Autopsy Round 13, 2026: Hawks get leashed

[Leather Poisoning]

I still think we are a chance this year. I think of the current top four teams we are by far the one with the most improvement in us. But gees it's frustrating that we are not already comfortably ensconced in the top three just because we blew up the Pies and Dogs games with our dire conversion rate. I'm hoping that Friday nights horror show coming just before the bye so it dwells in the player's minds serves as a spur for the rest of the season. If the players are as angry with losing that as we supporters are then it just might be the making of us - if it doesn't end up costing us the double-chance.

I reckon this year we'll see Freo be the best performed team of H&A but will fade out in the last few rounds. They're going to have a very flat patch at some point. They'll be top 4.

Then from the Sydney, Hawthorn, Brisbane, Geelong group there will be a team that really ripens at the right stage of the year. All of these teams have had some patches of great and terrible. Top 4 probably finishes with 2 of these teams in good form.

Then there's a chance that GC, Melbourne or GWS could pull it together and rise up to be a top 4/prelim team.

Ever since Clarko we've needed the mid season bye to regroup. We've had so many seasons where we talk about the form after the bye as a completely different team almost.

I don't think we're a serious challenger this year to be honest, and it's helped me to really enjoy games a lot more. But someone has to win it - and if we pull it together at the right time we're as capable as anyone. (especially with Ward and McKenzie maturing and Day hitting form)

 

[extractasam]

Dogs did a good job nullifying Watson after half time, but not sure ive seen so much circle jerking over holding someone to 3 goals. Their supporters must have some low bars set.

tHe wIzArD dId a DiSapPeaRing AcT

 

[RoughysMullet]

This loss might be a good thing in the long run- a reality check and an uncomfortable bye week thinking about what happens when you get ahead of yourselves… Rather learn the lesson now than in September…

 

[TheFourPillars]

It worked.

It didn't work had no ****ing effect on the result. Our kicking inside 50 and our goal kicking were the reasons.

 

[Phil McCreviss]

But this is a dumb counter argument. It's not a normal job like you or me would have. These guys are athletes on ridiculous amounts of money. That opens them up to being scrutinized and yes heckled by the crowd. That comes included with the ridiculous amount they're payed.
My oath it's not nice but it's not a nice game, and it's not a normal workplace. A weak c isn't a personal attack either it's not aimed at he's personal life or he's family or any of that.

That's what being a superstar athlete is you get heckled, and yeah for 350k plus bonuses wouldn't care if I got called that. My old 2ic dead set would get called worse than that every morning by the company owner.

No offense but considering what AFL players put their body through, they get paid very little money. Australia is a small market. Its quite funny people think they they make ridiculous amounts of money.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

1,360 goals with only 590 behinds is worth emulating

Way to miss the entire point and context of the discussion.

 

[FB19]

Or even act like Plugger any time...

I don’t know about that I could use whatever he did re weight loss.

 

[FB19]

Great behind goal vision of key moments here.

Did the bulldogs go to war? Ffs the hyperbole

 

[SA HAWK]

It didn't work had no ****ing effect on the result. Our kicking inside 50 and our goal kicking were the reasons.

Also was highlighted on the Sunday Footy Show they also had a spare in defence which we didn’t match up until there was a few minutes left.

That is on the coaching staff.

 

[peetoo]

A freo flag wouldn’t be that bad

 

[grumbleguts]

Why was he playing.

Because he didn't have a bung ankle? Perhaps? Unless our selectors failed at being psychic, they should have known he'd twist it in an interaction.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Dogs did a good job nullifying Watson after half time, but not sure ive seen so much circle jerking over holding someone to 3 goals. Their supporters must have some low bars set.

They were leaving the ground with anti-Watson chants

Weird bunch

 

[SA HAWK]

A freo flag wouldn’t be that bad

If we don’t win much preferable to Sydney or Geelong.

Anyone but those 2.

 

[Atch]

A freo flag wouldn’t be that bad

You know whats better than a Freo flag, a flag we stole off Freo.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

A freo flag wouldn’t be that bad

I think in theory it would ve fine, but long-suffering fans, I have a feeling if they got the monkey off the back they'll be unbearable (think Geelong after 07)

 

[grumbleguts]

He’d stop fighting it, tell him I’m just trying to get up, maybe even play dead… but there are ways that he could have disengaged from it even if he wasn’t being let go of.

Drew Petrie endorses this post.

 

[Elhawko]

A freo flag wouldn’t be that bad

I've said this before, they are one of the few teams who are a genuine chance who haven't had a leg up from any program or structural advantage. They don't have any F&Ss, no agency pics that I'm aware of, no outrageous compensation picks, no academy obviously and no handouts. They travel as far as anyone and they have had injuries to key players. Despite all that they have put together a great list and are absolutely flying.

Plus they are 1,000s of kms from me and don't have any supporters who I'm likely to meet should they win.

They are the perfect backup candidate!

 

[daniel23]

I've said this before, they are one of the few teams who are a genuine chance who haven't had a leg up from any program or structural advantage. They don't have any F&Ss, no agency pics that I'm aware of, no outrageous compensation picks, no academy obviously and no handouts. They travel as far as anyone and they have had injuries to key players. Despite all that they have put together a great list and are absolutely flying.

Plus they are 1,000s of kms from me and don't have any supporters who I'm likely to meet should they win.

They are the perfect backup candidate!

I agree with that . But, the afl have given them the gift of all draws to build momentum . Have played, wc, carlton, rich, north before we have played any of them. For a top 8 team last season thats pretty good going. Carlton, melb, west coast , bulldogs, adelaide as your double ups is pretty good going to. While also Playing us and sydney at home.

 

[smeltitdeltit]

Dogs did a good job nullifying Watson after half time, but not sure ive seen so much circle jerking over holding someone to 3 goals. Their supporters must have some low bars set.

The circle jerk on allowing 14 scoring shots in a half is worse

 

[Hawksboy72]

What a bloody shambles that was..you could smell the stink all the way back in Wales.

 

[Elhawko]

I agree with that . But, the afl have given them the gift of all draws to build momentum . Have played, wc, carlton, rich, north before we have played any of them. For a top 8 team last season thats pretty good going. Carlton, melb, west coast , bulldogs, adelaide as your double ups is pretty good going to. While also Playing us and sydney at home.

Yes, that's a good draw, sure enough!

 

[peetoo]

You know whats better than a Freo flag, a flag we stole off Freo.

Which one?

 

[peetoo]

I've said this before, they are one of the few teams who are a genuine chance who haven't had a leg up from any program or structural advantage. They don't have any F&Ss, no agency pics that I'm aware of, no outrageous compensation picks, no academy obviously and no handouts. They travel as far as anyone and they have had injuries to key players. Despite all that they have put together a great list and are absolutely flying.

Plus they are 1,000s of kms from me and don't have any supporters who I'm likely to meet should they win.

They are the perfect backup candidate!

To borrow from Geelong ‘they play the game as it should be played’

In 2013 the fans were gracious and along with eagles in 2015 gave Victoria a much needed tourism boost from the mining wealth

All those inflatable anchors though, is there a more incorrect metaphor?

 

[Atch]

Which one?

A fresh shiny new one.

 

[TheFourPillars]

I would like to know from the ppl that thought we had hubris in what way did it effect our performance. Did hubris mean we continually ****ed up going forward or missed so many shots on goal? Where we punishing ourselves for our hubris? Its ridiculous.