Tom Hawkins

[Mack Truck]

Ever since Wayne Carey had a chat with him around mid-season, he's been great.

 

[you pick one]

Ever since Wayne Carey had a chat with him around mid-season, he's been great.

Hawkins credits Mooney.

 

[meto]

I love seeing redemption arrive for good people, and by all accounts, the Hawk is a very good bloke indeed. Good guys needn't finish last.

If, as it certainly appeared throughout this finals series - he's evolving into a mixture of his two mentors - Mooney + Carey - we are in for some very good times as he morphs into the monster of the midway.

And slightly off topic, but even more kudos for Mooney, who stated in an interview after the GF something to the effect of: "I really wanted to play and it hurts that I didn't. But they made the right decision - I could not have done what Hawkins did today."

Best we pay Carey to come in say, bi-monthly, during the season, to do the business.

'If Mooney said that', then He's got to come on board as part-time to mentor the big forwards (and they can pay him properly!), with the occasional input of Carey.
What a guy!

 

[Big Fozza]

I'll admit that i had my doubts about him as i'm sure everyone did.

 

[Hoffy95]

I'd happily label most people liars if they said they didn't have at least some doubts about him. How could you not?

I had my doubts as well. The difference is there were people who wrote him off and there were those who had faith (despite doubts) in the boy and maybe moreso the knowledge of the club.

Either way there's a lot of upside for Tom and everyone who follows the Cats so we should really only be concerned with the exciting times ahead.

I'm still not convinced he's proven himself completely yet but he's absolutely on the right track.

 

[The rabbi]

i feel honored to be quoted

Glad I could be of service.

 

[AM]

I'll admit that i had my doubts about him as i'm sure everyone did.

The talent was always there Fozza. It was more his application, confidence and hardness that came into question with most critics methinks. He's a top person and deserves success. However we've only seen a glimpse. He has to do it consistently and over time. Otherwise the 'spud' merchants will be out in force again. Some of whom have been remarkably quite recently, incidentally. Hi Poida!

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

I don't have an issue with the criticism on this board. What does irk me is the posters on here who seem like they'd rather see certain players fail, so they can say that they were right all along. If Mark Blake stayed on and started playing like Shaun Rehn, I'd applaud his improvement, even if it meant that I'd underestimated him. Not so sure about some others.

 

[Belisarius]

Somehow I reckon Hawkins holds a bit of a key to our going back to back.

Other teams will improve and it is just so hard to win back to back - that we will need a few youngsters to improve for us to do this.

Hawkins - if he consistently played anywhere like he did in the finals - with a fit Pods in the forward line - would make a serious difference to our forward line.

If Duncan, Christensen and West all make decent progress next season - with a pack splitting Hawkins around - that could be enough to get us in contention for back to back.

Unfortunately Menzel - who would also be very important for us - given how much of the season he will miss - will probably be not a factor. If he was around our chances would even be better.

 

[Partridge]

I don't have an issue with the criticism on this board. What does irk me is the posters on here who seem like they'd rather see certain players fail, so they can say that they were right all along. If Mark Blake stayed on and started playing like Shaun Rehn, I'd applaud his improvement, even if it meant that I'd underestimated him. Not so sure about some others.

I'm making a habit of being wrong. Had serious doubts about Mackie, Josh Hunt, Varcoe and to a lesser extent Hawkins in the finals series and all delivered Grand Final day.

Actually Tom Lonergan on his own showed why it's a very good thing I'm not involved in football.

Overall, very happy to be proved wrong. Please continue.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

I'm making a habit of being wrong. Had serious doubts about Mackie, Josh Hunt, Varcoe and to a lesser extent Hawkins in the finals series and all delivered Grand Final day.

Actually Tom Lonergan on his own showed why it's a very good thing I'm not involved in football.

Overall, very happy to be proved wrong. Please continue.

Me too, on every one, especially Lonners. Never thought I'd see him play AFL again, after being destroyed by Jonathan Brown in 2009. Delighted that I was wrong.

 

[God Mode]

If Hawkins can continue his Grand Final form and even improve, our forward line looks the best it has in this entire era. With Menzel slotting back into that forward line towards finals, assuming he picks up where he left off, there is some serious firepower.

