Autopsy Round 20, 2025: Hawks give them the Blues

[MC_9]

I hope Butters is watching the Hawks and is thinking "Gee what a good midfield they'd have with me there. I mean look at their fwd line too. I'd have so much more fun with the Hawks.

Haha I mean surely right. He would be perfect for what we would need, and instantly make us a genuine contender for many years.

The dogs seem to be the biggest threat, but they already have arguably the best midfield. What's the point of making the best midfield better, it is the law of diminishing returns.

 

[Hawks1523]

We will be so much better for getting games with Worple, newk day and Nash together. Getting that synergy back between the boys. Especially reading the taps from Meeky.

The forward line looked incredibly dangerous, Calsh and Lewis playing some solid footy so soon after being out for so long is great to see.

Bring on the crows.

 

[JD888]

That was the most disappointing win ever.

No injuries is a positive (assuming Impey is okay?). Few of the players that have returned recently will be better for the run. Will need to be better for the rest of the season.

With so many players back, it kind of feels like they are a new team that just need a couple of games to gel.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

From the look on Voss’s face in the first quarter he knew it was going to be a blood bath if he didn’t flood.

They showed a shot of Voss just before quarter time and you could see on his laptop he had the Seek website up.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Amazed by how few people there were last night

Not even exaggerating it felt like the crowd was anywhere between 85-90% Hawthorn. The only time I saw some lonely Blues folk in our members area was when Docherty kicked a goal and that wasn't much. The upper tier bays behind their cheer squad were empty and the oppo standing area behind my seat which are usually crawling with ferals only had about 8-10 people there. So Hawks supporters turned out - just the other mob didn't.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Nash keeping Cripps to 4 kicks
Hardwick blanketing Moir (Zero,Nil, Nada goals)
TDK - super average; slow ; appears disinterested (mate take the money and run because you are not worth it)

Cripps annoys the shit out of me.

I put him in the same bracket as peak Clayton Oliver.
Sure they win lots of contests and influece the game significantly but essential these players are limited to three moves:
1. Try and break the tackle
2. 1m handballs
3. Hack kick

Cripps is capable of a creative handball that sets up a teammate well but mostly its just him hanballing to the immediate, closest first option he sees.
And the amount of time he throws the ball is just embarassing.

 

[Yardie]

I think this is all just a Thursday night game problem. Everyone has to front up to work the next day and are just grumpy.

 

[The Big Dipper]

Agree, Chol cannot be left out after his season so far. It would be soul destroying and wrong IMO.

Meek is looking a bit weary, so I can see Chol playing and being used in the ruck a bit more to give Meek a chop out for a few weeks. Adelaide has O'Brien and Thilthorp so would be dangerous to have a lessor ruck against them when Meek rests.

There's a chance he comes back in for Gunston or Lewis to give them a freshen up before finals, but if they are all fit and available Chol misses out. He has shown an inability to stand up when needed most and when fit everyone of Lewis, Dear and Gunston should be selected ahead of him.

I do agree it will be soul destroying though...

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Our backs and forwards were great but our midfield has been copping some heat so I figured I'd go back and watch them specifically. There are certain factors to consider that exacerbate the stats.

• After quarter 1, Carlton pushed an extra player up to stoppage (sometimes two). This let us have a spare down back, but it also meant they constantly outnumbered us in the midfield battle.
• Newcombe going off hurt. He was still demanding attention.
• Day was blowing up. To be expected after such a long period out, and he’ll be better for the run.
• Carlton’s strength has always been their inside contested ball winning. They’ve been good at it all year despite being mediocre.
• Meek rucked against Pittonet for the first half, then had to deal with a fresh TDK. He needs support because we’re going to burn him out.
• Nash had to ruck against Cripps which took him out of the midfield rotation and added to his load. Had a good game but it meant he wasn’t able to impact at stoppage.
• Ward/Worpel had good games but left their opponent free to hunt the ball which is problematic when a) the opposition have the outnumber and b) they don't win the ball. This is something we will need to work on.

We'll need to improve but this was a game where our best mid was subbed off, our second best mid was underdone, our ruck was being double teamed, they rolled an extra or two up to stoppage, and their one wood is contested ball. It inflates things.

This is an awesome post.

The bolded part - we were destroying Carlton with our best choice midfield in what started as a head-to-head structure across the ground.

Voss went negative and crowded the stoppage. This happened when Day started to tire a bit, Wardy was getting shnoz treatment and we were about to take Newcombe off.

The game never felt even slightly in doubt - Voss was just plugging a gap and with Sicily and Barrass playing like they did, the blues having extra numbers aroudn the mid/defence was never going to result in them outscoring us.

It was a plan to stop the bleeding and to neutralise the rest of the game and it worked. But yeh - he's just saving his job at this point.

 

[Sonny Hayes]

This is an awesome post.

The bolded part - we were destroying Carlton with our best choice midfield in what started as a head-to-head structure across the ground.

