Autopsy Round 7, 2025: Hawks pluck the Eagles

[Walshawk]

Even with Scrim and Amon out we have six defenders.
Hardwick Barass Battle
Impey Sicily Weddle
We need seven for rotations, so either CJ comes in or Morrison plays Amon’s role.

Maginness or big Scaiffe take Hardwick’s forward role.

 

[Roddy]

Went today. Uninspiring, to put it politely. But, I tend to look on the positive side.

We are 5-2, and in the top 4, with two very winnable games coming up, so we're pretty likely to be 7-2 after 9 games. If you'd told me at the start of the year that we'd be thereabouts, I'd have fallen all over myself taking that.

And we've done this without playing anywhere near our best footy. We are building into our year, while still banking wins, rather than burning too brightly early and then burning out.

Just remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint.

I'm hoping it means we're playing our best later in the year and leading into finals.

 

[H00t]

How?
Output has been way down on last year.
Hasn't had more than 22 touches in any game this year. Was subbed with 4 touches against Port and had 12 v Geelong last week.

Sure he can tackle, and can block for other mids, but you need to do more than that if you're a starting 3 mid in a top 4 side.

Nash has been down this year but his first two games were better than Hustwaite today.

Hustwaite got 24 disposals and was able to get the ball in transition. What he didn’t do was really stamp himself in the middle. 7 contested possessions, 2 tackles and 3 clearances against the midfield he was up against isn’t anything spectacular.

Both Nash and Hustwaite will need to improve on what they’ve shown so far this year(so will pretty much all our team to be fair).

 

[reubski23]

Let’s talk about how good Chol looked? Absolutely killed it is putting up a pretty good season!

Gunston is turning back the clock unreal atm.

Ginni paid back the clubs faith from
His dropping

Dambrosio was good after a few quiet weeks

Newcombe and McKenzie were really good in the middle.

WCE haven’t been horrible this year, few close games - we cannot take for granted a 50 point win.

Ball movement is a worry has been a worry pretty much all season - really hoping this improves.

We should beat Richmond if we play good enough but they’re absolute no easy beats so have to pay respect especially with the multiple concussions

Absolutely not taking Melbourne for granted huge huge danger game which we must win. It will take our absolute best to beat the GCS in the North

 

[Sixpence]

Finished watching it. Wasn't as bad on replay as everyone would have you believe. Though, I can understand how it would've been frustrating watching live. Still, 50 point win, can't complain.

Good first outing (for the year) for HH.

Gunners and Chol great.

Really don't understand the criticism of Ward. He was far better this week than last. And better than a lot of others. Last quarter he really came alive, but his first 3 were still alright. Was solid defensively and his kick to Croc in the last showed how good his kicking can be.

Shame about Scrim and Amon. Wonder if McCabe or Ryan get a crack?

 

[Rowie6]

Quite a few concerns, Mitchell didn’t look overly impressed on the bench post-game.

Scrimshaw second concussion of the year..worrying with how bad Sicily has been.

Gunston AA?

Would love Serong to come in next week. Imagine it will be out of CJ, Finn and Serong to fill the two spots left by Amon and Scrinshaw

Serong has been pretty quiet at Box Hill the last 2 weeks.

 

[Rowie6]

Happy to win. A lot of tickets were spent on Geelong game and it shows by their result today. Onwards and upwards

Yes I think we just have to be happy with the win.
I think both The Hawks boys and Geelong were jaded after last weeks pressure cooker of a game.
You find Geelong do lose quite a few games after they have beaten our lads??
Let’s move on ?

 

[Rowie6]

Finished watching it. Wasn't as bad on replay as everyone would have you believe. Though, I can understand how it would've been frustrating watching live. Still, 50 point win, can't complain.

Good first outing (for the year) for HH.

Gunners and Chol great.

Really don't understand the criticism of Ward. He was far better this week than last. And better than a lot of others. Last quarter he really came alive, but his first 3 were still alright. Was solid defensively and his kick to Croc in the last showed how good his kicking can be.

Shame about Scrim and Amon. Wonder if McCabe or Ryan get a crack?

Yeah don’t understand people criticising Wardy either!
I thought in the last quarter he was our best player and i think he is going to be a peach going forward.
Some of his kicking in the last term was beautiful viewing.

 

[hawkman]

I agree in some ways, Ward doesn get judged harshly, although I think it's clear that Ward is struggling a little bit compared to Mackenzie, who is a year younger yet ahead in the pecking order. To me Ward is reminding me a lot of Worpel 2020-2022, struggling to impact the game positively without the footy in his hands 30+ times.

The one that is apparently struggling is on the right. Also there is only 5 months difference between them

 

[ReturningHawk]

The one that is apparently struggling is on the right. Also there is only 5 months difference between them

View attachment 2297779

Mate, the stat that’s not showing is that when Nash, Worpel and Day were in the side, he’s wasn’t in it.

I’m not down on Ward, he’s doing fine, but he’s still finding his place in this team.

 

[Sixpence]

Mate, the stat that’s not showing is that when Nash, Worpel and Day were in the side, he’s wasn’t in it.

Probably because that's not a stat. I'm not sure where you're going with that?

