Analysis The Clarkson Rebuild Model - A Reason For Optimism

[cryptor]

Got to say I am absolutely loving the TOB/Mitch Lewis forward-line combination. Both blokes can take a ripper grab, but they also seem to have some pretty decent on-field chemistry. When I say that I mean, you don't generally see them spoiling or colliding with each other in marking contests. You can see that one of them is trying to hold their position deep while the other takes up front space.

TOB starting to make a nice looking CHF, and Mitch Lewis starting to make a pretty decent FF.

Will be interesting to see how things change once teams start planning around stopping them. They'll probably try to flood our forward 50 to make it hard for them to get a clear run at it. Which would mean we'd probably try to focus on quick ball movement through the corridor to get it into them quickly. We used the corridor against the Cats a lot on Sunday.

 

[Brishawk]

Will be interesting to see how things change once teams start planning around stopping them. They'll probably try to flood our forward 50 to make it hard for them to get a clear run at it. Which would mean we'd probably try to focus on quick ball movement through the corridor to get it into them quickly. We used the corridor against the Cats a lot on Sunday.

I think attacking around the boundary is dead. Teams are just too good at getting numbers back. This was our highest score since round 6 and our 6th highest score for the year. All of the top 5 scores occurred in the first 6 rounds. When our injuries mounted we had to go more defensive. This was our strongest team all year and we chanced our arm more. If we get some stability to the 22 we will hopefully see more of it. And more again next year once we bring back Mitch along with some extra talent via trade and free agency (should we nail cogs).

 

[Pessimistic]

Dont discount Nash as a third tall, with a different skill set. Very handy for those 6-6-6 situations. In fact if they keep going well, watch the AFL abandon the rule

But really, having Bigboy and Frawley as our only big bodied players at the moment, but they are still mobile and reasonable tank allows us to have so many other mobile players

Then theres project Ned Reeves

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Will be interesting to see how things change once teams start planning around stopping them. They'll probably try to flood our forward 50 to make it hard for them to get a clear run at it. Which would mean we'd probably try to focus on quick ball movement through the corridor to get it into them quickly. We used the corridor against the Cats a lot on Sunday.

But if you look at how many times in the last 4 weeks the opposition have kciked 40-50m blind out of defence straight to one of our backmen on their own, you'll see that we're quite okay with a clogged forward line now.

It happened after the Essendon game. I don't understand how we've created it but we have, and ever since that Sydney game we've just been adding more and more to our attack.

 

[Brishawk]

But if you look at how many times in the last 4 weeks the opposition have kciked 40-50m blind out of defence straight to one of our backmen on their own, you'll see that we're quite okay with a clogged forward line now.

It happened after the Essendon game. I don't understand how we've created it but we have, and ever since that Sydney game we've just been adding more and more to our attack.

Forward pressure and good coordination among the defensive group to cover outlets and arrange for the free defender.

 

[cryptor]

But if you look at how many times in the last 4 weeks the opposition have kciked 40-50m blind out of defence straight to one of our backmen on their own, you'll see that we're quite okay with a clogged forward line now.

It happened after the Essendon game. I don't understand how we've created it but we have, and ever since that Sydney game we've just been adding more and more to our attack.

Well of course you still need to have a plan for every situation. We're not going to get to quickly attack from out of D50 every time. The plan for what to do when the ball is already in our F50 and being contested is the same as it has been for a couple years now. Lock it in and try and force a turnover or rushed kick out of the 50 right on to the head of one of our defenders who've pushed up to the 70m arc. I guess Clarko is effectively just training the players to play each part of the greater strategy. So far so good I reckon.

 

[MrPremiership]

Does the more attacking/corridor football game plan have anything to do with Lewis/TOB starting to clunck marks? Maybe the midfield have more confidence in those players and that results in more direct play? Small sample size, but hope to see more of it

 

[Brant]

Does the more attacking/corridor football game plan have anything to do with Lewis/TOB starting to clunck marks? Maybe the midfield have more confidence in those players and that results in more direct play? Small sample size, but hope to see more of it

It does; directly & indirectly.

When we play along the boundary, we bomb it contest to contest, with the luxury of the bail-out punch to kill the ball over the boundary line.

Playing through the middle doesn’t give us this option - we have to hit targets or we get cut up the other way.

So, we lead for the ball & we kick to the advantage of the leading player. This is what gives the impression of quick ball movement: kicking & marking & playing on quickly.

