Bumped Tom Hawkins

[archilino]

This will be controversial i know, but i after hearing Neil Balme on SEN today i think its warranted. He said Hawkins is too laconic and laid back in his football and need to take it a little more seriously.
Balme wasnt directly asked this question but for him to come out and say it suggests perhaps the clubs patience is starting to wear a little thin.
Hopefully he takes it on board a'la Ablett with his lazy training in '06 and takes the next step.

 

[SJ]

Are you roasting Hawkins or Balme?

 

[vinum coupe]

Never heard it.
Sounds a bit damning.

People like Mark Waugh and Dale Lewis always appeared laconic but weren't (apparently)

If the club thinks he is then........................................Boing !

Having said that. Surely the whole leading teams thing of 'tell your clubman what you think of him' would have showed this up?

I'll have a listen later and draw my own conclusions on the way Balme spoke of it.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Maybe you took it out of context.

Maybe it was more along the lines of what Bartel told him on the ground-step up, be the player we know you can be, show confidence and one grab the damn thing!

Hawkins strikes me as unconfident but he doesn't strike me as lazy, his fitness issues have been more injury based than lack of work ethic based.

Anyway, I didn't hear the interview so maybe you're right and I'm wrong.

 

[AM]

Are you roasting Hawkins or Balme?

Gold!

 

[archilino]

Are you roasting Hawkins or Balme?

Hawkins. Balme wasn't angry or vindictive when he said it, moreso in a matter fact way but it was a big suprise as it was hardly the topic of conversation. He also said the coaches need to do more to help him get his urgency up.

 

[Turbocat]

This will be controversial i know, but i after hearing Neil Balme on SEN today i think its warranted. He said Hawkins is too laconic and laid back in his football and need to take it a little more seriously.
Balme wasnt directly asked this question but for him to come out and say it suggests perhaps the clubs patience is starting to wear a little thin.
Hopefully he takes it on board a'la Ablett with his lazy training in '06 and takes the next step.

Its not the way I heard it. I wonder if there is a podcast of it.
Anyway , to me he was just commenting on Hawkins being more of a laid back type personality than some other kids. He also he thought a run up the ground was good for him but that when he hits his straps he can be devastating when played at FF. KB commented that he didn't think his kick was reliable enough to really be a top class FF. Blame then did the old , he works hard on it , im sure he will improve blah,blah,blah.

I really did not hear him infer that the club etc was getting jack of him.

 

[JUBJUB]

Are you roasting Hawkins or Balme?

I think both of them would love a good roasting - a nice pig on the BBQ and they'd be as happy as can be

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Ive got a lot of faith in Hawkins and i think that when he strings a couple of really good games together, hes confidence will rise and he will start to take the one grab marks i know he can take. kicking accuracy will come with confidence. I know he can be a pretty decent player for the club if give the chance to roam the flank for the majority of the season without being forced to pince hit in the ruck. We need Vardy or West to really push through and become valuable ruckman.

 

[archilino]

I really did not hear him infer that the club etc was getting jack of him.

That was just my take on it. Maybe i took it out of context but he did say he is very laid back in his football and needs more urgency about it. But to clarify there was cetainly no malaice in Balme's comments.

 

[David the Cat]

There's a lot of Hawkins kicking on this board ( though not this particular thread) and I think a lot of it is unwarranted.

I saw the replay of the game last week and I though Hawkins was a worry for the opposition backs and a focal point for our boys to go to. He improved as the game went on and I thought did very well for a first up effort.

I would like to see a little more mongrel in him, but at the same time he is developing into a better player all the time IMO.

The people who say we should get rid of him are talking through their hat.

 

[Vdubs]

There's a lot of Hawkins kicking on this board ( though not this particular thread) and I think a lot of it is unwarranted.

I saw the replay of the game last week and I though Hawkins was a worry for the opposition backs and a focal point for our boys to go to. He improved as the game went on and I thought did very well for a first up effort.

