Autopsy Round 5, 2026: Hawks kick the Dogs

[burnside5]

Hope the Saints keep going to smash Port and their confidence for the MCG next week against the Hawks.

 

[ReturningHawk]

Hope the Saints keep going to smash Port and their confidence for the MCG next week against the Hawks.

Marvel, unfortunately

 

[burnside5]

Marvel, unfortunately

Is it? Apologies my bad...

 

[CobberRodgers]

Marvel, unfortunately

Would love to get to play Port, Suns and Freo at the G.

 

[RCAB]

Weddle is 21 years old FFS. Hodge, Silk and Rough were never asked or even able to do what Weddle is being asked to do at the same age.

Not to mention he's actually a highly rated kick according to champion data.

 

[bigmaxi]

Meek was fantastic yesterday. Really threw his weight around, was clean with the ball and pulled down a pair of contested marks. That’s him at his best.

Having both score goals is such a bonus. I look at it like it’s one ruck and playing 100% game time, going flat out all day.
Check the stats like that end of each game. I love it. Plus two different beasts so must muck with oppo rucks heads and CBC systems. Ruck on !

 

[Dewnior]

I know how old he is, I even said he was young if you have a look at what I wrote.

You were the one who brought up Rough/Silk/Hodge.

I brought them up because they were the only players in our three-peat era that had the versatility to be moved around as required.

Versatility is the point I'm arguing.

It took years for the three of them to develop the versatility. Weddle already has it.

With time, Weddle will develop the composure to execute his skills in an elite manner and when he does we will have a top 10-20 player on our hands.

 

[Hawker55]

I brought them up because they were the only players in our three-peat era that had the versatility to be moved around as required.

Versatility is the point I'm arguing.

It took years for the three of them to develop the versatility. Weddle already has it.

With time, Weddle will develop the composure to execute his skills in an elite manner and when he does we will have a top 10-20 player on our hands.

His issue at the moment isn't talent or application, it's something common to really good players when they're young in that he's trying to do something amazing every time he gets the ball. Trying to kick spectacular goals or kick cute little kicks. While he can do that, going for the low percentage option every time is making him look poor, when the fact is he's still covering a shedload of ground and using his pace and physicality.

If he started going back to basics with his disposal and decision making he'd be dominating most games this year.

 

[marklar]

they were the only players in our three-peat era that had the versatility to be moved around as required.

I wouldn't have said the only ones, it's just that they were most effective and frequently moved around to address certain needs.

Jordan Lewis and Jack Gunston could pretty much play wherever was needed, we'd often see Gunston in the back line towards the end of quarters and Lewis has a decent amount of hit-outs going 3rd up in those years. We could have asked more of them at the time, but we didn't need to.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

So what? A player that can be thrown anywhere to plug a hole is worth his weight in gold. In the three-peat years we had Silk, Hodge and Rough. Right now we only have Weds.
Do you think Cats are pissed Blicavs doesn't excel in any specific role?

Blicavs has been a great player, but he doesn't have the game-breaking potential of Weddle. Hopefully we find a way to make the most of it (which is on the wing IMO).

 

[cuttlefish]

Blake Hardwick really doesn't get enough credit. He was brilliant last night. The guy is going to be one of those players who'll never win a individual accolade, but you just love having on the field.

That same sentiment about Dimma has been expressed on this board a number of times in the past. You're absolutely right.

 

[FB19]

Great win a pretty complete performance. Shame re Mabior but opportunity for someone else helps us later in the year with ready depth.
Sorry scrimshaw but defence looked much better last night I have said for a while we were too top heavy and with 2 rucks even more so. He’s too good for vfl but he doesn’t play before Barrass Battle Sicily so whilst Perez holds that form he must stay looked much better second up.
Shout out to Mitch Lewis huge performance, Sicily looks back and CMac having a great year. Moore and ginnivan were excellent and Hardwick remains so underrated. Good to see a few good Massimo weeks too.

 

[peetoo]

Wonder if Gerard Wheatley still thinks Bulldogs are the outright flag favs. Me thinks he got a wee carried away with that one.

Squiggle rates them too. Even back in 2025 when they were in and out of the eight

 

[Newmo89]

Six Points: Western Bulldogs, Round 5, 2026

Talking Hawks · Episode

bit.ly

 

[kazzooka]

It was there in the Sydney game also - when we went down in the 3rd quarter that’s honestly the type of game we’d then lose if this was 2024/25. Something different about this team - they absolutely want it more

I think we started to see a bit more of that maturity late last year too, especially in the GWS final. we got out to I think 40 points up and they got back to level and then we regrouped at 3qtr time and won it.

Still with just didn't have those lapses where we just get scored against quickly. As that's what cost us the Prelim and the our last 2 losses against Lions and Crows.

And nearly cost us these games. To be dominant and kick 3.5 early in the 3rd quarter to go 44 up then quickly concede 4 goals and actually lost the quarter. We need to be better to control when they have ascendency and suck the energy out of it.

 

[moginie]

Just on the third quarter fade out, as it was happening there was the feeling in our area that fatigue from Monday was starting to hit and we needed the three quarter time break to reset.

And that's what happened.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

Ok that's interesting, would've been great to have been there, watching the replay it doesn't seem to sound like there was a great atmosphere there. I guess there were a lot of neutrals

I was there. The atmosphere all weekend is epic, but the atmosphere at the ground was a bit down.

