Autopsy Round 7, 2025: Hawks pluck the Eagles

[Reggie Mombasa]

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

View attachment 2297779

There is a lot of passion directed at "who is better" out of these two excellent young Hawthorn players. Personally I think the club is incredibly well-placed to have two young players, who are effectively "back-ups" to injured first choice mids, stepping up and performing to this level when needed.
Having a quick surf through comparative stats (and statistics have limitations, but not as subjective as the "eye test"), both are significantly outperforming many young mids from other clubs taken as first rounders (Jhye Clark, Mitch Knevitt, Ben Hobbs, Matthew Johnson, Jack Bowes, Archie Perkins, Braeden Campbell), also both outperforming some experienced mids from other clubs (eg Jack Viney, and on most measure apart from goals, De Goey). Both are very similar statistically to some other young mids that are highly-rated at other clubs (Bailey Humphrey, Wardlaw, Ryley Sanders, Jake Soligo, James Rowbottom) and pretty line ball with Pendlebury on many measures.
I would love to see them play more together in the middle, they both seem to have creativity and flair when at their best.

 

[hardway]

The team just looks too tense with their decision making which is affecting disposals and goal kicking. I think everyone needs to go over to Chol’s place for a cigar!

 

[Malik90]

VFL - Round 5

Maginness: 38 disposals - 3 marks - 6 tackles - 8 inside 50s
Jiath: 26 disposals - 3 marks - 7 rebound 50s
Mitchell: 21 disposals - 7 marks - 7 rebound 50s
Serong: 19 disposals - 7 marks - 6 rebound 50s
Anderson: 17 disposals - 4 marks - 1 goal
Butler: 14 disposals - 3 marks - 5 inside 50s
Ryan: 14 disposals - 4 marks - 1 goal
Frost: 13 disposals - 9 marks - 3 tackles - 2 goals
Dear: 11 disposals - 4 marks - 1 goal - 1 behind
McCabe: 11 disposals - 5 marks - 1 goal - 1 behind
Mraz: 11 disposals - 4 marks - 3 tackles - 1 goal
Reeves: 11 disposals - 3 tackles - 37 hit-outs - 1 goal
Scaife: 11 disposals - 4 marks - 6 goals - 1 behind
Ramsden: 10 disposals - 2 marks - 1 goal - 1 behind
Blanck: 9 disposals - 3 tackles
Hill: 6 disposals - 2 marks - 2 tackles - 1 goal

DNP: Breust, Uhr-Henry

 

[CD Xbow]

We never looked like losing. We just didn't take advantage of the opportunity - which we had most of the game - to absolutely thrash them. Just too inaccurate in front of goal.

Yes. Some people must lead some miserable lives if they can only find negatives in a resounding win done at about 85% effort. Sam also clearly took the opportunity to experiment. Some positives were HH game, very assured, Chol getting a few, Gunners winding back the clock and others. Posters forget how difficult the game is and how even the competition is. Ugly wins are preferable to not turning up.

There were real negatives, Scrim and Amon for example. Sis looks like he is carrying 'something', if it's liable to benefit from rest for a week or two, now is surely the time to do it.

 

[Argy]

VFL - Round 5

Maginness: 38 disposals - 3 marks - 6 tackles - 8 inside 50s
Jiath: 26 disposals - 3 marks - 7 rebound 50s
Mitchell: 21 disposals - 7 marks - 7 rebound 50s
Serong: 19 disposals - 7 marks - 6 rebound 50s
Anderson: 17 disposals - 4 marks - 1 goal
Butler: 14 disposals - 3 marks - 5 inside 50s
Ryan: 14 disposals - 4 marks - 1 goal
Frost: 13 disposals - 9 marks - 3 tackles - 2 goals
Dear: 11 disposals - 4 marks - 1 goal - 1 behind
McCabe: 11 disposals - 5 marks - 1 goal - 1 behind
Mraz: 11 disposals - 4 marks - 3 tackles - 1 goal
Reeves: 11 disposals - 3 tackles - 37 hit-outs - 1 goal
Scaife: 11 disposals - 4 marks - 6 goals - 1 behind
Ramsden: 10 disposals - 2 marks - 1 goal - 1 behind
Blanck: 9 disposals - 3 tackles
Hill: 6 disposals - 2 marks - 2 tackles - 1 goal

DNP: Breust, Uhr-Henry

You'd have to think Maginness and CJ come in for Scrim and Amon.

