Preview Round 5, 2017: Hawthorn v West Coast Eagles , 23 April 2017, 4.40pm @ MCG

[A Diakos]

they way I look at the experiment with Sis at both ends is this
we need someone who can read the play, take contested marks and kick well at both ends of the ground
we need more pace in the back line

Sis covers deficiencies at both ends, the question is where does the team need him more, coaching panel could believe that those blokes that won a bunch of flags up front in Rough Gunners, Cyril, Punky and Poppy don't need a Sis as much as the blokes we are now playing down back

leaving how we are going and where we are playing blokes currently aside, I can see the club thinking Sis can patch more holes down back this season.

They may not be right but they wont know if they dont try

.......................
He is not a defender....he is a forward ....Period

 

[WWSD]

It would be nice if we can kick the first goal of the game. I know it may not seem like much but it does set the tone for the rest of the game. Getting off to a good start and putting scoreboard pressure will give us a good chance of winning.

I can't believe how bad our forward-line is functioning right now. It's pretty much the same forward six (excluding Sicily) that played in the three-peat and yet it is misfiring on all aspects. Ranked 18th in scoring, 18th in marks inside 50, 18th in contested marks. So many times during the first four rounds the ball goes inside 50 Rioli or Breust find themselves on two opponents. Why, because Roughead is in the center square and Gunston is up the ground instead of being in the forward 50 taking marks or bringing the ball to ground whilst their opponents are staying back meaning our forwards are always out numbered.

Not having Roughead and Gunston inside 50 has attributed to this downfall as well as not having a good midfield that can hit targets by foot going inside 50. We miss Brad Hill in that regard. It's not like our forward-line is old or past it's best; Gunston (25), Breust (26), Rioli (27) and Sicily (21). Those four should be dominating right now instead they are all badly out of form. It annoys me seeing Gunston taking uncontested marks across half back. What purpose does that serve us? I don't know what Clarkson is trying to do with playing certain players out of position but it's not helping our cause whatsoever.

 

[Hawk_francais]

.......................
He is not a defender....he is a forward ....Period

It's a good discussion.

His best position cannot be doubted - his impact up forward is usually immediate.

But we have also watched Gunston and Rough play in defence over the years, and they have become potent playmakers, so I think there's something to be said for the education aspect.

I'm curious to see how O'Brien goes. Was totally lost last week. Not many young players would get two bites after an effort like that.

 

[Briar Gold]

Technically, have we changed our game plan?

I can see that some forwards are playing higher up and we're handballing more. But we just haven't had enough ball for me to see a coherent style or plan. Thought in early JLT there were noticeable changes.

This isn't a troll, genuinely interested to learn more about the technical side, having never played.

 

[Jake_09]

I'd like to see Poppy to the backline and Stewart in to play Poppy's usual role at some point soon.

 

[madhawksfan]

It would be nice if we can kick the first goal of the game. I know it may not seem like much but it does set the tone for the rest of the game. Getting off to a good start and putting scoreboard pressure will give us a good chance of winning.

I can't believe how bad our forward-line is functioning right now. It's pretty much the same forward six (excluding Sicily) that played in the three-peat and yet it is misfiring on all aspects. Ranked 18th in scoring, 18th in marks inside 50, 18th in contested marks. So many times during the first four rounds the ball goes inside 50 Rioli or Breust find themselves on two opponents. Why, because Roughead is in the center square and Gunston is up the ground instead of being in the forward 50 taking marks or bringing the ball to ground whilst their opponents are staying back meaning our forwards are always out numbered.

Not having Roughead and Gunston inside 50 has attributed to this downfall as well as not having a good midfield that can hit targets by foot going inside 50. We miss Brad Hill in that regard. It's not like our forward-line is old or past it's best; Gunston (25), Breust (26), Rioli (27) and Sicily (21). Those four should be dominating right now instead they are all badly out of form. It annoys me seeing Gunston taking uncontested marks across half back. What purpose does that serve us? I don't know what Clarkson is trying to do with playing certain players out of position but it's not helping our cause whatsoever.