Lots of neutrals and most would have been supporting the dogs.

 

[kazzooka]

When was the last time we genuinely had a ruck dominance? Paul salmon maybe? I’m loving the 2 rucks and go reeves , if we do the ultimate it will be because he stayed.

Peter Everett was one of the best 3 rucks in the comp when he played for us.

 

[HeHateMe]

My go at the votes again this week

Bit more if a consensus this week, I think Sam went Hardwick and Lewis and Bevo went Barrass and O'Donnell with Newk, Ginni and Battle getting votes from both.

Sam
5 Jai Newcombe (HAW)
4 Josh Battle

24

Josh Battle

Age

27

Ht

193cm

Wt

93kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.9

3star

K

9.0

3star

HB

3.9

3star

M

5.0

5star

T

2.4

4star

MG

196.8

3star

D

11.0

3star

K

7.3

3star

HB

3.8

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

1.8

3star

MG

142.8

3star

D

10.8

3star

K

6.2

3star

HB

4.6

4star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.0

4star

MG

175.6

3star

(HAW)
3 Jack Ginnivan (HAW)
2 Blake Hardwick

15

Blake Hardwick

Age

29

Ht

183cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.8

4star

K

9.7

4star

HB

6.1

4star

M

4.4

4star

T

2.7

4star

MG

264.7

4star

D

13.8

3star

K

9.8

4star

HB

4.0

3star

M

3.2

3star

T

1.7

3star

MG

264.7

4star

D

15.0

4star

K

8.8

4star

HB

6.2

4star

M

5.0

5star

T

1.4

4star

(HAW)
1 Mitch Lewis (HAW)

Bevo
5 Jai Newcombe (HAW)
4 Jack Ginnivan (HAW)
3 Tom Barrass

37

Tom Barrass

Age

30

Ht

197cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.2

3star

K

8.8

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

6.1

5star

T

0.9

3star

MG

158.5

3star

D

10.1

3star

K

8.0

3star

HB

2.1

2star

M

5.6

5star

T

0.3

1star

MG

139.6

2star

D

11.4

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

4.2

4star

M

5.2

5star

T

0.4

3star

MG

160.0

3star

(HAW)
2 Josh Battle

24

Josh Battle

Age

27

Ht

193cm

Wt

93kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.9

3star

K

9.0

3star

HB

3.9

3star

M

5.0

5star

T

2.4

4star

MG

196.8

3star

D

11.0

3star

K

7.3

3star

HB

3.8

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

1.8

3star

MG

142.8

3star

D

10.8

3star

K

6.2

3star

HB

4.6

4star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.0

4star

MG

175.6

3star

(HAW)
1 James O'Donnell (WB)


10 Jai Newcombe (HAW)
7 Jack Ginnivan (HAW)
6 Josh Battle

24

Josh Battle

Age

27

Ht

193cm

Wt

93kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.9

3star

K

9.0

3star

HB

3.9

3star

M

5.0

5star

T

2.4

4star

MG

196.8

3star

D

11.0

3star

K

7.3

3star

HB

3.8

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

1.8

3star

MG

142.8

3star

D

10.8

3star

K

6.2

3star

HB

4.6

4star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.0

4star

MG

175.6

3star

(HAW)
3 Tom Barrass

37

Tom Barrass

Age

30

Ht

197cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.2

3star

K

8.8

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

6.1

5star

T

0.9

3star

MG

158.5

3star

D

10.1

3star

K

8.0

3star

HB

2.1

2star

M

5.6

5star

T

0.3

1star

MG

139.6

2star

D

11.4

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

4.2

4star

M

5.2

5star

T

0.4

3star

MG

160.0

3star

(HAW)
2 Blake Hardwick

15

Blake Hardwick

Age

29

Ht

183cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.8

4star

K

9.7

4star

HB

6.1

4star

M

4.4

4star

T

2.7

4star

MG

264.7

4star

D

13.8

3star

K

9.8

4star

HB

4.0

3star

M

3.2

3star

T

1.7

3star

MG

264.7

4star

D

15.0

4star

K

8.8

4star

HB

6.2

4star

M

5.0

5star

T

1.4

4star

(HAW)
1 Mitch Lewis (HAW)
1 James O'Donnell (WB)

 

[Sixpence]

How did O'Donnell get a vote? No Dog deserved a vote.

Wiz deserved a vote more than O'Donnell.

 

[Yardie]

All the 80s logos were pretty awesome. Even our bizarre fat hungry cat.

I quite like rapster cat

 

[Changa10]

How did O'Donnell get a vote? No Dog deserved a vote.

Wiz deserved a vote more than O'Donnell.

Bevo praised him in his presser when asked about how he thought Buku went. Thought it was an odd way to answer as he completely ignored Buku in the answer.

Thought he was ok, but would have had a fair few in front of him for votes.

 

[The Jet From Poowong]

I quite like rapster cat

View attachment 2581434

awesome resemblance to the 80s

 

[Sixpence]

Bevo praised him in his presser when asked about how he thought Buku went. Thought it was an odd way to answer as he completely ignored Buku in the answer.

Thought he was ok, but would have had a fair few in front of him for votes.

Buku was better than O'Donnell too.

 

[The Jet From Poowong]

I know Jai was awesome but how did Lewis only score the 1 vote. FMD