Opinion Trying to define a form line

[free at last]

Trying to define or gauge a form line between us and the hawks is kind of difficult.
We played the hawks months ago with no where near our best 22 side and lost.
Since that game (round 4) we've obviously improved $hit loads.

We have improved defensively,through the midfield and offensively.

When it comes to hawthorn I can't see much or if any improvement on 2012.
Are the hawks better with lake down back compared to schoemakers?
Through the midfield I reckon they are neutral.And offensively same too IMO.

Thoughts.

 

[Kunna17]

Trying to define or gauge a form line between us and the hawks is kind of difficult.
We played the hawks months ago with no where near our best 22 side and lost.
Since that game (round 4) we've obviously improved $hit loads.

We have improved defensively,through the midfield and offensively.

When it comes to hawthorn I can't see much or if any improvement on 2012.
Are the hawks better with lake down back compared to schoemakers?
Through the midfield I reckon they are neutral.And offensively same too IMO.

Thoughts.

Lake been very very good for them, that all i got to say though.

 

[caterina]

I think the thing is Hawthorn saw their draw for 2013 and knew they had to be up and running at full pace from rounds 1-7 when they played every finalist from 2012. No easing into the season for them. Combine that with our outs in round 4 and its not surprising they smashed us.
Massive credit to them to have managed their year so well after the horror draw they had, but the form line from that game is useless
In terms of last year, I think overall they are better than 2012, they have more outside run with Hill coming on and their rucks and tall defenders that were a weakness have been improved. Plus they have managed their preparation better.
They deserve to be favourites, their overall form is better. We can win but they should win.

 

[sij1981]

I think the thing is Hawthorn saw their draw for 2013 and knew they had to be up and running at full pace from rounds 1-7 when they played every finalist from 2012. No easing into the season for them. Combine that with our outs in round 4 and its not surprising they smashed us.
Massive credit to them to have managed their year so well after the horror draw they had, but the form line from that game is useless
In terms of last year, I think overall they are better than 2012, they have more outside run with Hill coming on and their rucks and tall defenders that were a weakness have been improved. Plus they have managed their preparation better.
They deserve to be favourites, their overall form is better. We can win but they should win.

One thing I have learnt from our team is whatever and whoever we play we will give it a go Geelong smashed us earlier well we surprised them Sydney nearly beat us and we smashed them, at least I know that RTB will leave no stone un turned.

So hawks will get run for their money.

 

[Mockcockpit]

Everyone says they smashed us earlier this year but if memory serves me correct we were down by only 17 points at one stage in the last quarter before they kicked away again. We mustn't have been that rubbish that day.

 

[sij1981]

Everyone says they smashed us earlier this year but if memory serves me correct we were down by only 17 points at one stage in the last quarter before they kicked away again. We mustn't have been that rubbish that day.

Correct, and without our top forward line also and no mundy etc

 

[E Shed]

Everyone says they smashed us earlier this year but if memory serves me correct we were down by only 17 points at one stage in the last quarter before they kicked away again. We mustn't have been that rubbish that day.

They jumped us and then just cruised and everytime we got near they went back up a notch and kicked a couple. Much like we did to Sydney.

The hardest thing I find to get a handle on is our ceiling. Every time I think they have put the foot down to the floor it seems like Ross has an extra gear to switch up and I honestly don't believe he's let them play at full throttle until the Geelong game. We couldn't play any better than that I thought but it went up another notch against Sydney. Have we got yet another gear? I believe Hawthorn would be worried.

 

[Admiral Byng]

I don't think there is a form line that can be drawn.

 

[go_the_dockers]

Everyone says they smashed us earlier this year but if memory serves me correct we were down by only 17 points at one stage in the last quarter before they kicked away again. We mustn't have been that rubbish that day.

Closest Margin was 40 points in the last quarter.

They kicked 6 goals to 2 in the second quarter, then we scored 5 goals to there 3 in the 3rd but they comprehensively beat us. Final margin was 17.17 to 9.9.

Change from round 14
Hawks
In: Lake, Sewell, Anderson
Out: Duryea, Osborne, Schoenmakers

In avlich, Sandilands, Clarke
Out:Griffin, c Pearce, Bradley

I know we have a few player playing better football now, but everyone is going to have to be playing out of there skin to beat Hawthorn.