We are also 18th for inside 50s which doesn't help.

 

[OzJohnnie]

they way I look at the experiment with Sis at both ends is this
we need someone who can read the play, take contested marks and kick well at both ends of the ground
we need more pace in the back line

Sis covers deficiencies at both ends, the question is where does the team need him more, coaching panel could believe that those blokes that won a bunch of flags up front in Rough Gunners, Cyril, Punky and Poppy don't need a Sis as much as the blokes we are now playing down back

leaving how we are going and where we are playing blokes currently aside, I can see the club thinking Sis can patch more holes down back this season.

They may not be right but they wont know if they dont try

You know, Sicily back is a complete was of time. Of zero value. "You should see things from the other guy's perspective" they said. As if watching how other successful forwards approach their game and trying stop them would provide any insight into Sicily's own play.

 

[PhatHQ]

I'm liking the positive moves toward the younger guys with Hendo left out & Howe coming in.
I still want Gibbo out & Stewart to come into the side.
Vickery will be back in after he gets some consistency at BH

 

[tommyk72]

I
I can't believe how bad our forward-line is functioning right now. It's pretty much the same forward six (excluding Sicily) that played in the three-peat and yet it is misfiring on all aspects. Ranked 18th in scoring, 18th in marks inside 50, 18th in contested marks..

Sorry. But this post doesn't make sense. It's not the same forward line if JG and JR are playing up the ground, and not in the forward line.

And frankly, I think that's part of the problem.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tige19]

i love how everyone on here thinks senior players need to be dropped to make a statement

First week we blew chances to win, second week injuries as much as anything hurt us

third week was just flat out terrible as confidence was looking pretty poor by that point

last week much better fight but same result

we don't know why certain players are being selected when their form is poor, though really who's form has been good every week this year?
when the team is struggling with the game plan and knowing what to do as well as struggling for on field leadership, maybe Clarko thinks the blokes with the most experience, best footy brains and the guys who are the leaders on their lines need to be out there if fit

maybe he knows its a form issue for some players not being cooked or injured and he's giving them the chance to play their way out of it

maybe he's being too loyal to some of the old heads but there is a lot more to team selection than just whether player a is playing better than player b

what they bring to the overall team matters

we are getting our fair share of youthful exuberance in the team at the moment
Players under 25 named - games in brackets
Langers 24 (50)
Sis 22 (27)
TOB 23 (19)
Howe 21 (15)
Brand 23 (13)
Burton 20 (7)
Mitchell 23 (69)
Hardwick 20 (2)
Hartung 22 (47)

that is 9 out of 22, 8 in the 22 at 50 games or less, and that isn't including the 25-26 year olds in Shiels, Gunston, Breust

So 12 out of the 22 are under 27 if we go in as named, our average age and games played get skewed by Burgers, Gibbo, Hodge and Rough

Defeatist post. Sounds like excuse after excuse after excuse, one would think you where hired from the HFC marketing department. Why can't you say the team has been absolute rubbish, izzy said as much this week.

 

[Gralin]

.......................
He is not a defender....he is a forward ....Period

I think you missed the point of my post.

 

[Gralin]

Defeatist post. Sounds like excuse after excuse after excuse, one would think you where hired from the HFC marketing department. Why can't you say the team has been absolute rubbish, izzy said as much this week.

Got enough on here saying we are rubbish mate, I'm looking for little wins and things I see that I think point to future improvement.

You don't have to agree with me, just sharing my thoughts.

 

[tige19]

You know, Sicily back is a complete was of time. Of zero value. "You should see things from the other guy's perspective" they said. As if watching how other successful forwards approach their game and trying stop them would provide any insight into Sicily's own play.

Sis is a natural forward, I watched him play as a junior at both Melton and Sunbury and he was always a forward/mid or mid/forward, he had a natural instinct for the goals and could absolutely dominate games as an attacking player. Why we would try and turn him into something he is 100% not is counter productive to his own natural instinct as a footballer, let him express himself in his natural state and you will see an elite footballer develop. I'm sure Clarko is now seeing that, last week was a perfect example of what he will produce as a forward.