I would like to see a little more mongrel in him, but at the same time he is developing into a better player all the time IMO.

The people who say we should get rid of him are talking through their hat.

Totally agree. He is our most dangerous key forward, and ONCE fit, will be more than nuisance value for opposition defences

 

[Ninty]

This thread is unnecessary. I can easily see him improving a lot more this year, with what would have to be about his first pre-season without being injured?

He was looking the goods in the 2nd half of the Bulldogs game as mentioned, once he gets some confidence, and he'll be able to kick like this again.

[youtube]mMkP5s1iF_M[/youtube]

I'm VERY excited to see Hawkins and Varcoe shut up the doubters this year. Bring it on.

 

[Big Fozza]

Tomahawk to smash opposition this year. The players have confidence in him so that is going to boost his confidence.

 

[Berserker26]

Does Hawkins realise that he's actually bigger than most blokes in the league?

The man is a monster, he should be pushing people out of the way, smashing packs and just generally intimidating people, imagine him throwing himself at a pack al la Nick Riewoldt...

 

[turbo0010]

If we play the bloke at FF for more than 5 mins, i think he will start crashing into blokes and doing some great things! OK, if he's not getting the ball then put him up the field for a bit.

Also, people always say about how he might not be a one grab mark, but what he does do, is always get it down in front and he often backs up and can dish it out. He doesn't go to ground as much as the others.

IMO he looks like he's trying too hard/thinking too much, he looks like he's always not sure which option to take (e.g. that shocking left footer on the weekend)... it looked like he was in two minds and end up fluffing it completely. Anywhere close to 50m out he should be going for goal, unless it's a no brainer like he's facing the other way or someone is clear.

Most of this is probably more to do with confidence and being sure of his place in the team, he just needs to be stuck at FF and persisted with.

 

[OldStyle2007]

The word is that he's been partying all summer. I don't think he's completely serious about his football

 

[Partridge]

The word is that he's been partying all summer. I don't think he's completely serious about his football

Is there any evidence of this? Apart from the fact he actually looked pretty fit on the weekend. And ended up playing well.

 

[SJ]

Is there any evidence of this? Apart from the fact he actually looked pretty fit on the weekend. And ended up playing well.

I thought he looked as lean and ripped as we've seen, too.

 

[OldStyle2007]

Still cannot kick

 

[Ninty]

That doesn't explain what you posted.

He can kick - just needs the confidence in himself.

 

[TheHonestyPolicy]

Hawkins has often been nursed through this part of the pre season with injury. His second half against the Dogs is probably the best I have seen him play in the pre season comp. Somehow this still becomes a negative?

 

[Partridge]

I thought he looked as lean and ripped as we've seen, too.

Good. It's not just me then.

Here's an idea, how about we wait and see what he produces on the football field? As opposed to totally unfounded speculation and rumour.

I've said this a few times. We could do worse than stick him at full-forward for the first 10 games (or even longer). Throw him in and leave him there. Either he'll be up to it or he won't.

 

[vinum coupe]

If he plays 100% at FF he'd be some sort of chance to kick 40 - 50 in the first 10 games.

Which is good. But I can't see them doing it. He'll get rotated up the ground so that Mooney / Pods get a go at FF too.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Still cannot kick

He is defenitely a confidence player.
My main concern is the reliance on 2 grab marking and what has become an appaling set shot routine and execution. The marking should improve with confidence but the kicking is the problem.
He has shown in general field kicking and set shots > 50M that he can get the job done- he has kicked some rippers from a long way out where he relaxes and kicks through the ball.
But his execution from < 40M is pathetic. he looks uncoordinated, wooden , arms are too stiff to allow a good ball drop , has poor alignment and lacks smoothness in his run up. Why hasn't this been corrected? I love the guy but unless this is addressed his confidence at goal kicking will continue to suffer and become a self fulfilling prophecy.
Desperate need of a decent kicking coach !!