Voss went negative and crowded the stoppage. This happened when Day started to tire a bit, Wardy was getting shnoz treatment and we were about to take Newcombe off.

The game never felt even slightly in doubt - Voss was just plugging a gap and with Sicily and Barrass playing like they did, the blues having extra numbers aroudn the mid/defence was never going to result in them outscoring us.

It was a plan to stop the bleeding and to neutralise the rest of the game and it worked. But yeh - he's just saving his job at this point.

They still had over double the centre clearances we had so i don't think it was all about structure.

It was Days first week back and Newk clearly not 100% so i don't think it is complete panic stations, but our midfield has been a worry all year and it is a weakness that will be exposed by good teams in finals. Really need to see an improvement in the next couple weeks.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

They still had over double the centre clearances we had so i don't think it was all about structure.

It was Days first week back and Newk clearly not 100% so i don't think it is complete panic stations, but our midfield has been a worry all year and it is a weakness that will be exposed by good teams in finals. Really need to see an improvement in the next couple weeks.

Yeh I agree.
We need Worpel playing at his absolute peak because when he's playing at about 80% he does some realy shabby things.
Day and Newk not 100%
Meek beaten overall, especaily by TDK.

So pretty much every starting midfielder has a lot of improvement individually - and then hopefully the collective cohesion improves

 

[Mrzohs]

Great points around the midfield to put into perspective...

Newcombe played 48% game time.
Day played 69% game time.

I still think we could add dynamic player into the mix Nash,Ward,Worps.

Chol will play second ruck / fwd for mine.
Rotate the talls up fwd and the bench while giving Meek the chop out in the ruck he requires.

 

[Paul Kersey]

Amazed by how few people there were last night

Thought the Carlton fans would make a bit more effort for Docherty though wasn’t expecting anything over 60k. It was 51k and barely any Carlton fans imo.

 

[Nick the Pig]

Great to finally see us come out firing and have a blistering first quarter. It seems like we far too often this season are not switched on from the get go.

Dear, Lewis, Gunston look very comfortable as a unit. Amazing if you remember this is only the second game they have ever played all together.

 

[Bedi]

Not even exaggerating it felt like the crowd was anywhere between 85-90% Hawthorn. The only time I saw some lonely Blues folk in our members area was when Docherty kicked a goal and that wasn't much. The upper tier bays behind their cheer squad were empty and the oppo standing area behind my seat which are usually crawling with ferals only had about 8-10 people there. So Hawks supporters turned out - just the other mob didn't.

yeah fair call that was my impression too.

 

[Yardie]

Cal Dear changes our whole dynamic! For those old enough like me to remember “long bombs to Snake” I’m looking forward to many years of “long bombs to Cal!”

There was a kick to him at the Punt Road end (we sit there on Level 2) and you just knew that he was going to mark it no matter who was around him.

 

[MasterSamurai]

They'll find a way to NOT pick Gunston in the AA side.
But, he has been immense this year . 45 goals in 16 games. Missed three and played two as a sub. Law of averages would have him around 55 + goals! Beast.

 

[JZedd]

I may have mentioned this before but I reckon we can play Chol as a Ruck who can also rotate and be a huge weapon when drifting fwd. Let's not forget that he is probably in our top 3 for field kicks.

Meek will have more vigour with the proper rest. We're asking too much from him at times.
We need to win a lot of games, if we make finals and Chol is a weapon waiting to be fired.
Think what the opposition coach wants. I reckon they'd prefer Chol out. It becomes very difficult when he drifts into the fwd 50 creating a mismatch.
Anyways, Sam will know how to balance things out...

 

[JZedd]

There's a chance he comes back in for Gunston or Lewis to give them a freshen up before finals, but if they are all fit and available Chol misses out. He has shown an inability to stand up when needed most and when fit everyone of Lewis, Dear and Gunston should be selected ahead of him.

I do agree it will be soul destroying though...

I keep telling you to stop. That Wayne Carey powder isn't for baking bread.

 

[seysearles]

 

[The Big Dipper]

I keep telling you to stop. That Wayne Carey powder isn't for baking bread.

You don't honestly believe he's injured right now surely?

 

[TylerDurden]

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

One of the best things from a viewing aspect last night was Gunners 10 minute patch in the third quarter where he directly set up two/three goals with his precise passing and superior vision. It was a thing of beauty to watch.

He is legitimately having close to a career best year at 33, that’s such a mind blowing achievement.

We are watching Gunners in our threepeat years IMO. Moving so well and looks a class above in this form. He will kick 50 plus goals this year which is just extraordinary from where he was a couple of years ago.

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

We are watching Gunners in our threepeat years IMO. Moving so well and looks a class above in this form. He will kick 50 plus goals this year which is just extraordinary from where he was a couple of years ago.

Other year he was superb was 2018, he's AA year.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

A Druggers upset win tonight would actually do us a favour, much as it pains me to hope they win. Gives the Dopers an outside chance of leapfrogging Carlton and would also have the Dogs 3 wins off of us. I can't see the Dogs beating GWS up there either.