Tom Hawkins early leaps?

[Geelong Dynasty]

we've all been frustrated this year by Tomahawks crazy early leaps at the ball, right...

Well Hawk is a gun mark and I wonder if this is a tactic that looks clumsy yet has some merit.
Surely Hawk isn't going that bad that he cant time a simple marking contest.

Is he trying a new tactic by flying early?

 

[Daniel McL]

1 early leap in every 10 that he does actually works and makes him look good. Otherwise he always lands before the ball even gets to him or just looks silly.

 

[cats_09]

This might sound stupid but please hear me out - is he using this method to try and take the umpires out of the contest?

I'm sure that a lot would agree where Hawkins seems to be a victim of his own size - the opposition seem to be able to hold on or infringe more than with other forwards and if he gets into a wrestling contest he can be penalised for being stronger & out-bodying his opponent.

Maybe he feels that with this leap (poorly timed more often than not) that he is able to get his opponent out of the way to then take the mark somewhat unopposed. Problem is, because his leap is poorly timed he probably should be giving a free away more often because he is pushing his opponent out of the way with the ball more than 5m away.

I wish he would forget this new tactic, start playing from the front and leading to the ball carrier - that would solve a few issues

 

[Aramis]

He loves getting the studs up into the oppositions back as well with this tactic.

 

[Seeds]

He loves getting the studs up into the oppositions back as well with this tactic.

I'm sure you complain about this when Rioli and poppy do it right?

 

[Two Planks]

He loves getting the studs up into the oppositions back as well with this tactic.

And Roughead loves sticking the knee into players ribs when he doesn't have to. Sniper.

 

[Two Planks]

Reminds me of Corey McKernan going up in the ruck.

 

[hbk_aus]

It is frustrating.

 

[romeohwho]

Good on you- It's a prettty silly addition to his game-unnecessary and detrimental because he misses the mark and either gives away the free or is completely out of the contest so can't hold the ball in. An easy fix, comon forward coaches-get it sorted. We actually need him to nail the marks and kick a couple a game at least.

 

[mac_cat]

Two inexplicable things I've seen from Hawkins in the last month.

The first is the early leaps, as discussed above. The second is the number of times he goes for a mark with only one hand. Both of these frustrate me intensely, because I can't see the benefit of either.

With his early jumps, he's already back down on the ground again by the time the ball gets to him, so I don't see any benefit.

With the one-handed mark thing, I suppose it gives him the option of palming the ball down to a small forward roving the pack - except that no-one is doing this anyway, and often he's in position to mark, and could've held the mark if he just used two hands.

I'd love to know if anyone is working with Tom on this, because it's been in his game for a number of weeks now, and no sign of it changing/improving.

 

[TheCattery2007]

I've noticed it too. But if you look closely he seems to do it when caught behind and i suspect it's designed to bring the ball (and opponents) to ground. I doubt it's just because he unilaterally thinks 'I'll take a hanger'. It would be intended for certain scenarios.


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[Cataholic]

He loves getting the studs up into the oppositions back as well with this tactic.

Been watching some of your boys you reckon?

 

[PhatBoy]

I only watched the second half last night so I'm guessing this happened a bit in the first.

The only couple of marks he flew for in the second that I can recall saw him 1. Go for a bit of a hanger - he got the hands on the shoulders to try and get the sit but messed it up. Not really mistimed just poor execution. 2. In the past quarter he missed one that he could have taken had he just held his ground and jumped back at the last minute. He seemed to misjudge where it was going to land rather than when it was going to come down.

I don't really see the problem to be honest. Wasn't that long ago people were begging him to crash packs and bring the ball to the ground.
He had 3 goal assists, no one else had more than 1 so he still made a contribution.

 

[Turbocat]

Id say this year he has done it far too often to just be bad judgement. To me it looks like a thing the staff have got to try ..perhaps to put the defender out of the contest.

 

[ChookNorris]

He does it when he caught behind and already out of the contest. Its actually the best option he has. Having said that he should be in front nearly every time and this would stop happening.

 

[hbk_aus]

He does it when he caught behind and already out of the contest. Its actually the best option he has. Having said that he should be in front nearly every time and this would stop happening.

I don't think it is always the best option. One example being when he had Adams cold last night,could have just held his ground and then then leant back and marked. Instead he tried the early jump and was already on the way down when the ball arrived.

 

[Spazz Cat]

He's actually being blocked so much without ever receiving free kicks.
I think he's just had enough and decided he might as well jump into the back of them anyway. Good on him.

 

[PhatBoy]

Don't think we've got too much to complain about with tom at the moment. He's kicked multiple goals in 7 of 9 games, and in one of the two that he didn't, he laid off 3 to teammates.

Good work big guy.

 

[BORIS332]

Does this deserve its own thread?

 

[Rosso]

Combination of hacinf his opponent baxk into him, therefore blocking his run but more so I think he's using this as a tactic to not get pinged for hands in the back. I for one would prefer him to just go for a well timed leap and try and mark the ball. Very rarely gets outmarked so a contest is all that's needed. Having said that, the lack of crumbers at the content is probably affecting his decision making.

Had a few last night where the mark was the right option and he went early instead which is poor decision making for me.

Easy fix though.

 

[_Game_]

Probably has a running bet on mark of the year.

 

[Tony Barber]

Does this deserve its own thread?

Is it using up too much bandwidth or something?

 

[David the Cat]

It wasn't so long ago that people were complaining that Hawkins couldn't jump any more...

Hawkins getting off the ground is a step forward at least.

 

[catswhiskers]

It wasn't so long ago that people were complaining that Hawkins couldn't jump any more...

Hawkins getting off the ground is a step forward at least.

But he doesn't .................. get off the ground. They are lame attempts at a jump. And indicative of a problem.

I would prefer he lets others jump and he roves, rather than launch from a meter or three back from a realistic launch point.

If he is in position A then go for it. Otherwise stay involved.

 

[Willo_]

I'm sure you complain about this when Rioli and poppy do it right?

I notice when Rioli got hurt the other week all the talk focused on the injury, the first thing I thought of was how it was a clear dirty act and a bit of karma... he was well and truely out of the contest and hurt himself trying to cheaply drive his knee into an unsuspecting opponent