this point with Mitchell to just keep playing his favourite 23 each week

 

[The Golden Glenferrie]

Been a while but I think this is apt...
View attachment 2329712

I was more thinking...

 

[Jethro!]

Finn was the third highest tackler with 3, after Worp and Meek with 4 each.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Wonder when that melon head Kane is going to jump off genius Sam, and start using it ironically.

 

[Sonny Hayes]

Are we the worst tackling side in the comp?

I'm not even just talking numbers, I'm talking about how easily teams break through our tackles and get through our press.

Once they are through our defense leaks goals like a sieve.

Backing up last weeks performance with the tackling we saw tonight is the most disappointing part, that should have been a non negotiable

 

[ahhhhhh]

Tackle, fall of ball, running game all need work

Team going forward should be imo

B - Hardwick, Barras, Scrimshaw
HB - Impey, Battle, Amon
C - Morrison, Worpel, Ward
HF - Watson, Dear, Watson
F - Gunston, Chol, Weddle
R - Meek, Newcombe, Nash

INT - Sicily, Jiath, MacKenzie, Croc/Ginni/Breust/Maginness

and a versatile player as a sub


Games recently have revealed weaknesses we need to fix, lack of fight is sad to see

If we persist with MacDonald, Finn and CJ I am seriously worried Carlton will finish above us. They all have to be dropped.

Massimo should be gone after one more poor performance as well.

 

[Argy]

I like the days when Frosty caused havoc - to us and the oppo. Just seemed to create the chaos we needed to get moving.

 

[HairyO]

Nick Holland

Nick Holland

Age

51

Ht

195cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.8

4star

K

9.2

4star

HB

4.6

3star

M

6.8

5star

T

1.0

3star

G

1.3

5star

No current season stats available

D

11.0

3star

K

7.8

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

4.8

5star

T

0.6

3star

G

0.4

3star

and Ben Dixon

Ben Dixon

Age

48

Ht

188cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.8

3star

K

7.5

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

4.2

4star

T

1.4

3star

G

1.4

5star

No current season stats available

D

10.4

3star

K

7.6

3star

HB

2.8

3star

M

4.8

5star

T

0.8

3star

G

2.4

5star

had WAY better I50 delivery than what we saw tonight.

We had so many seagulls too. Did anyone actually lead other than Gunston and Watson?

And the lack of tackling pressure. Just pathetic.

There are guys wasting away at BoxHill missing selection over who?

And Sicily needs to drop himself. Couldnt even take uncontested chest marks.

That was our worst game in literally decades.

 

[user33]

Finn was the third highest tackler with 3, after Worp and Meek with 4 each.

That is a wild stat

 

[Lickmesocks]

Are we the worst tackling side in the comp?

I'm not even just talking numbers, I'm talking about how easily teams break through our tackles and get through our press.

Once they are through our defense leaks goals like a sieve.

That is work rate and effort. It’s definitely down. The rise up last year, the media hype, and pretty much every player has dropped away this season.

 

[TassieGrown]

Hawks trying to tackle be like

 

[flamin_heck]

James Sicilys form has been totally synonymous with our season, game to game just about. Started out a little rusty but showing class, to faultering but still getting plenty of it in the Geelong game, to now utterly petering out and worst on. I love Sicily but whatever the reason is (there’s clearly something physical bothering him) he NEEDS a rest. It’s obviously not all on him but carrying players that far off the mark each week is setting an impossible task. For crying out loud- it’s so obvious now

 

[A1fromDay1]

Absolutely pathetic

The worst effort I've seen in a long long time.

51-16 tackle count in 2nd and 3rd qtrs combined is beyond embarrassing.

Mitch needs to swing the axe because last weeks tackling clearly wasn't an anomaly.

If you don't want to tackle get the fu#k off the field.

Especially after we the Hawthorn faithful raised over $2m during the week this is the effort the players put in.

 

[Mrzohs]

What a poor response from a playing group that was backed in by the coach after last week.

The selection and the players need a shake up, time to select some guys with strengths we need