I respect your opinion but I'm not sure what evidence there is for a Hodge/Mitchell decline when they were two of the best three players on the field in the best performance by a Hawthorn team in at least 25 years...
Neither of them really rely on leg speed for their effectiveness - more so quick reflexes and reading the play. I think that they each have at least 2 more years left, but will probably be managed and play only 18-20 games at most per H&A season.
Fair enough. Yes they were fantastic. It's really just a gut feel based on:
- hodge's body has taken a pounding over the years
- he's not the line breaker he once was.
- he plays his best loose man in defence because he can't outrun blokes one on one and reads the play so well.
- every year over 30 in the modern game is hard yakka.
- Mitch I think lost a yard after the hammy and he didn't have many to start with.
- the kicking left foot for goal worries me. It smacks of loss of confidence in his leg.
- he was helped by not being tagged due to the arrogance of several teams.
- no doubt he is the best extractor, indeed our best player for 10 years, his hands are a joy to watch, I just have a feeling he won't be able to keep his sharpness after another 12 months at the coal face.
Hopefully, I'm wrong. They have both given me much to cheer.