Playing around the boundary is slow AF. It is contested & slow & heavy work. Even when you win the ball, you’re blocked in & so you can only stuff around with it & lose it; kick backward; or, kick to the next contest...

This was always going to be the evolution of our game plan, but I didn’t expect to see it until we added Cogs & Patton. I’m so pleased that we’re trying it now & I’m pleased (not surprised) by the results. We’re bringing forwards into the game & we’re getting much better value out of guys like Smitty & Scully.

What you’re seeing no is why how we’ll win the Flag in 2020 - but with a bit more class & polish, acquired this off-season.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Does the more attacking/corridor football game plan have anything to do with Lewis/TOB starting to clunck marks? Maybe the midfield have more confidence in those players and that results in more direct play? Small sample size, but hope to see more of it

I'd like to think so.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Does the more attacking/corridor football game plan have anything to do with Lewis/TOB starting to clunck marks? Maybe the midfield have more confidence in those players and that results in more direct play? Small sample size, but hope to see more of it

Does anyone know how to get data on which lane we took moving the ball forward? I’m wondering if we are going up the middle more or if it just seems that way this week since we are a bit mesmerised by the victory over Geelong.

 

[KermitJagger]

Does the more attacking/corridor football game plan have anything to do with Lewis/TOB starting to clunck marks? Maybe the midfield have more confidence in those players and that results in more direct play? Small sample size, but hope to see more of it

I would imagine it had something to do with how Geelong structure up in defense. We went through the corridor and frequently caught them out of position, really badly in fact.

Near as I could tell it's more faith in how we structure to defend quick transition as well. Very few intercept marks are being taken in our 50, as we have 3 extremely mobile KPP who can get to the maximum amount of contests. We don't have to kick to the pockets to ensure stoppages and lock the ball in anymore.

 

[tommyk72]

I would imagine it had something to do with how Geelong structure up in defense. We went through the corridor and frequently caught them out of position, really badly in fact.

Near as I could tell it's more faith in how we structure to defend quick transition as well. Very few intercept marks are being taken in our 50, as we have 3 extremely mobile KPP who can get to the maximum amount of contests. We don't have to kick to the pockets to ensure stoppages and lock the ball in anymore.

I really noticed this in Q1, but less so in the rest of the quarters. Was it perhaps a tactic we came out and did just in Q1/Q2, and then eased off a bit in the second half?

 

[essaynode]

"But after an impressive string of recent form, Clarkson’s outstanding game plan, as well as a collective output lift from many unheralded players, have Hawks fans dreaming of an unlikely finals berth in 2019.

"The strength of Clarkson’s stingy defensive system — which has again made the Hawks the hardest team in the league to move the ball against — is evident via an array of statistical areas, according to Champion Data.

"Over the past month, the Hawks have conceded an average of just 63.5 points per game — ranked second in the AFL. They’ve also been the toughest club to score against on turnover and the hardest to move the ball from defensive 50 to inside 50 against."

AFL 2019: Hawthorn’s insane discipline revealed — but it doesn’t excuse them from avoiding early draft picks

This stat is insane — but it doesn’t excuse Hawks’ risky draft habit

www.foxsports.com.au

I remain an eternal optimist.

 

[Roger Rogerson]

Does the more attacking/corridor football game plan have anything to do with Lewis/TOB starting to clunck marks? Maybe the midfield have more confidence in those players and that results in more direct play? Small sample size, but hope to see more of it

Has to.

 

[Pessimistic]

When the arrivals in best 24 reaches 7 or 8 draftees and 7 or 8 trade ins, we are almost there (im talking since 2015-6)

Draftees———-Trades
Sicily—————T Mitchell
Howe—————O’Meara
Hardwick———Impey
Worpel————Wingard
Nash—————Henderson
Lewis—————Scrimshaw
??????————-????????

We dont know the trade ins, but the likely draftees from morrison cousins hanrahan Glass Moore with CJ, Ross, Walker, Jones, kozcitski in the project category
Of course a couple of trade ins would bump those guys down the pecking order, but we do have two LTI

A difference from the buld up to 2008 and 2015 is we are trying to go younger this time, and those guys cost more to trade in

One off season should do it, but then replacing bigboy frawley stratton shiels gunston smith bruest starts

 

[Flukey!]