Nice to see Dear with a solid performance first up.

 

[TheFourPillars]

Ward had most of his CBAs in the last. So he was playing mid in the last more than any other time in the game. Had 3 in the second. Frenchie and Ward had similar games. Ward has the endurance to keep running and his kicking is actually elite. Once he gets more confidence and time playing this game i have no doubt Ward will be champion Hawthorn player

 

[humid hawk]

I just finished rewatching the game. Yeah it was frustrating in parts but you can see the quality we've got - and when it clicks we are in for a ride!

1) I really like the post above re Ward and Frenchie. Frenchie looks a million bucks when he's sliding through the opposition and Wardy seems to cop a decent amount of hate on these boards. If you look at output though, they are pretty close. They are also different types of players which is great. Another 20-30 games in both and we will have an absolute booming midfield. Am an unabashed fan of both of these lads!

2) Lord Meek needs to demand higher pay if our own players constantly knock the back of his head! Jai took a hanger on his scone end of Q1 then Cholcano ripped a couple later on. Perhaps he needs to wear one of those 80s orange stackhats out onto the field? I reckon I've got one in storage that I can lend him

3) Ginni! The workrate and swagger was back! Most amount of inside 50s for us!

4) HH didn't let us down at all and looked clean by hand and foot. Give him a block of games!

 

[hawkheart]

There is a lot of passion directed at "who is better" out of these two excellent young Hawthorn players. Personally I think the club is incredibly well-placed to have two young players, who are effectively "back-ups" to injured first choice mids, stepping up and performing to this level when needed.
Having a quick surf through comparative stats (and statistics have limitations, but not as subjective as the "eye test"), both are significantly outperforming many young mids from other clubs taken as first rounders (Jhye Clark, Mitch Knevitt, Ben Hobbs, Matthew Johnson, Jack Bowes, Archie Perkins, Braeden Campbell), also both outperforming some experienced mids from other clubs (eg Jack Viney, and on most measure apart from goals, De Goey). Both are very similar statistically to some other young mids that are highly-rated at other clubs (Bailey Humphrey, Wardlaw, Ryley Sanders, Jake Soligo, James Rowbottom) and pretty line ball with Pendlebury on many measures.
I would love to see them play more together in the middle, they both seem to have creativity and flair when at their best.

Two or three of Wardy's last quarter kicks were sublime - I'd put them in my Top 10 kicks of the season to date (Mass and Sic in there, natch)

 

[Mitchyy]

Amon's kicking really is a thing of beauty. Going to miss his precise delivery on Sunday. Hopefully Amon and Scrimshaw will be cherry ripe for the Melbourne game.

 

[MC_9]

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

View attachment 2297779

Also according to Champion Data, Ward is ranked 65 (our 4th best ranked) and McKenzie is ranked 110 (our 6th best ranked) for 2025. So both tracking pretty well, a lot of other players that need to lift ahead of them.

 

[MC_9]

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.

Agreed. Impey is having a very poor season, following such a good season last year. He is critical to our transition, so not surprising that we are struggling there this year. We really need him to find some form.

 

[RCAB]

Ward had most of his CBAs in the last. So he was playing mid in the last more than any other time in the game. Had 3 in the second. Frenchie and Ward had similar games. Ward has the endurance to keep running and his kicking is actually elite. Once he gets more confidence and time playing this game i have no doubt Ward will be champion Hawthorn player

Ward is an interesting one given his age. People talk about him like he's a 6-7 year player, but he's still only 21.