 

[tige19]

Got enough on here saying we are rubbish mate, I'm looking for little wins and things I see that I think point to future improvement.

You don't have to agree with me, just sharing my thoughts.

Yeah fair enough mate, theres no right or wrong way really is there? Let's hope for all our sakes we can have some positive discussions after Sunday, this place is much better when that happens.

 

[Flag08]

How do we get flogged by 15 goals two weeks in a row and only make one change?

 

[threesixpio]

.......................
He is not a defender....he is a forward ....Period

Yep. I've come around to this. But it's not just about him - it's that Howe, Hardwick, Brand, Nash and Glass are in the background. Also - Burton is kicking ass back there. I know plenty want Burton forward but I don't. Did you notice how often Hodge handballed it off to Burton last week? It's because Burton is the likely quarterback heir apparent. Having that much poise back there makes me happy. We are in desperate need of class back there.

Sicily is a natural forward - loves to take a grab, kick a goal and go the biff.

 

[threesixpio]

Sis is a natural forward, I watched him play as a junior at both Melton and Sunbury and he was always a forward/mid or mid/forward, he had a natural instinct for the goals and could absolutely dominate games as an attacking player. Why we would try and turn him into something he is 100% not is counter productive to his own natural instinct as a footballer, let him express himself in his natural state and you will see an elite footballer develop. I'm sure Clarko is now seeing that, last week was a perfect example of what he will produce as a forward.

Hartung and Smith should practice lowering the eyes to players like Sicily who lead really well. And Gunner (Ffs!)

 

[threesixpio]

But leading forwards doesn't appear to our thing ....

 

[StillAtLarge]

I think we needed to drop a big name. You can be loyal up to a certain point but we're well past that stage imo. Freo looked shot to bits until they dropped some of their seasoned vets who weren't delivering.
Makes me feel as though another flogging is on the cards

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

How do we get flogged by 15 goals two weeks in a row and only make one change?

We identify that the team is not playing to the standard they are capable.....and as Clarkson does, he backs his warriors in to turn it around.

 

[PhatHQ]

We identify that the team is not playing to the standard they are capable.....and as Clarkson does, he backs his warriors in to turn it around.

Your on the regeneration train though Abasi, how long does Gibson get a reprieve?
I call Doc early last year & he kept getting games with poor performance. Do you recon Gibbo will be given the same latitude with the kids breathing down his neck.

 

[threesixpio]

How do we get flogged by 15 goals two weeks in a row and only make one change?

Hmm. Because wholesale changes week after week wouldn't work either

 

[threesixpio]

We identify that the team is not playing to the standard they are capable.....and as Clarkson does, he backs his warriors in to turn it around.

I have less patience with the super old players who may not be around for long but I hate the idea of chopping and changing with younger players

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Your on the regeneration train though Abasi, how long does Gibson get a reprieve?
I call Doc early last year & he kept getting games with poor performance. Do you recon Gibbo will be given the same latitude with the kids breathing down his neck.

I am. Kinda half rebuild, half guys learning to play in a new team, half(yeah, I know) players trying ply new roles.

I'm ok with some of the old heads playing and guiding the younger blokes but I agree that at some point you just can't keep naming them.

I agree with O'Rourke Awakens!! that it would be nice to see youngsters given more than 2-3 games, then being swapped out for another youngster, but that then creates a pretty large risk of games really blowing out, if you start omitting experienced bodies.

 

[Flag08]

Hmm. Because wholesale changes week after week wouldn't work either

None of the premiership "stars" have been dropped. So Clarko is saying we know you are better than you are playing and we are hoping you will do better this week. It's now been 4 weeks where about 10 blokes have played below par primarily due to not been inspired enough or trying hard enough. How many weeks do we let them bowl along while there's younger, hungrier guys in the wings, guys who won't turn up their toes when things get tough in the third? If none of them get dropped, they might think they are untouchable and can therefore cruise through the year.