Obviously if it’s the deal that gets cogs over the line then I’m more than happy for him to come across and chew up abit of the cap. If not I’m still not sold

Same.
He has had both knees done, one of them twice.
He will have to make history to go on and have a long and successful career after that.

 

[Randy Campbell]

From Titus Oreily.

Time and again, I’ve warned people about the dangers of thinking Hawthorn are no longer a danger to us all.

Not since the West though Germany were no longer a threat have we seen such dangerous complacency.

You see, the whole ‘get Alastair Clarkson’ thing every ‘expert’ opines when a coach gets sacked, well there’s a reason for that.

In a field where there are few, Alastair Clarkson knows what he is doing.

Clarkson doesn’t rebuild; he doesn’t write off a year, he battles for every inch in every minute of the season. At Hawthorn, failure is treated like a body treats a virus, it must be destroyed, except in this case, Hawthorn are the virus.

There’s no ‘let’s get better in the future; you have to get better all the time. Hence, a side that was average at best, is now winning regularly and knocked off what appeared to be the premiership favourites.

 

[Pessimistic]

From Titus Oreily.

Time and again, I’ve warned people about the dangers of thinking Hawthorn are no longer a danger to us all.

Not since the West though Germany were no longer a threat have we seen such dangerous complacency.

You see, the whole ‘get Alastair Clarkson’ thing every ‘expert’ opines when a coach gets sacked, well there’s a reason for that.

In a field where there are few, Alastair Clarkson knows what he is doing.

Clarkson doesn’t rebuild; he doesn’t write off a year, he battles for every inch in every minute of the season. At Hawthorn, failure is treated like a body treats a virus, it must be destroyed, except in this case, Hawthorn are the virus.

There’s no ‘let’s get better in the future; you have to get better all the time. Hence, a side that was average at best, is now winning regularly and knocked off what appeared to be the premiership favourites.

Isn't it morally wrong to not do this? what are the others thinking? They are anti-vaxxers

Its a strange world where people openly sneer at people who actually compete in a competition. Dur?

 

[Randy Campbell]

Isn't it morally wrong to not do this? what are the others thinking? They are anti-vaxxers

Its a strange world where people openly sneer at people who actually compete in a competition. Dur?

'Come what may, you'll find us striving'

As for morals, I can only speak for ours.

 

[HawthornHawk]

When Mitch comes back and if we get Cogs, i'm interested to see what sort of secondary roles our mids will be able to play throughout game and the season

I think the three peat side really came into its own by being able to save the legs of our best clearance players through secondary roles and chuck them in the guts when we needed them most, and it's an area I think that's hurt us (and especially Jaeger) this year as we've looked to tire so often

Cogs would be an obvious one because he's got great forward craft, Wingard I still think could play back and forward. Where will we rotate Mitch, Worpel and Jaeger?

 

[MrPremiership]

Anyone hear that story from Lombardi about the time Clarko followed him around the US on a plane just to talk to him about the Patriots?

Amazing

 

[CHUBBSS]

Anyone hear that story from Lombardi about the time Clarko followed him around the US on a plane just to talk to him about the Patriots?

Amazing

Sounds like Clarko is still desperate to win the fifth, how lucky we are!

Save someone a click to:

Why Clarko followed Lombardi across the US

The Hawks coach flew from Vegas to Jersey.

www.sen.com.au

 

[Brishawk]

Sounds like Clarko is still desperate to win the fifth, how lucky we are!

Save someone a click to:

Why Clarko followed Lombardi across the US

The Hawks coach flew from Vegas to Jersey.

www.sen.com.au

Clarko will pursue any line of information for an edge. He is an animal.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

The continued development of Lewis, Worpel, CJ, Ollie and Moore next year will be pivotal to next year, but I also think that just the inclusion of Tom and Scrim alone will improve us and give us more flexibility through the middle and the back half.

If Birch sticks around, I think that’s a massive plus too.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

The continued development of Lewis, Worpel, CJ, Ollie and Moore next year will be pivotal to next year, but I also think that just the inclusion of Tom and Scrim alone will improve us and give us more flexibility through the middle and the back half.

If Birch sticks around, I think that’s a massive plus too.

Ollie has to work on his defensive pressure & strength but I have hope. Moore sadly I don't think has enough X factor to make it at AFL footy, given how small he is I think you really need some X factor standout attributes to succeed at the highest level.