 

[Bardo State]

Chol is probably the best tackling tall I've ever seen. He is absolutely not cut out to be a lone target but you can see him shine since Gunners has come in and taken attention. He can float in from the sides without being blocked, crumb or wrestle a mismatch. Much better as a second option and I think will look a million bucks when Dear is there as well.

You could see Huss took a bit of time to adjust to the speed. Had a very defensive role at stoppage most of the time where he would take Reid or sweep, not push in to the contest. I thought he did well to impact outside his normal VFL role and made really good decisions in attacking transition.

BMac too will be better for the run. You could see he was anticipating a bit more time, space, error with disposal that you can't get away with. I'd back him for a full run with the week to reflect and some defenders possibly sidelined.

As a team there were so many kicks where players were trying to be perfect and kick darts 5m off the ground that ended up falling way short. Plus easy missed set shots. I think it's slightly concerning that the Eagles could transition as cleanly as they did some times. A bit of an indictment on our forwards and mids for not being able to lock it in or move quickly enough to prevent those options. But we also gave them a lot of opportunities to do it by handling the ball back.

Shout out to Ginni for willing himself into a big impact. Great in chains and defensively a pest even without the speed.

 

[Turly]

Next week yes, long term no.

Really? I thought he looked pretty good out there for his first showing as a mid.

24 touches a few tackles and 3 clearances. Thought he was pretty clean and hit some very neat kicks to players leading up.

Thought he was quite good. Yes, he isn’t quick but he makes quick decisions which can mask that. Seems to find time and space as well.

 

[kazzooka]

I had typed out a whole assessment of Chol and some of his weaknesses and strengths etc.. but it's not worth discussing him all the time, especially after a very good game by him.

What I think people should pay attention to from the replay if they choose to watch is that Sam clearly didn't treat is as a percentage booster but as a way to best prepare for a premiership.

We had Ward, Hustwaite and Moore in center bounces while Newcombe and Worpel were off doing other stuff. Mackenzie on the wing at times.

Weddle doing whatever he liked was good.

I suspect Battle may have gone forward but he was having a great game so we left him.

The Barrass thing forward, not sure we'd ever need that. But we did it with Frost in VFL too.

 

[Sonny Hayes]

Really? I thought he looked pretty good out there for his first showing as a mid.

24 touches a few tackles and 3 clearances. Thought he was pretty clean and hit some very neat kicks to players leading up.

Thought he was quite good. Yes, he isn’t quick but he makes quick decisions which can mask that. Seems to find time and space as well.

He was solid and like I said in the short term he had a role, didn’t do enough to suggest he should be best 22 when we are full strength. Had a few weeks to try and make that happen though.

 

[MasterSamurai]

Karl Amon

10

Karl Amon

Age

30

Ht

181cm

Wt

71kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.6

4star

K

9.7

4star

HB

6.8

4star

M

3.4

3star

T

2.6

4star

MG

294.5

4star

D

21.0

5star

K

15.0

5star

HB

6.0

3star

M

6.0

5star

T

2.0

3star

D

10.4

3star

K

6.8

3star

HB

3.6

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

2.0

4star

MG

146.8

3star

was again excellent. He's our AA lock right now. Having an awesome season. Hopefully he'll be back soon as we need his run and drive from half back as God knows, Jars seems to be in no hurry to find some form.

 

[seysearles]

VFL - Round 5

Maginness: 38 disposals - 3 marks - 6 tackles - 8 inside 50s
Jiath: 26 disposals - 3 marks - 7 rebound 50s
Mitchell: 21 disposals - 7 marks - 7 rebound 50s
Serong: 19 disposals - 7 marks - 6 rebound 50s
Anderson: 17 disposals - 4 marks - 1 goal
Butler: 14 disposals - 3 marks - 5 inside 50s
Ryan: 14 disposals - 4 marks - 1 goal
Frost: 13 disposals - 9 marks - 3 tackles - 2 goals
Dear: 11 disposals - 4 marks - 1 goal - 1 behind
McCabe: 11 disposals - 5 marks - 1 goal - 1 behind
Mraz: 11 disposals - 4 marks - 3 tackles - 1 goal
Reeves: 11 disposals - 3 tackles - 37 hit-outs - 1 goal
Scaife: 11 disposals - 4 marks - 6 goals - 1 behind
Ramsden: 10 disposals - 2 marks - 1 goal - 1 behind
Blanck: 9 disposals - 3 tackles
Hill: 6 disposals - 2 marks - 2 tackles - 1 goal