 

[Taylor]

I'm really looking forward to what our team can do for four quarters knowing that there is no next week to get up for.

Last week we put the rest plan into action after half time, seemingly our prelim intensity was higher than the qualifying final intensity. I think four quarters at prelim intensity could see us win by a big margin. Their kicking game could either cut us apart, over committed to the ball carrier and their outside run leaving us in the dust OR they could turn the ball over and their running backs get caught out of position and we have multiple set shots from 30-50 out.

 

[Mockcockpit]

Closest Margin was 40 points in the last quarter.

They kicked 6 goals to 2 in the second quarter, then we scored 5 goals to there 3 in the 3rd but they comprehensively beat us. Final margin was 17.17 to 9.9.

That was last year's game and in that one we did get smashed!

 

[INSANE]

I'm tipping Freo because; In my opinion they're in peak form and in better physical shape than the Hawks. Perfect player to take out Mitchell, buddy and roughy will find it very hard with the numbers around them as against the Cats, Rioli will also struggle to get space and create magic and Breust goes to water in finals. Big advantage in the ruck.

Only concern is the width of the MCG, where the Saints of 09 and 10 struggled a bit with a similar style....and yeah I know how good the Hawks are too.

 

[go_the_dockers]

That was last year's game and in that one we did get smashed!

I am blaming my phone. Good pick up.

 

[Yuley95]

Trying to define or gauge a form line between us and the hawks is kind of difficult.
When it comes to hawthorn I can't see much or if any improvement on 2012.
Are the hawks better with lake down back compared to schoemakers?
Through the midfield I reckon they are neutral.And offensively same too IMO.

Thoughts.

Please forgive the intrusion... You guys have certainly improved steadily over the season. We have been pretty steady with a couple of blips.

I think our real improvement from 2012 comes in the form of versatility and hopefully fitness at this point in the season.

We were spent by finals last year but seem to have managed workloads of various key players better in the lead up to finals this year.

We can rotate a lot more players through the midfield this year as well as forward an back which is giving us more options and making it harder for oppositions to plan match ups.

That said, you guys are in fantastic form and it looks like it will be a cracker game.

Good luck and may the best team win!

 

[pavsbootlace]

I present to you the following 3 facts.

1. Freo Defeated Sydney by 25 points after taking the foot off the gas when they were 50+ points up at the 10 minute mark of the final quarter.

2. Hawthorn defeated Geelong by 5 points in the game that went right down to the wire.

3. For the last 5 years in a row, the team that has won their prelim by the bigger margin has gone on to win the flag.

You can make your own conclusion.

 

[Righteo]

Everyone says they smashed us earlier this year but if memory serves me correct we were down by only 17 points at one stage in the last quarter before they kicked away again. We mustn't have been that rubbish that day.

First quarter cost us, from memory we were about 40 points down so it was always going to be hard to come back. We fought hard though and got it back to a manageable margin but they were able to hold on and kick a few junk goals to restore their quarter time lead.

If Hawks fans want to use that game as proof of their superiority over us, playing at the godforsaken Aurora with no Sandi/Pav/McPharlin then they can feel free to do so but it's virtually identical to Geelong fans claiming their smashing of an undermanned Freo earlier in the year was enough of a reason to write us off.

I really hope from now on we can play the ****ers at the G, I'd think we'll get a record number of MCG in our fixture next year.

 

[BananaOnTheRun]

pros:
1. hawthorn played their grand final last week
2. we are more rested
3. which means we will be able to apply our manic pressure
4. more of their players are carrying little niggles than ours
5. it will be wet.

cons:
1. their tall forwards will be a handful
2. question marks over mcpharlin and johnson, who would be minding them
4. it's at the MCG
5. the majority of our players haven't experienced the grand final palaver yet, with the parade and whatnot, which i'd imagine would be rather freaky.

 

[Brown n Gold]

Agree guys, very hard to get a read on this one. I would expect your pressure on the ball to take time and space away from the ball users of the Hawks particularly early in the game. It's a question of can you take advantage of it early and put score on the board and then what happens when the tempo slows down a little. Sandi and Clarke will dominate in the ruck, how will the Hawks mids combat a)read Freo's hit outs b)defend first at the stoppages? the only question mark for me re Freo is your backline.. when fit Luke McPharlin is a freak and is well backed up by Dawson & Johnson but with 2 of your 3 best tall defenders with a ??? against their name you could find some trouble down there. Any thoughts on the matchups down there??

