Welcome Welcome to the Hawks Jack Scrimshaw

[WWSD]

Our backline next year is potentially elite...Scrimshaw, Day, Sicily, Hardwick, DGB stepping in, CJ.

Mouth-watering prospect...

All we need is one young key defender to play alongside Grainger-Barras to bring it all together.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Scrimshaw is beating Burton in just about every single statistical category this year.

2021 season averages


Scrimshaw vs Burton
11 Games 12
20.6 Disposals 17.3
84% DE 76.3%
5.7 Marks 4.7
0.6 Contested Marks 0.4
1.7 Tackles 2.5
4.4 Rebound 50s 4.1
1.7 Inside 50s 1.5
0.2 Goals 0​

Pretty sure Burton has come off early in multiple games, so that's not a true reflection.

 

[Slysh]

Pretty sure Burton has come off early in multiple games, so that's not a true reflection.

Scrimshaw also came on late in the game as a sub as well

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Scrimshaw also came on late in the game as a sub as well

Got to take those games out of it.

 

[KermitJagger]

Got to take those games out of it.

I don't think so. Ability to stay on the park is important.

 

[MrPremiership]

I don't think so. Ability to stay on the park is important.

How many hammies did Burton do last year, 3?

 

[Judd2Sewell]

I don't think so. Ability to stay on the park is important.

Yeah obviously it's important - the best ability is availability after all. But if you're working out a fair average for disposals, etc, you get a better idea of what they are capable of by removing games with injuries or subs.

 

[WWSD]

Birchall’s in career best form. He’s surging into the top 10 in the club best & fairest award. During the last two months he’s arguably been our most consistent defender.

• 20+ disposals in six of the last seven games
• career high averages in disposals, marks, contested marks, tackles, rebound 50s and goals

 

[MrPremiership]

Birchall’s in career best form. He’s surging into the top 10 in the club best & fairest award. During the last two months he’s arguably been our most consistent defender.

• 20+ disposals in six of the last seven games
• career high averages in disposals, marks, contested marks, tackles, rebound 50s and goals

I hope Scrimshaw's nickname is Birch, or Beaver.

Not something simple like Scrim

 

[CHUBBSS]

Birchall’s in career best form. He’s surging into the top 10 in the club best & fairest award. During the last two months he’s arguably been our most consistent defender.

• 20+ disposals in six of the last seven games
• career high averages in disposals, marks, contested marks, tackles, rebound 50s and goals

I love Birchall so that’s bloody great

 

[FTP]

Who says Hawthorn don’t have any exciting young talent?

The Hawks can play some pretty uninspiring football at times. But that fact alone has shaped into a belief that Hawthorn are both not exciting to watch and have no elite young talent. The second part is certainly not true.

One player that has come on leaps and bounds this year is Jack Scrimshaw (#14). Scrimshaw was a high draft selection for the Gold Coast Suns (a topic we discussed in length) but struggled with home sickness and injury and never found his feet. Even at Hawthorn early he struggled. Now, we are starting to see why he was rated so highly as a youngster.

Teams were high on Scrimshaw for his ball use coming out of TAC Cup. But his most redeeming quality right now (are you starting to notice a theme at FTP?) is his intercept marking.

He is averaging 6 intercepts a game including 2.3 intercept marks (ranking him elite within the AFL). At 193cm, he is both a great size to fly for marks coming off a small or actually matching up on tall forwards himself. There were a number of times on the weekend where he took Jones – attesting to his positional versatility. Against Essendon he had 10 marks, including ones like this out bodying a key position player.




The last two weeks have given us a glimpse on the player he is becoming – he’s averaged 10.5 intercepts a game!




Similar to the discussion of Wil Powell last week, mid sized defenders like Scrimshaw (Vlaustin’s been the benchmark for the last four years) who can match up on smalls but provide defensive relief for teammates through intercepts are so valuable in the modern AFL. This is because not only can they defend in the air and at ground level but because of their size they’re usually good ball users as well. This year, Scrimshaw is averaging a career high disposal efficiency (82%).

This is a great sequence showcasing what Scrimshaw is capable of. Scrimshaw is matched up on Buddy and is positioned to read the dump kick forward quick. Upon taking the intercept mark, he nails a low ball to a dangerous area – resulting in a shot on goal.




The Hawks have a number of these players – Jiath and Day complement Scrimshaw nicely (We haven’t even seen Denver Grainger-Barrass either who is likened to Jeremy McGovern).