 

[ImCheatingToWin]

goodness me, there are some incredibly ignorant comments here, I guess from people who have never played the game.
Chol has been nothing short of fabulous this year, the job he has done has been nothing short of amazing.
Whether forward or around the ground, he has been a star. Thank goodness we have him, as in the absence of Dear and Lewis the Hawks would really be struggling.
If he continues to play like this, and in the very unlikely event we get no further injuries of note, I am honestly not sure how you fit Lewis in the team. For a 200cm ket forward, his ground work and pressure is absolutely elite.

Don't tell me we're back on Lewis doesnt get into the side when he's ready again

 

[ImCheatingToWin]

Finished watching it. Wasn't as bad on replay as everyone would have you believe. Though, I can understand how it would've been frustrating watching live. Still, 50 point win, can't complain.

Good first outing (for the year) for HH.

Gunners and Chol great.

Really don't understand the criticism of Ward. He was far better this week than last. And better than a lot of others. Last quarter he really came alive, but his first 3 were still alright. Was solid defensively and his kick to Croc in the last showed how good his kicking can be.

Shame about Scrim and Amon. Wonder if McCabe or Ryan get a crack?

Unless I am missng something McCabe looks well off playing senior footy anytime soon.

 

[ReturningHawk]

Probably because that's not a stat. I'm not sure where you're going with that?

It’s not a stat. My point is - for those who don’t want to read between the lines - that the coaches consider Ward behind Mackenzie in terms of selection.

Why, on this board, must we be forced into two camps about everything? I’m not criticising Ward, he’s doing okay, but it’s a statement of fact that he has struggled to find his place in this team. Next minute someone has pulled up a pointless stat comparison with Mackenzie.

 

[Seagull Supremacy]

You don't win flags in April.
So 5-2 is ok. Darn sight better than 1-6, which is what we were this time last year.
Of more concern are the injuries to Amon and Scrimshaw.

 

[Sonny Hayes]

The one that is apparently struggling is on the right. Also there is only 5 months difference between them

View attachment 2297779

Watch the games don’t look at stats. One looks more assured with ball in hand, looks to step through tackles, run out of stoppage and genuinely looks more assured.

The other one still looks rushed with ball in hand, makes a lot of poor errors with the ball near congestion and has way too many dinky little kicks in his game.

He still has time to improve and fingers crossed he will. He isn’t playing awfully by any stretch, he just seems very much still the same player. But I don’t care what the stats say, Mackenzie is looking much better at present.

 

[Wingnut19]

Need to get Impey and obv Sic going again. Hardwick has to go back this week, Scaife plays a pretty similar way to Hardwick as a leading forward, give him a chance. Another forward is needed as Sic and Dimma have to play a full game back. Cant wait for the week ahead, best club of the last century!

 

[Dewnior]

The connection coming out of the backline is the worry especially when we run it out. The constant fumbling and handballing to players feet just brings extra unnecessary pressure which impacts delivery to the forwards.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Skills are off a bit which is obviously making the wins look a bit poor, but I have noticed we seem to be playing game scenarios mid game, a bit like clarksons days at coach.

Bank the wins and watch these performances make sense in finals (we do need to sort out the skill errors though)

 

[ReturningHawk]

Without hitting the panic button, I'm a bit worried about how Sicily, Moore and Impey have gone off the boil. They were super-consistent leaders for most of last year. Suddenly they're all a bit off, and we're seeing younger players around them lose confidence. Don't want to see them do anything special next week, just get back to being predictable to those around them. Handpasses hitting chests. Can we organise it on the banner?

 

[HedgeFund]

Happy for Chol but the problem is that Chol is sort of a stop gap in the team not part of the core skeleton that is going to push us to a flag. He’s not really the bloke you want being your BOG. It’s a bit like when Ricky Henderson was getting BOG back in the 2018-20 seasons and Omeara and Wingard were doing sfa.

Mate - please.

We are 5-2 and sitting 4th. Chol’s our main key target, and doing a fine job at it. No different to Mihocek in my view.

He ain’t going to miss out when/if we are deep in September.

That’s crazy talk.

 

[ahhhhhh]

Happy for Chol but the problem is that Chol is sort of a stop gap in the team not part of the core skeleton that is going to push us to a flag. He’s not really the bloke you want being your BOG. It’s a bit like when Ricky Henderson was getting BOG back in the 2018-20 seasons and Omeara and Wingard were doing sfa.

Did you watch yesterday or most of last year? Takes like this make me think there is a specific type of 'bias' involved.

 

[CobberRodgers]

The connection coming out of the backline is the worry especially when we run it out. The constant fumbling and handballing to players feet just brings extra unnecessary pressure which impacts delivery to the forwards.

Handballing at anything other than the chest or hands has been so obvious this year.

We’ve got to clean it up.

Turnover game and pressure is what the AFL is now.

 

[rei154]

Don't know if it's been mentioned here but I was sitting in the pocket we were attacking in the fourth- TB started with a limp but slowly worked back into running without worry.
I partially think he was parked FF because he was clearly not mobile- but also iirc people saying he was working on his goal kicking at training?

 

[Lickmesocks]

Need to get Impey and obv Sic going again. Hardwick has to go back this week, Scaife plays a pretty similar way to Hardwick as a leading forward, give him a chance. Another forward is needed as Sic and Dimma have to play a full game back. Cant wait for the week ahead, best club of the last century

Jars is worrying me this season.

So many dropped marks including chest marks, missed handballs and kicks. With his kicking he takes too long with ball in hand and doesn’t have the kicking skills to execute with players right on him.

Sic really is in slow motion at the moment.