2 Talls - Hawkins, Pods
2 Mediums - Johnson, Menzel
2 Smalls - Stokes, Varcoe

Well balanced.

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

If Hawkins can continue his Grand Final form and even improve, our forward line looks the best it has in this entire era. With Menzel slotting back into that forward line towards finals, assuming he picks up where he left off, there is some serious firepower.

2 Talls - Hawkins, Pods
2 Mediums - Johnson, Menzel
2 Smalls - Stokes, Varcoe

Well balanced.

And Chappy/Bundy/Bartel as the wildcards that make the opposition shit themselves!

 

[David the Cat]

I don't have an issue with the criticism on this board. What does irk me is the posters on here who seem like they'd rather see certain players fail, so they can say that they were right all along. If Mark Blake stayed on and started playing like Shaun Rehn, I'd applaud his improvement, even if it meant that I'd underestimated him. Not so sure about some others.

Me either...until it descends into slander, and character assasination.

It takes courage, skill and talent to run out on an AFL ground at senior level.

 

[Ninty]

I never doubted the man. His problem was always playing in a position he didn't work well in. Vardy/West in and Mooney out made him play where he should have always been, in the forward line. His last 9 games or so were great (including the Sydney game - he was our best big man, yet still got bagged on here ), and always predicted a big finals from him, especially with the way he went about it in round 24.

He's close to becoming my favourite player if he can do that each week. Nearly won me some good money with my NS bet too.

 

[longtimecat]

I think its time to change Toms 'nickname' the way he splits packs he should be called axe not tommahawk. When Tom started he played very well at full forward and was touted as the next plugger or J Brown, but it has taken us years, and J Pod being injured to actually play him at FF.

 

[thegerman]

I have to say I was one who was never sure Hawkins would be a substantial player for us. He showed glimpses but was never consistent.

Then came the finals this year and he was a significant reason we why were so successful in them.

If he can maintain form like that over a season - wow - he could be just not a good contributer to the team but even be a focal point in the forward line. And that would make a huge difference to what has been our weakest area - the forward line.

Pods and Hawk in good form could seriously worry any backline. Add in SJ and Menzel and you have a potentially lethal combination.

Sure Pods will not be around too long but we have Vardy in the wings.

If Hawk can make progress over next season and get his self belief that he is a significant force to be reckoned with - and opposition have to double team him - the door opens wide to the new game plan of kicking long and quickly into the forward line.

Cannot wait to see what holds for his and our future next season.

To be honest, we shouldn't be thinking of using Vardy in the forward line, I'd be more keen on West as I believe Vardy should be our number one ruck in the future, that to depends on big Dawson, on his progression around the ground.

 

[The rabbi]

To be honest, we shouldn't be thinking of using Vardy in the forward line, I'd be more keen on West as I believe Vardy should be our number one ruck in the future, that to depends on big Dawson, on his progression around the ground.

The modern ruckman can ruck and drop into the forward line (or defense) and be damaging there too. The one dimensional ruckman whose usefulness only revolves around stoppages is on the way to extinction.

Vardy is certainly capable of playing ruck and KPP forward.

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

Hawk is due... i can sense it, you can't play that well in pressure games and not be a good thing! Just sort out that kicking mate and you could be a superstar!

Our biggest trump card at the moment is one James Bartel - love the way he has turned into a Matthew Richardson type wingman. He could be brutal next year. I actually called for Mackie to take this role at the start of the year (and actually still think he could interchange with Bartel)....but having this marking strength floating around is deadly.

Too exciting to be a Cats man at the moment....am looking forward to a deadly forward combination of Menzel, Vardy and Mitch Brown.

 

[tzman]

The altered game plan of quickly kicking the ball long and direct seems to have coincided him stepping up over the finals.

 

[bobbycatsfanme]

The altered game plan of quickly kicking the ball long and direct seems to have coincided him stepping up over the finals.

i guess he doesn't have to think and can just play his game which is jump at the footy on every opportunity

 

[vealesy]

The game has changed again and this new style of play, really is just the 'old' way footy was played, or as I call it "get the ball and kick the ****ing thing"

Suits Hawk perfectly. More 1on1 contests. Just needs it delivered lace out, which is what made us notice him more in the 2nd half of the GF, the delivery was better.

As long as he stays out of the centre bounces, he will be great from now on IMO.