Hawthorn’s acquisitions from other clubs in recent years has been questionable to say the least. They have absolutely nailed this trade. Scrimshaw is going to be around for a long time given his versatility. He could be one of the best mid-sized intercepting defenders in the league or could very easily move up the ground into a midfield role. Look for one of those defenders mentioned (Jiath or Scrimshaw) to make such a move given Hawthorn’s influx of (really good!) small to medium defender (Scrimshaw, Jiath, Day, Impey, Hardwick, Sicily).

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

There is a site wide policy against promoting of blogs websites and podcasts. So I’ve removed any reference to them from the above post.

 

[Blackhawk42]

There is a site wide policy against promoting of blogs websites and podcasts. So I’ve removed any reference to them from the above post.

Well I never knew this and I've been guilty of sharing links to my own podcast. Awkward.

 

[toomanysquibs]

I'm kind of lost on people saying Scrimshaw can't defend. Have watched him really closely in one on ones recently, and he wins most of them.

Except that time he played on a 200cm KPF.

Couldn't be more impressed with him in the games I've seen this year. The poster above really nailed it, he's arguably under the radar with our own fans here on BF.

 

[TheFourPillars]

I'm kind of lost on people saying Scrimshaw can't defend. Have watched him really closely in one on ones recently, and he wins most of them.

Except that time he played on a 200cm KPF.

Couldn't be more impressed with him in the games I've seen this year. The poster above really nailed it, he's arguably under the radar with our own fans here on BF.

Scrimshaw has improved over the course of the year along with CJ. Its about knowing the structures and defending to them not just your man. CJ and Scrimshaw got lost quite a few times in transition. Defending is a team activity

 

[toomanysquibs]

Birchall’s in career best form.

The other Birchall is staying on the park in the deep North (the more time I spend in the USA, the more I realise QLD is the deep South here). Makes you wonder what we were doing wrong with his fitness.

This Birchall is tearing it up every week. Loved that footage of his mark over the scum's 'red hot' forward. You know, the bloke who can't kick.

 

[FTP]

There is a site wide policy against promoting of blogs websites and podcasts. So I’ve removed any reference to them from the above post.

According to Chief at Bigfooty I'm allowed to post my website link if I post the entire segment on Bigfooty which I have done.

 

[toomanysquibs]

Scrimshaw has improved over the course of the year along with CJ. Its about knowing the structures and defending to them not just your man. CJ and Scrimshaw got lost quite a few times in transition. Defending is a team activity

I'm not at games, but I've not noticed him in the way I notice CJ doing that. The vision is a bit limited with TV though.

I do see our mids allowing overlap run when the don't chase, and that demands the likes of Scrimshaw run to meet the ball carrier, or cover a mid streaming in.

Can get confusing there as to who is actually to blame when that happens for sure.

 

[TheFourPillars]

I'm not at games, but I've not noticed him in the way I notice CJ doing that. The vision is a bit limited with TV though.

I do see our mids allowing overlap run when the don't chase, and that demands the likes of Scrimshaw run to meet the ball carrier, or cover a mid streaming in.

Can get confusing there as to who is actually to blame when that happens for sure.

Yes it can be confusing for some. Brand was one who couldn't quite work it out. CJ and Scrimshaw are improving in this area. Day is a natural

 

[toomanysquibs]

Yes it can be confusing for some. Brand was one who couldn't quite work it out. CJ and Scrimshaw are improving in this area. Day is a natural

I have daylight between CJ and Scrimshaw on this front. Even just by virtue of the way they play on the transition.

Scrimshaw just very unlikely to wind up gassed, out of position and torched on a turnover the way CJ can be.

I'm not there at games watching to critique him properly, but I see far bigger problems with others on transition if I'm honest.

 

[TheFourPillars]

I have daylight between CJ and Scrimshaw on this front. Even just by virtue of the way they play on the transition.

Scrimshaw just very unlikely to wind up gassed, out of position and torched on a turnover the way CJ can be.

I'm not there at games watching to critique him properly, but I see far bigger problems with others on transition if I'm honest.

But you see that's the point. CJ should go to the closest player and defend him and that should then rotate through the side. CJ is not defending his previous opponent but the closest to him. This is why you end up with mismatches of say a burger defending a tall or a ruckman. It limits the amount of running that all the players in the side have to do to defend. Its modern football and structures

 

[CHUBBSS]

There is a site wide policy against promoting of blogs websites and podcasts. So I’ve removed any reference to them from the above post.

Nothing wrong with a nice write up on one of new young guns, bit of a slack for a Friday is needed

 

[toomanysquibs]

But you see that's the point. CJ should go to the closest player and defend him and that should then rotate through the side. CJ is not defending his previous opponent but the closest to him. This is why you end up with mismatches of say a burger defending a tall or a ruckman. It limits the amount of running that all the players in the side have to do to defend. Its modern football and structures

I would argue that CJ isn't defending an opponent at all on many turnovers when he's run the ball out, because the ball and opposition runners are already past him by the time he can react.

