Welcome Welcome to Hawthorn: Oliver Hanrahan

[Noel Gallagher]

I just hope he's not another Kade Stewart who seemingly peaked and plateaued early.

Very different player to KS. Kade had a massive heart but really struggled to adapt to the faster tempo of afl. He also lacked leg speed which Ollie has in spades. Think we all agree that Ollie has all the necessary tools to make it, just needs to bring the same effort and intensity each week.

Ps I think he will be able to regularly run through the midfield as well, isn’t afraid to put his head over the ball

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Very different player to KS. Kade had a massive heart but really struggled to adapt to the faster tempo of afl. He also lacked leg speed which Ollie has in spades. Think we all agree that Ollie has all the necessary tools to make it, just needs to bring the same effort and intensity each week.

Ps I think he will be able to regularly run through the midfield as well, isn’t afraid to put his head over the ball

I know this is a big call, but Ollie reminds me a bit of Robbie Gray from Port.

 

[Mississippi]

Anyone that saw Breust at VFL level knew he was going to be an AFL player he just oozes class

That's true but you never really know whether the player is going to achieve at the same level when they step up to AFL. It's fair to say that most players don't. They look a million dollars in the VFL and struggle to maintain that level of excellence at the higher grade.

The best examples I can thing of, of players who worked away at reserves level (when you saw them play really solid football but never knew whether they'd make it in the seniors), and then progressed seamlessly at the higher grade, were Peter Schwab and James Morrissey. And of course, Bruest was the same.

But you could write a book about the others who we all fancied at VFL level but who ultimately disappointed when promoted.

 

[MrPremiership]

I know this is a big call, but Ollie reminds me a bit of Robbie Gray from Port.

Yep, that's my view.

Can't wait til he adds a bit of size. He'll be able to keep up better.

 

[kirbatron]

Ollie was going to be delisted 3 weeks ago.

Great example of how things can change so quickly.

Clean in traffic & looks a good decision maker. 16 touches is most pleasing.

 

[MrPremiership]

Ollie was going to be delisted 3 weeks ago.

Great example of how things can change so quickly.

Clean in traffic & looks a good decision maker. 16 touches is most pleasing.

Don't know about delisting, but he seemed to stall in 2018 and wasn't lighting it up early this year. He has had 2 good weeks and shown what he is capably of. Now its about bringing intensity every week and developing

 

[TheFourPillars]

Don't know about delisting, but he seemed to stall in 2018 and wasn't lighting it up early this year. He has had 2 good weeks and shown what he is capably of. Now its about bringing intensity every week and developing

Mate his papers were signed I reckon had gone backwards or stagnated. Its all about improvement and for a number of reasons he just hadn't. Great to see him actually putting in the hard yards. I am more impressed at the moment by what he is doing when he doesn't have the ball. Its what has been holding him back. Having that true team mentality. Doing the hard running, chasing and tackling sometimes for no reward.

 

[PenAndPaper]

People talking as if he is playing the same role at AFL level as he was at VFL level.

At VFL level he was expected to do a lot more, AFL level lowers that expectation which allows him to focus on pressure, instead of also focusing on running up high half forward and getting the ball as well as the defensive stuff.

BTW he was not close to getting delisted at all, I can assure you of that.

 

[TheFourPillars]

People talking as if he is playing the same role at AFL level as he was at VFL level.

At VFL level he was expected to do a lot more, AFL level lowers that expectation which allows him to focus on pressure, instead of also focusing on running up high half forward and getting the ball as well as the defensive stuff.

BTW he was not close to getting delisted at all, I can assure you of that.

I am sure he was asked to keep it simple but in the end he will be asked to play the same role he does at VFL level. Focusing on his defensive efforts is what has continually been raised as a deficiency. Not just by me watching him but the box hill coaches in their weekly reports

 

[TheFourPillars]

By the way I want Ollie to succeed so don't get me wrong here. I am just calling it as I see it

 

[bumsonseats]

Ollie was going to be delisted 3 weeks ago.

Great example of how things can change so quickly.

Clean in traffic & looks a good decision maker. 16 touches is most pleasing.

Don't know about delisting, but he seemed to stall in 2018 and wasn't lighting it up early this year. He has had 2 good weeks and shown what he is capably of. Now its about bringing intensity every week and developing

Must say I was one of the naysayers.
Have never seen him play, but reports from the BH games were generally not positive.
In particular, lack of 2 way run came across as lazy from what I was reading.

Kicked 4 goals in VFL the week before he got selected for his debut.
Reports from the BH game day thread said that 2 goals were cheap out the back, one from a downfield free kick.
Nevertheless he made his debut the next week, and the rest is history.

Certainly very impressed with what I have seen so far, particularly against the Pies.
Looks like he can play forward and rotate through the middle.

 

[Tomohawks]

He's always shown great potential and the timing feels right for him to elevate himself into our best forward set up with Poppy and Punky soon moving on. Play he, Nash and Lewis for the rest of the season together and see if they can blend their different skill sets into a dangerous forward line of the future.

 

[The Chad and I]

Ollie was going to be delisted 3 weeks ago.

Great example of how things can change so quickly.

Clean in traffic & looks a good decision maker. 16 touches is most pleasing.

True.
We were gunning for pick 2 last week, not we're un-backable favourites for the premiership!

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Love watching the young guys come in and show a bit.

Already he showed signs of picking up the speed of the game a bit better in game 2 than game 1.

 

[lyger]

Love watching the young guys come in and show a bit.

Already he showed signs of picking up the speed of the game a bit better in game 2 than game 1.

Agreed. I have been really impressed by his nous and awareness in traffic. Very clean and looks comfortable. A definite keeper.

 

[B&GBlood]

His precision kick to Shiels set up the eventual goal to McEvoy. He worked hard to make himself available ofr that kick in the backpocket. I had not realised his kicking was that good and his courage to execute it was as impressive. That along with lots of clean hands from the deck and he has shown more than I thought he had already. Alot to like.

 

[sven_inc]

Should play every game alongside Lewis for the rest of the year. At this stage he belongs at AFL level.

Wreaks of a Luke Breust type AFL introduction. I was a little worried we hadn't seen some young guys show a bit like Woprel, Miles and Nash at the end of last year.

Very happy to see Ollie and Lewis step up a bit!

 

[WWSD]

Needs to put on about 5 kilos as he gets pushed around too easily. He’s built like Breust of 2009.

 

[MrPremiership]

Just keeps bobbing up and kicking goals. 5 in 3 games (2 of those games against 2018 Grand Finalists).

 

[Howe Amazing]

I love Poppy but he would be nervous now

 

[MrPremiership]

I love Poppy but he would be nervous now

No one else doing the defensive stuff that he does though.

 

[Howe Amazing]

No one else doing the defensive stuff that he does though.

No doubt but who else goes apart from Rough? Have to draw the line somewhere

 

[MrPremiership]

No doubt but who else goes apart from Rough? Have to draw the line somewhere

Why retire a player just because of his age? If there isn't anyone taking his spot in the 22, then he stays

 

[Tomohawks]

No one else doing the defensive stuff that he does though.

This is true, however he's not doing anything else at the moment and that is why this will be Poppy's final season.

 

[eldorado]

No doubt but who else goes apart from Rough? Have to draw the line somewhere

There are at least 2 other aoart from Rough likely out the door before Poppy. he may go, he may get another year