Preview Round 3, 2024: Hawthorn v Geelong, 1st April 3:20pm MCG

[Strapping Young Lad]

This year isn’t last year. Do you think winning hitouts to advantage has helped us this year? Our midfield has been comprehensively torched. Something has to change.

So you change the players that are fumbling the first possession, not the player who is the one getting them that first possession?

Nash and Newc have had more of a say in how we've gone in the first two rounds than Reeves.

 

[Noel Gallagher]

The one thing for Meek is that the new ruck rules have negated Reeves advantages in the ruck and probably help Meek in the ruck

This is a really good point and definitely one I havent factored in when assessing gReeves’s form so far this year. For the record I have been a massive Reeves fan from day 1. Just disappointed of his ineffectiveness around the ground - especially at ground level. I love the big strong mobile ruckman like Draper who can play as an extra midfielder - something we desperately need ATM. Loved Robbie Campbell and felt he had a huge impact on our midfield on 08- it was such a shame his career was cut short at an early age due to injuries

Anyway good to see Meek put his hand up today, ball back in Ned’s court this week

 

[H00t]

So you change the players that are fumbling the first possession, not the player who is the one getting them that first possession?

Nash and Newc have had more of a say in how we've gone in the first two rounds than Reeves.

Honestly it’s both. Our mids have been stuffing up in the middle but Reeves also hasn’t been giving our mids good enough looks to justify his position on performance given the hitouts are all he offers.

Our midfield as a whole needs to lift, Reeves included.

 

[ahhhhhh]

So you change the players that are fumbling the first possession, not the player who is the one getting them that first possession?

Nash and Newc have had more of a say in how we've gone in the first two rounds than Reeves.

Maybe having a solid presence around the ball when it hits the deck would help? Not sure, but we are diabolical at the moment. I’m not against dropping Nash or Newcombe either. We can’t keep this mediocrity up.

 

[Baz_hawk]

Players who should be a chance to play in this game after their Box Hill outing:

• Phillips
• Hustwaite
• Meek
• Butler
• Mitchell
• Morrison
• Ramsden
• Serong

Obviously we aren't going to make 8 changes but all of the above were good today and showed plenty.

I'd be looking at Phillips, Hustwaite and Mitchell as to start with. Gunston, Breust & Maginness make way.

 

[peetoo]

Hawkins 350. Have the AFL sent the script yet?

 

[Strebi3]

In: Meek, Phillips, Hustwaite
Out: Maginess, Reeves, Ward

 

[FisherHawk]

Wheelo ratings site.

View attachment 1937899

Never heard of this site. Thanks!

 

[rei154]

In: Butler/Morrison, HH, Meek, Ramma
Out: Breust (if injured), Finn (omitted), Reeves (omitted), Gunston (managed)

Ward to sub.

I think we match up better against Geelong than against Melbourne- gotta stretch them around the ground and I think having another genuine tall/ruck is going to hold us in good stead.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Never heard of this site. Thanks!

Its pretty good.

 

[eldorado]

The one thing for Meek is that the new ruck rules have negated Reeves advantages in the ruck and probably help Meek in the ruck

This could well be the case.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Maybe having a solid presence around the ball when it hits the deck would help? Not sure, but we are diabolical at the moment. I’m not against dropping Nash or Newcombe either. We can’t keep this mediocrity up.

Reeves was our second highest clearance player on the weekend, behind Nash.

 

[LRobbo]

We won’t play as badly as we did yesterday, Mitchell will have them seething.

Geelongs midfield is bog average.

Will it be enough to win?

Probably not, I can handle that but I can’t handle efforts like yesterday.

I’ll walk out happy if we show some fight and show some intent

 

[Simon Crawshay]

From a commercial standpoint the coaching panel wouldn't want to replicate that first quarter game plan again next Monday.

We will probably lose regardless of our game plan next week but geez I'd rather lose 12 goals to 16 than another 5 goals to 13 snore fest.

We actually have a half decent forward line this year, let's take some risks and move it quick to our forward 50 and see what happens.

 

[killerspud]

Breust isn't injured. He's 100% fit.

Then Gunston comes out for Phillips - an extra tall defender has to play - we are up against Hawkins, Cameron, Dempsey and Henry

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Eldorado and I were having a good chat over a beer last night, and came up with something that we'd like to see the board implement...

When we lose, you can take it badly, have a bit of a strop and whatnot, but by Monday we start to gather ourselves and think about the week ahead in a positive manner.

So with that in mind, he's some positives.

We're currently 4th in the league for tackles inside 50.
We were 17th for Scoring Shots per Inside 50 last year, currently 12th(despite getting walloped in the middle).
In 2023 we 17th for Defensive Loss %**, and so far this year we're 11th.
In 2023 we were 15th for Marks Inside 50, so far this year we're 3rd.

** Percentage of defensive one-on-one contests lost

 

[ahhhhhh]

Doubt it happens, but I’d like to see Ward play in the centre square this week.

 

[OhhhhhCyril]

Doubt it happens, but I’d like to see Ward play in the centre square this week.

Agree 100%
Needs to be thrown in the deep end..
Our midfield can’t possibly play any worse than Saturday.. I see absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t.

 

[Burtman]

Hawkins 350. Have the AFL sent the script yet?

He’ll be shoving blokes onto punt rd and getting away with it this week. It’s going to be unwatchable

 

[Crankyhawk]

Eldorado and I were having a good chat over a beer last night, and came up with something that we'd like to see the board implement...

When we lose, you can take it badly, have a bit of a strop and whatnot, but by Monday we start to gather ourselves and think about the week ahead in a positive manner.

So with that in mind, he's some positives.

We're currently 4th in the league for tackles inside 50.
We were 17th for Scoring Shots per Inside 50 last year, currently 12th(despite getting walloped in the middle).
In 2023 we 17th for Defensive Loss %**, and so far this year we're 11th.
In 2023 we were 15th for Marks Inside 50, so far this year we're 3rd.

** Percentage of defensive one-on-one contests lost

Are they effective tackles and is that just number of tackles or tackles per inside 50 that the opposition get?

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Agree 100%
Needs to be thrown in the deep end..
Our midfield can’t possibly play any worse than Saturday.. I see absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t.

This doesn't at all seem like rational thought.

There's a very good reason you don't throw kids in the deep end and just hope they swim. You can ruin them.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Are they effective tackles and is that just number of tackles or tackles per inside 50 that the opposition get?

It's the number of tackles that have been laid inside 50.

There is no definition of effective or ineffective tackles.

 

[Crankyhawk]

It's the number of tackles that have been laid inside 50.

There is no definition of effective or ineffective tackles.

So would it not be more meaningful to have tackles per inside 50 (as maybe we have more tackles in d50 because we are conceding more i50)

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

So would it not be more meaningful to have tackles per inside 50 (as maybe we have more tackles in d50 because we are conceding more i50)

No, that makes no sense.
The aim of an inside 50 is to score, not to lay a tackle.

 

[Crankyhawk]

No, that makes no sense.
The aim of an inside 50 is to score, not to lay a tackle.

Sorry I misunderstood the initial post I thought it was executing tackles on defending against an inside 50 (which was a complete misread by me as that was not your initial post)