Coach Sam Mitchell's direction for the club and 2024 news

[Strapping Young Lad]

If anyone wants to have a listen about what the data is saying in regards to whether we have actually gotten worse this year have a listen to this from the 9:15 mark.

I know a few people have already touched on it, but the data is also showing that our results this year have been slightly better despite actually putting out a younger team and dealing with some injuries.




And here.

 

[Mercy Seat]

You can try to fast-track, but success remains a slow road at Hawthorn

Hawthorn’s aggressive list overhaul still leaves them on a slow road to the top. The lessons from St Kilda, Carlton and others is the board needs patience.

www.theage.com.au

 

[rei154]

When we're looking at how Sitch is avoiding the slow road I think one thing that should be pointed out is the importance of the players that we moved on- obviously Gunners and the retirements are going to hurt, but we've got a core group of young lads who have already bought in and taken on the lions share of responsibility from the older boys.

We've got at least six changes to make from our round 23 side, you'd imagine Worps and Reeves come in, but then there's still at least four new/different faces + the potential for the sub to come in as a fifth bench starter.

Call it Hawthorn arrogance, but I think that though we'll take plenty of losses next season I don't think we're going to capitulate and struggle as much as many seem to think.

Sam has his plan, and I think we're in the position and have the board to allow him to fully exercise it before we risk changes.

 

[OnTheRocks]

Obviously the loss of Gunners forward craft is a big loss but equally is the loss of big boys marking ability, he stood tall when needed. I can hardly wait to see how our rucks develop and what combinations are used next year.

 

[Noel Gallagher]

Obviously the loss of Gunners forward craft is a big loss but equally is the loss of big boys marking ability, he stood tall when needed. I can hardly wait to see how our rucks develop and what combinations are used next year.

Agree - Big Boys marking around the ground was outstanding and has been for several years. Still we need to uncover the next wave of key players that can take strong contested marks, especially in the forward line - Reeves can but needs to do it more often. Meek - wait and see. Kosi - massive area he needs to improve in,
Serong, early days but showed a bit this year. Ramsden, also early days but showing great promise

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

Being Hawks supporters is just a coincidence in my mind. I personally find the whole “Let’s get hawks fans to play for hawthorn” pretty childish, but I of course think it’s quite romantic if it works out that way.

Childish AND romantic?

Thats a bit off mate...

 

[James Buchanan]

You can try to fast-track, but success remains a slow road at Hawthorn

Hawthorn’s aggressive list overhaul still leaves them on a slow road to the top. The lessons from St Kilda, Carlton and others is the board needs patience.

www.theage.com.au

I am not sure I would draw the same conclusions the author of that article has.

Nothing in what Sam or the HFC is doing suggests that they are trying to "fast track" anything. All of the moves are designed for long term success by building a playing group that fits Sam's gameplan.

So right now Sam's got a plan and he's recruiting players to fit that plan. When that plan comes together could be next year or could be 5 years. But the objective is to enact the plan that Sam believes will win premierships, not just cobble together a list of "elite talents" and see how they go as quickly as possible. That's where Sam differs from the other examples given - he's working towards a clearly indentifiable plan rather than just trying to "git gud".

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Agree - Big Boys marking around the ground was outstanding and has been for several years. Still we need to uncover the next wave of key players that can take strong contested marks, especially in the forward line - Reeves can but needs to do it more often. Meek - wait and see. Kosi - massive area he needs to improve in,
Serong, early days but showed a bit this year. Ramsden, also early days but showing great promise

I've always been if the opinion that contested marking is an innate ability you are either born with or you aren't.

I think of the great contested marks I have seen (Lake, Sicily, etc) and I think they were pretty much born with that ability to read the flight of the ball better than others.

Makes me a bit pessimistic on Kosi as I can't think of many poor contested marks that ever made big improvements in that area (how many years did we wait for Timmy O to turn it around?)

Mitch Lewis on the other hand could always take a grab, even in his early days when he struggled.


We will definetly miss Big Boys marking, versatility and leadership. Even towards the end when he was slowing down and couldn't jump over a jar of jam he was still such an important player for us.

 

[burner1]

Agree that BB’s marking will be missed - I’m not sure either reeves or meek have the same contested ability and that mark down the line is so helpful in stopping opposition attacks.

Gunston was more an elite ability to beat his opponent one-out. And if got a favourable matchup (eg Sam Collins) could kick a bag as was relentless.

Interesting to see who steps up in 2023 in terms of providing marking ability around ground. Expect teams will put more work into our transition play making us kick down line more often (and we may want to tighten up defensively providing more intercept opps). Not sure kosi or Blanck have the natural nous - but both Jeka and DGB may - but both need big preseasons (for different reasons).

 

[Randy Campbell]

I think his direction at the moment is to build a list of players who aren't necessarily the elite of the elite, but the ones who believe in the club.
He's recruiting lifelong hawk supporters, or players with strong connections either via family or association with box hill

We still have a Hawthorn Zone.

 

[BIGHAWK23]

Again, over your head it goes.

Again, you have no idea

 

[TylerDurden]

2 are Hawks.

 

[hawkmang]

2 are Hawks.

Kane getting excited about hawks?

 

[KermitJagger]

2 are Hawks.

You can tell Kane has a lot of internal conflict about the Hawks. His whole schtick is being negative or controversial, but he loves Sam Mitchell and how he goes about it.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Now that Geelong has very recently lost 3 coaches, can we put to bed the idea that we have 'instability' at Hawthorn because Robert Harvey answered an SOS from his former club and Brady Grey

Brady Grey

Age

28

Ht

182cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.7

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

4.7

3star

M

2.0

2star

T

4.2

5star

G

0.5

3star

No current season stats available

D

15.0

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

7.4

5star

M

2.4

3star

T

6.4

5star

G

0.4

3star

took up a more lucrative role interstate?

Movement like this happens at every club.

 

[Hodgey 15]

2 are Hawks.

He's right about Perkins. I really rate him. He'll be captain of that club one day.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

2 are Hawks.

I hope he's right on Day and DGB, both need to be A grade in the coming years to help us get to where we need to go. I'm more hopeful on Day.

 

[Steven Tyler]

I hope he's right on Day and DGB, both need to be A grade in the coming years to help us get to where we need to go. I'm more hopeful on Day.

I’m more hopeful on DGB

 

[H00t]

Now that Geelong has very recently lost 3 coaches, can we put to bed the idea that we have 'instability' at Hawthorn because Robert Harvey answered an SOS from his former club and Brady Grey took up a more lucrative role interstate?

Movement like this happens at every club.

Geelong just had a clean out of assistant coaches as well. Off-field stability matters way less than on-field stability

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

You can tell Kane has a lot of internal conflict about the Hawks. His whole schtick is being negative or controversial, but he loves Sam Mitchell and how he goes about it.

Sam was on SEN with him every 2nd week all year. He gave as good as he got and stood up for his players without once getting Cornes' hackles up, he was brilliant.

 

[Hawked Wings]

Personally I think DGB is another 1-2 years away. I think he’ll be in and out of the team again in 2023

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Love it.

 

[Mercy Seat]

Love it.

Didn’t Clarko and Bolts also go hang with Celtic?

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Didn’t Clarko and Bolts also go hang with Celtic?

Clarko definitely did. As a Hibs supporter I’ve got infinite respect for Celtic supporters at present after their pretty brilliant effort in the first Celtic game post the Lizzie pause to the season.

 

[Hawked Wings]

Love it.

Goosebumps. I love this man and 100% think he’s the right man. High draft pick this year and 2023 then let’s go!

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Full interview