It's one of the real difficulties in AFL, you're trying to get away from the other team when you have the ball, you turn it over, and suddenly you're trying to get close to them to apply pressure.

You're almost reduced to being a spectator when you lose the ball of your boot, have it knocked away in a tackle, get caught holding the ball (and the opponent plays on etc).

On another note, I don't think he's in the same realm as Scrimshaw as a defender, who is also less prone to getting lost.

Teams attack CJ by going through his opponent to try and make him accountable and stifle his run, or they look to take advantage of him over-committing or losing his opponent in a contest. He's getting better as you point out, but someone who attacks as hard as he does is going to have goals kicked on him when it comes unstuck. I think his biggest flaw though is getting lost in contests, you even see it happen one on one with him at times when he overcommits.

We definitely have systems that require the whole team to defend as you point out also - opposition kicks ins, slow attacking thrusts etc. make it super obvious.

On transition we want players running to either their man, a player running to a dangerous position, or to empty space the opposition will use on their counterattack.

I see us break down here most when teams get overlap run going off half back, and a group of mids wind up with the ball on the outnumber through the middle. Mostly I think this is because our mids just can't go with them. Watch us play Geelong or Richmond and you see it a lot. I don't think Scrimshaw or CJ are responsible for this.

At times this can make it look like out back six haven't manned up, because they get caught making a choice to stay with their space or man, or cover the players running at them.

I rarely see forwards pushing up and causing us problems on the rebound because our back six sags off, or because Scrimshaw is not covering a man/his man on a turnover.

As I said though, I know it's different at the ground where you can get a much better feel for this, but I just don't notice him overcommit while rebounding or get caught ball gazing instead of manning up/guarding space during transition. Will definitely be looking harder now though.

 

[Milkshaker]

Who says Hawthorn don’t have any exciting young talent?

The Hawks can play some pretty uninspiring football at times. But that fact alone has shaped into a belief that Hawthorn are both not exciting to watch and have no elite young talent. The second part is certainly not true.

One player that has come on leaps and bounds this year is Jack Scrimshaw (#14). Scrimshaw was a high draft selection for the Gold Coast Suns (a topic we discussed in length) but struggled with home sickness and injury and never found his feet. Even at Hawthorn early he struggled. Now, we are starting to see why he was rated so highly as a youngster.

Teams were high on Scrimshaw for his ball use coming out of TAC Cup. But his most redeeming quality right now (are you starting to notice a theme at FTP?) is his intercept marking.

He is averaging 6 intercepts a game including 2.3 intercept marks (ranking him elite within the AFL). At 193cm, he is both a great size to fly for marks coming off a small or actually matching up on tall forwards himself. There were a number of times on the weekend where he took Jones – attesting to his positional versatility. Against Essendon he had 10 marks, including ones like this out bodying a key position player.




The last two weeks have given us a glimpse on the player he is becoming – he’s averaged 10.5 intercepts a game!




Similar to the discussion of Wil Powell last week, mid sized defenders like Scrimshaw (Vlaustin’s been the benchmark for the last four years) who can match up on smalls but provide defensive relief for teammates through intercepts are so valuable in the modern AFL. This is because not only can they defend in the air and at ground level but because of their size they’re usually good ball users as well. This year, Scrimshaw is averaging a career high disposal efficiency (82%).

This is a great sequence showcasing what Scrimshaw is capable of. Scrimshaw is matched up on Buddy and is positioned to read the dump kick forward quick. Upon taking the intercept mark, he nails a low ball to a dangerous area – resulting in a shot on goal.




The Hawks have a number of these players – Jiath and Day complement Scrimshaw nicely (We haven’t even seen Denver Grainger-Barrass either who is likened to Jeremy McGovern).

Hawthorn’s acquisitions from other clubs in recent years has been questionable to say the least. They have absolutely nailed this trade. Scrimshaw is going to be around for a long time given his versatility. He could be one of the best mid-sized intercepting defenders in the league or could very easily move up the ground into a midfield role. Look for one of those defenders mentioned (Jiath or Scrimshaw) to make such a move given Hawthorn’s influx of (really good!) small to medium defender (Scrimshaw, Jiath, Day, Impey, Hardwick, Sicily).

Great stuff. Thx.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

According to Chief at Bigfooty I'm allowed to post my website link if I post the entire segment on Bigfooty which I have done.

Well if Chief, he of unmatched wisdom says so.....