 

[ozzie69]

It's hard to know how we go against Hawthorn anywhere other than Launceston - it has been so long since we met them anywhere else.

 

[caterina]

Agree guys, very hard to get a read on this one. I would expect your pressure on the ball to take time and space away from the ball users of the Hawks particularly early in the game. It's a question of can you take advantage of it early and put score on the board and then what happens when the tempo slows down a little. Sandi and Clarke will dominate in the ruck, how will the Hawks mids combat a)read Freo's hit outs b)defend first at the stoppages? the only question mark for me re Freo is your backline.. when fit Luke McPharlin is a freak and is well backed up by Dawson & Johnson but with 2 of your 3 best tall defenders with a ??? against their name you could find some trouble down there. Any thoughts on the matchups down there??

Agree with this.
I think most people expect McP will take Buddy, Dawson to Roughead.
Both are potentially losing matchups for us - McP at his best has shown he can easily hold Buddy but he is no where near his best, Roughead has had Dawsons measure in the past

 

[Fred Ziffel]

Closest Margin was 40 points in the last quarter.

They kicked 6 goals to 2 in the second quarter, then we scored 5 goals to there 3 in the 3rd but they comprehensively beat us. Final margin was 17.17 to 9.9.

Change from round 14
Hawks
In: Lake, Sewell, Anderson
Out: Duryea, Osborne, Schoenmakers

In avlich, Sandilands, Clarke
Out:Griffin, c Pearce, Bradley

I know we have a few player playing better football now, but everyone is going to have to be playing out of there skin to beat Hawthorn.

At the very least we are going to have to be as good as we've been in this finals series. Our pressure was fantastic against Geelong and then we upped it against Sydney. Anything less won't be good enough.
As Ross said, " We go over knowing our best is good enough "

 

[Brown n Gold]

Agree with this.
I think most people expect McP will take Buddy, Dawson to Roughead.
Both are potentially losing matchups for us - McP at his best has shown he can easily hold Buddy but he is no where near his best, Roughead has had Dawsons measure in the past

What about the small matchups.. Ours backline on your smalls scares the **** out of me, Guerra cant go with either Balla or Walters for speed or agility, I would expect Stratton is a good matchup for either but could be needed on one of the taller esp when Clarke goes down there.

 

[greatgatsby]

What about the small matchups.. Ours backline on your smalls scares the **** out of me, Guerra cant go with either Balla or Walters for speed or agility, I would expect Stratton is a good matchup for either but could be needed on one of the taller esp when Clarke goes down there.

I think the small defenders are your biggest worry - just as Roughy and Buddy being determined to bust out after quiet ones last week is our biggest worry. Watching the game last Friday, you will need to give Mitchell more help this week. Would have got 5 Brownlow votes if they were available for a Prelim. No doubt we will pay a lot of attention to Birchall and Burgoyne and try to exploit your defence with speed.

 

[imperial_oz]

Agree with most others on here. Trying to find any kind of meaningful form guide is proving just a little difficult.

Yes, we've improved, enormously but Hawthorn have been very very good for a long time now. Our form in the finals has been very good but Hawthron haven't exactly been woeful. Their game against Sydney was pretty useful although its hard to get a read on that because Sydney fell away. Their game against Geelong was umpire affected and the result should have been much larger in my view.

The only area I would say we looked better was that manic first half against Sydney but that was at Subi and I would expect us to perform better there. At this stage I'm hoping Lyon has plans b and c ready to go just in case somebody like Buddy or Roughy gets off the leash for a bit. We will want to be able to respond to that pretty quick or it can get away from us.

Other than that, I'm just hoping that the bring great effort and play your roles will let the scoreboard take care of itself once again. I have no idea how this one is going to play out.

In the end, Go Freo! All the way! (please)

 

[Outshined]

It's hard to know how we go against Hawthorn anywhere other than Launceston - it has been so long since we met them anywhere else.

2011 at the MCG, we had them on toast for 3 quarters. Then in true Freo fashion, we collapsed in the last quarter.

From this tiny sample size, we definitely matched up on them ok. Obviously Hawthorn 2011 is a different team to Hawthorn 2013, but we've also come a long way.