Preview The Hawks and the run to the finals

[Gene Simmons]

Watching One Week At A Time last night, Robert Walls & Luke Darcy went through Hawks remaining 3 matches and their predictions.

Robert Walls has predicted that we will lose ALL 3 and miss out on the finals (replaced by Norf) However he did say that our biggest chance of a victory would be against Freo.

Luke Darcy predicted we would win 2 out of the last 3 (assuming he means vs Melbourne & Freo) and he had us finishing 5th (playing Carlscum in week 1 of finals).

As bad as we have been the past couple of weeks, we showed what we were capable of from Rounds 8-17, just lost to Geelong, inflicted Bulldogs only loss in the past 2 months and should have beaten Saints.

If we can play with the intensity we showed for that period of 2 months, I still believe that we can beat anyone and believe that we can win at least 2 of the last 3!!!

GO HAWKS

 

[raff23]

if we turn up to play there is no way we will lose all 3, we should win 2 out of the 3, melb are a danger but if we have 100% intensity and play like we did from rounds 9-17 we will win by 5+ goals. Freo are shot, too many injuries, we should be able to get the job done particularly down in aurora as well. Collingwood on current form will beat us but it depends on our state of mind out on the ground. still think were an outside chance to win all 3 if we play our best footy.

 

[madhawksfan]

Robert Walls has predicted that we will lose ALL 3 and miss out on the finals (replaced by Norf) However he did say that our biggest chance of a victory would be against Freo.

Some of the things that Robert Walls has said in the past show that he knows little about the modern game. For the record he has said the following: Matthew Pavlich isn't a superstar, Tom Murphy isn't up to it and that the Swans would never win a premiership with their style of footy. Those statements were all wrong, and his prediction that we won't win another game will be as well. We should win 2, and have a good chance against Collingwood (who are due to start choking now that we are closing in on Sept).

 

[Hawka19]

Watching One Week At A Time last night, Robert Walls & Luke Darcy went through Hawks remaining 3 matches and their predictions.

Robert Walls has predicted that we will lose ALL 3 and miss out on the finals (replaced by Norf) However he did say that our biggest chance of a victory would be against Freo.

Luke Darcy predicted we would win 2 out of the last 3 (assuming he means vs Melbourne & Freo) and he had us finishing 5th (playing Carlscum in week 1 of finals).

As bad as we have been the past couple of weeks, we showed what we were capable of from Rounds 8-17, just lost to Geelong, inflicted Bulldogs only loss in the past 2 months and should have beaten Saints.

If we can play with the intensity we showed for that period of 2 months, I still believe that we can beat anyone and believe that we can win at least 2 of the last 3!!!

GO HAWKS

Robert Walls' comments do not surprise me. He loathes Hawthorn and loves to dig the heels in at any opportunity. I just don't listen to him anymore. Him along with Blight are just waaaay too negative.

 

[hawk65]

Watching One Week At A Time last night, Robert Walls & Luke Darcy went through Hawks remaining 3 matches and their predictions.

Robert Walls has predicted that we will lose ALL 3 and miss out on the finals (replaced by Norf) However he did say that our biggest chance of a victory would be against Freo.

Luke Darcy predicted we would win 2 out of the last 3 (assuming he means vs Melbourne & Freo) and he had us finishing 5th (playing Carlscum in week 1 of finals).

As bad as we have been the past couple of weeks, we showed what we were capable of from Rounds 8-17, just lost to Geelong, inflicted Bulldogs only loss in the past 2 months and should have beaten Saints.

If we can play with the intensity we showed for that period of 2 months, I still believe that we can beat anyone and believe that we can win at least 2 of the last 3!!!

GO HAWKS

Heard that as well. Only prob is that we need to win all three games to overtake Freo into 5th place. Do some research Darcy.

 

[PottSie2]

We'll beat Melbourne, then Freo and then Collingwood as they will be preparing for the first week of finals.

We'll then win 4 on the trot to emulate our 7 on the trot, take out the Premiership and I'll take a week off work.

 

[cpt101]

Can't remember the last time Walls wrote anything positive about the Hawks.
His bias reeks of immaturity.

 

[Goldhawk]

Robert Walls is a goose

 

[lethalselbow]

Can't remember the last time Walls wrote anything positive about the Hawks.
His bias reeks of immaturity.

Either that or he's assessing the Hawks as the mediocre side they've been all year. A string of good performances against average sides, bookended by smashings.

He might have Carlton blinkers on most of the time, but i don't think his view of our side is far wrong. Our team has gone from hard to soft in two seasons. I think we'll win two of the three, but who would honestly be surprised if Melbourne rolled us and then the wheels fell off?

 

[Linda Crescent]

.... and to think, just a few weeks ago a lot here (me included) were saying all we need is three from the last six.

On current form I'd be thrilled to pick up two of the last three and I don't care which teams we beat to do it. Go Hawthorn!

 

[macdaddio]

Luke Darcey said we only need to win 1 more game to be playing finals and that the Hawks are not going as bad as Walls thinks we are.

 

[sydney_hawka]

Luke Darcey said we only need to win more game to be playing finals and that the Hawks are not going as bad as Walls thinks we are.

The Hawks have either conceeded the last two games to freshen up for the Finals, or we're shot / s**t and on the slide.

Travelling poorly at the moment, and will need a massive turn around in form and confidence starting from Sunday.

They are the two scenarios bouncing around in my head.

 

[macdaddio]

The Hawks have either conceeded the last two games to freshen up for the Finals, or we're shot / s**t and on the slide.

Travelling poorly at the moment, and will need a massive turn around in form and confidence starting from Sunday.

They are the two scenarios bouncing around in my head.

i have the same thoughts, ive been thinking about it since saturday, im not sure what to think im hoping thats the reason for our slide...