DNP: Breust, Uhr-Henry

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Karl Amon was again excellent. He's our AA lock right now. Having an awesome season. Hopefully he'll be back soon as we need his run and drive from half back as God knows, Jars seems to be in no hurry to find some form.

I was just thinking to myself who are shaping up as our AA squad members this year.

For me based on the first 7 rounds it is

• Meek (Ruck)
• Newk (Midfield)
• Amon (Half Back)
• Gunston (Mid Sized Forward)

 

[parsons nose]

The team just looks too tense with their decision making which is affecting disposals and goal kicking. I think everyone needs to go over to Chol’s place for a cigar!

A common problem. Happened to me once too. I informed my family doctor, “Doc, I says, I don’t know what’s going on. One day I wake up I think I’m a wigwam, the next day I wake I think I’m a teepee.” Doc says, “don’t worry son you’re two tents”.

 

[TassieGrown]

Really? I thought he looked pretty good out there for his first showing as a mid.

24 touches a few tackles and 3 clearances. Thought he was pretty clean and hit some very neat kicks to players leading up.

Thought he was quite good. Yes, he isn’t quick but he makes quick decisions which can mask that. Seems to find time and space as well.

He is a natural midfielder, we need to get games into him.

 

[ReturningHawk]

VFL - Round 5

Maginness: 38 disposals - 3 marks - 6 tackles - 8 inside 50s
Jiath: 26 disposals - 3 marks - 7 rebound 50s
Mitchell: 21 disposals - 7 marks - 7 rebound 50s
Serong: 19 disposals - 7 marks - 6 rebound 50s
Anderson: 17 disposals - 4 marks - 1 goal
Butler: 14 disposals - 3 marks - 5 inside 50s
Ryan: 14 disposals - 4 marks - 1 goal
Frost: 13 disposals - 9 marks - 3 tackles - 2 goals
Dear: 11 disposals - 4 marks - 1 goal - 1 behind
McCabe: 11 disposals - 5 marks - 1 goal - 1 behind
Mraz: 11 disposals - 4 marks - 3 tackles - 1 goal
Reeves: 11 disposals - 3 tackles - 37 hit-outs - 1 goal
Scaife: 11 disposals - 4 marks - 6 goals - 1 behind
Ramsden: 10 disposals - 2 marks - 1 goal - 1 behind
Blanck: 9 disposals - 3 tackles
Hill: 6 disposals - 2 marks - 2 tackles - 1 goal

DNP: Breust, Uhr-Henry

The one I’m most interested in is actually at the bottom of the list. I had my hair blown back watching some of his speed and skills last week. Littlejohn is his write-up said “looks like an AFL player”. Those forward half players who have the speed and power to win one-on-ones: can never have too many.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Truly one of the weirdest stories to come out of this game in my footy watching life is the suggested “rudeness” of our coach playing a player in a position that the opposing coach didn’t like.

I’ve never seen anything like it.

 

[Off The Couch]

Truly one of the weirdest stories to come out of this game in my footy watching life is the suggested “rudeness” of our coach playing a player in a position that the opposing coach didn’t like.

I’ve never seen anything like it.

Let’s be honest here - would we put it past our coach to shit stir

 

[Bardo State]

Truly one of the weirdest stories to come out of this game in my footy watching life is the suggested “rudeness” of our coach playing a player in a position that the opposing coach didn’t like.

I’ve never seen anything like it.

Maybe since the Fev 99 game?