Welcome Welcome to Hawthorn: Josh Ward. Extends to 2029!

[eldorado]

Never say never, but if Ward was to approach Lachie Neale

9

Lachie Neale

Age

32

Ht

177cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

27.0

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

15.5

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.7

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

28.3

5star

K

13.9

5star

HB

14.4

5star

M

4.6

4star

T

4.0

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

12.0

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

7.4

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

1.0

3star

CL

0.4

3star

levels, we would all be doing handstands...

It's enough that those who wrote him off as a dud, and said we'd seen his ceiling last year, can reflect a bit on the nature of premature judgements...

 

[MazHawk]

Never say never, but if Ward was to approach Lachie Neale levels, we would all be doing handstands...

It's enough that those who wrote him off as a dud, and said we'd seen his ceiling last year, can reflect a bit on the nature of premature judgements...

If they're not careful I may do the I TOLD YOU SO again. With interpretative dance.

 

[DearJai]

Never say never, but if Ward was to approach Lachie Neale levels, we would all be doing handstands...

It's enough that those who wrote him off as a dud, and said we'd seen his ceiling last year, can reflect a bit on the nature of premature judgements...

Never say never about Josh Ward.

Lesson of the day type stuff.

I said the same about Jai Newcombe very early. He's already there now.

Called Calsher Dear after Box Hill rd 3/6. Still a long way to go, but he's on the way.

Called Josh Ward years after MazHawk, Dewy and others. But he's the same type of proposition imo. Once you recognize the raw talent and drive to maximize it all, it just cannot be unseen.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Never say never about Josh Ward.

Lesson of the day type stuff.

I said the same about Jai Newcombe very early. He's already there now.

Called Calsher Dear after Box Hill rd 3/6. Still a long way to go, but he's on the way.

Called Josh Ward years after MazHawk, Dewy and others. But he's the same type of proposition imo. Once you recognize the raw talent and drive to maximize it all, it just cannot be unseen.

People often look too closely into the accumulation of performance and largely ignore the processes and talent that makes it.

Once you can identify that, you’ll be laughing and enjoying more about the juniors, or younger talents in the league.

It was blatantly obvious with some and maybe not with others but at the end of the day in Wardys case. Whilst there is still a while to go, he showed alot early thay should’ve been picked up about how highly talented he is.

 

[Suntory Boss Coffee]

not sure why ward and neale are being compared. Even if Ward was on the same tier as Neale in the future, they have really different playstyles.

Ward is a Merrett/Brayshaw type imo

 

[DearJai]

not sure why ward and neale are being compared. Even if Ward was on the same tier as Neale in the future, they have really different playstyles.

Ward is a Merrett/Brayshaw type imo

Those guys are more bustling types. They're absolutely huge talents, but neither is the smooth moving machine Neale is.

I was watching Lachie a little bit earlier in the year, and the way he was carving through traffic to set up play in the middle of the ground - putting on the jets to escape congestion. It looked Just like Ward has started to when he's on. Ditto with Ward's improved evasion and ability to bounce off tacklers, or spin out of trouble.

That's the comparison.

Josh Ward is a completely different kind of athlete to Merrett and Brayshaw.

No disrespect to them, they're both extremely effective A grader footballers.

 

[Nathan Detroit]

Dwayne referred to him as a 'ditch-digger' earlier this season...

 

[DearJai]

That was another strong game, he and Newcombe are working really well together now.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

He has been clean and decisive over the last few weeks in particular. Hopefully by this time next season he'll be a 25 touch player, as he has more of an impact per possession than most other midfielders.

I just wish he finished the game strongly, he deserves a big 30+ performance. But neither he or Newcombe could get near it in the last quarter, otherwise he was awesome.

 

[matey]

Recall Wardy getting the ball in heavy traffic then spun to avoid a tackle (giving him an extra split second) and he beautifully handballed over his head straight to a teammate on his own …… his vision/awareness and clean hands was beautiful to watch.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Different player to Lachie. Lachie is ridiculously strong through his core/hips and may have the biggest quads in the game bar Ollie Wines - he explodes though congestion with strength and is a clearance machine. While Ward is improving in this area, his skillset is more around great ball use in a little bit of space rather than clearing congestion.

He's a much better kick than Lachie too. For me, Ward should be looking to Brayshaw/Merrett for A-grade comparisons. I hope he can get there (and think he's on his way).

People forget how good he was at his peak, but a very early player comparison for Ward in his draft year was Marc Murphy.
Smaller, hard working midfielder who can find the ball and deliver with precision, but doesn't necessarily take metres gained through long kicking, instead doing so with neat skills and follow up efforts. Also has natural leadership qualities.

 

[SSSSSS]

Really liked him in the clinches on the weekend. 8 ground ball gets.

 

[Mojo]

Progressing. He just needs to believe in himself more; he's often in the best position but elects to handball it off.

 

[Come back Cyril]

People forget how good he was at his peak, but a very early player comparison for Ward in his draft year was Marc Murphy.
Smaller, hard working midfielder who can find the ball and deliver with precision, but doesn't necessarily take metres gain through long kicking, instead doing so with neat skills and follow up efforts. Also has natural leadership qualities.

I really like this comparison.

 

[MillerHawk]

I really like this comparison.

Great comparison, but I think we’re all hoping he can take his game one notch higher than Murphy did.

 

[Come back Cyril]

Great comparison, but I think we’re all hoping he can take his game one notch higher than Murphy did.

Definitely. I think Josh has more weapons, and is definitely a better defensive runner than Murphy - just lacks Murphy's ability to draw the ball/accumulate possessions at this stage of his career.

 

[H00t]

Great comparison, but I think we’re all hoping he can take his game one notch higher than Murphy did.

Murphy did win the coaches association award in 2011 and finished 7th in the Brownlow that year. As well as 9th in 2009.

From then he had a pretty rotten run with injuries including knee surgeries in each of 2012,13 and 14.

Ward takes it a level higher and he’s winning many awards.

 

[SSSSSS]

Another good finals performance from Wardy.

Unheralded but effective.

 

[marklar]

Another good finals performance from Wardy.

Unheralded but effective.

Under the radar is how we like it. Keeps getting the job done without getting the attention.

 

[humid hawk]

He's just so clean and rarely if ever double grabs.

He's also the best handballer in the team - absolute bullets!

 

[theiaofseed]

Lead the game for centre clearances with 4 from only 15 CBA's, thats a huge ratio when you consider Callaghan, Green and Newcombe all had 30 plus CBA'S each and only managed 1:10 ratio for centre clearances.

 

[SSSSSS]

Lead the game for centre clearances with 4 from only 15 CBA's, thats a huge ratio when you consider Callaghan, Green and Newcombe all had 30 plus CBA'S each and only managed 1:10 ratio for centre clearances.

I feel like most came in the first quarter. It was Newk getting first hands and getting it to Ward on the back of stoppage playing the Day sweeper role.

 

[Come back Cyril]

Not an amazing gane but played his role and as ever was great with ball in hand. I've enjoyed watching him improve on the weaker aspects of his game this year and one improvement I've noticed in the last ten or so weeks is his tackling/intent when defending. Thought he was a bit hesitant/weak in his tackling intent and would get shrugged off or stepped too often - I've seen an improvement in this area of late.

 

[StillAtLarge]

Makes the right decisions and rarely/if ever looks flustered. I think that coolness and confidence rubs off on his midfield cohorts

 

[JZedd]

All we need now is for McKenzie to follow suit...