 

[hawkhanlumist]

I hate Robert Walls. He is very negative, and very rarely gets things right. However, every now and again, he hits the nail on the head. I remember he on the couch in mid 2008 when the saints looked shot saying that Ross Lyon would take St Kilda to the top, and Mike Sheehan nearly laid an egg and cried all at the same time. and I must admit that i raised an eyebrow, but he got it spot on.

This is beside the point though, sorry.

I think there is a really fine line between what walls and Darcy are predicting. And basically, it is all about confidence. with it, we could win all three. without and we are toast. and frankly, if we don't get a boost from a win against the demons....yeah...

Why has it come to this Hawthorn?

 

[Dragz]

North have a far easier draw than us imho. The draw against St Kilda works against us.

Walls might be a tool, but he's only stated the obvious. We have to win or rely on other teams losing to make it.

 

[macdaddio]

North have a far easier draw than us imho. The draw against St Kilda works against us.

Walls might be a tool, but he's only stated the obvious. We have to win or rely on other teams losing to make it.

North would have to win 1 more game than us, we can win 2 more games and i cant see North winning all 3 remaining games.
Swans got Dogs this week and Freo at subi, Blues got Cats and Freo at subi, we have Dees at mcg Freo at Tassie and Pies at melb..

 

[Tas]

North have a far easier draw than us imho. The draw against St Kilda works against us.

Walls might be a tool, but he's only stated the obvious. We have to win or rely on other teams losing to make it.

It will be interesting to see how sides deal with the pressure of approaching finals, with sides having to win to secure a place there is a lot more expectation, a lot more on the table than games in the first few months.

I wouldn't be optimistic about young sides performing under massive pressure to win.

I am not convinced that Swans and Carlton are home yet. If Blues drop their game against Richmond I think they will struggle to hold on to a final spot and similarly unless Swans upset Freo at Subi or Bulldogs in Sydney there would be a heap of pressure on them to win on the road to secure a final spot and teams love nothing more than to deny another team a shot at the finals.

I think we need to beat the Saints to be a realistic chance, as weird as that sounds. I wouldn't want to be hoping on a round 22 win to scrape into the final 8, it is one of the more daunting challenges for a young and inexperienced side.

 

[Hawk43]

In 2008 we started off on fire with 9 wins, then had a rough 6-7 weeks where we got killed by a couple of teams, had a couple of decent wins, and a couple of very unconvincing wins. That along with getting done by richmond 3 weeks out from finals gave me little confidence that we could match it with the best, even though we took geelong a fair way in round 17.

I don't think it's unreasonable to draw similarities between 2008 and from round 8 this year, where we won 8 but should have won 10 on the trot, I believe we're now in that rough patch where in 2008 the bulldogs killed us in similar fashion to what sydney did on the weekend. The guys have gone through a bunch of close, contested tough games and form has now dropped off as they freshen up.

After richmond mauled us that year we won the next 5 straight including the grand final, by an average of around 10 goals, i don't care what people say about geelongs consistency over the past 3 years, but in 2008 we were the best team for the majority of the year, and we showed that when it mattered.

Lets just hope we can emulate that late season turnaround, starting this week and really hit our straps for the finals, we will have our best 22 on the park for the final 2 games of the year and have no excuses as the majority of them have been playing for the 2nd half of this year. When we're focused, like in 2008, we have the best list, we play the most exciting football, and we have more matchwinners than any other team, and i don't want to see this go to waste.

 

[apiro]

Watching One Week At A Time last night, Robert Walls & Luke Darcy went through Hawks remaining 3 matches and their predictions.

Robert Walls has predicted that we will lose ALL 3 and miss out on the finals (replaced by Norf) However he did say that our biggest chance of a victory would be against Freo.

Luke Darcy predicted we would win 2 out of the last 3 (assuming he means vs Melbourne & Freo) and he had us finishing 5th (playing Carlscum in week 1 of finals).


GO HAWKS

Both these guys have taken polar views. I suspect the answer might be something in between. Certainly Darcy needs to do his sums again. Freo are currently 5th, three games ahead of us. Mathematically we cannot win 2 out of 3 and displace them. Even if we win all 3 games we will have to rely on them losing the next 3.

 

[Glebehawk]

I honestly can't see us beating Melb this week - it would take a massive reversal in form, they are flying with young enthusiasm at the minute and I reckon they'll just get over the line against us.

In saying that, I'm pretty confident with rioli back - we'll beat Freo and then prob play for a finals berth against the pies... with everything on the line, we might just scrape in that way.

I'm slightly looking into the magic mirror here, but have a feeling that's how things will pan out.

 

[Phil McCreviss]

Very very very confident about this week.

 

[Teamwork Talks]

I'm happy for us to beat Melbourne and Freo and lose to Collingwood if we end up finishing 6th.

That is a good enough run into the finals.

We then face a 4 week finals campiagn where we believe we are as good as anyone.

 

[spudmaster]

Likewise Phil.

We knew that playing back to back interstate matches against sides that generally do well against us was going to be tough - we don't travel well, and our performances at SCG and AAMI are usually far from impressive. It was a shame they were back to back.

The boys should come out strongly and fired up on Sunday and will love running onto the G again as it's been over a month since they've played there.

Hawks to get the job done

 

[spudmaster]

I'm happy for us to beat Melbourne and Freo and thump Collingwood

Agreed mate

 

[PNess]

Robert Walls has predicted that we will lose ALL 3 and miss out on the finals (replaced by Norf) However he did say that our biggest chance of a victory would be against Freo.

GO HAWKS

Hahaha! If we win 2 or 3 watch for Robert Walls saying:

"I had a feeling the Hawks might just bounce back."

He makes bold predictions during matches then when he's completely wrong he always comes out with "I had a feeling..."