Preview What's your expectation for 2018?

[MightyHawks]

Whoops- pressed the wrong button & picked 15-18

 

[Pessimistic]

Agree with everything you said bar I think we are a sizable underdog in that game, we will have a troublesome time dealing with Danger, Ablett, Selwood & Duncan.

Every time I see a player get a free for a push in the back after kicking get a free or even a downfield free like Smith wasn’t given I realise how we wre shafted last Geelong game. That’s even without noting razor ray doing the danger good fairy impression
I expect our team is a chance to win every game even the road trips are doable

 

[Pessimistic]

Aflx I know but when those kids dig deep to almost win it all against more mature opposition I don’t think the mood at the club is to accept our fate meekly

If we did have a form resurgence, this would be a year to do it. It’s been quoted we have a stiff draw but a glance shows our first away trip is Brisbane round 9. We also have freo and Sydney where we usually do OK. Our toughest fixture is GWS away round 15

We take port. Lions. Suns saints down to tassie leaving home games v Sydney Adelaide eagles mcg and Etihad

The other double ups are Geelong Essendon saints

 

[threesixpio]

Finals could happen but it hinges on

a) O’Meara playing close to a full season and our midfield really gelling - maybe Howe developing more and a couple of kids becoming , at least, really good midfield depth
b) Leaders emerging in the backline - maybe Burgers stays there all year but f*** how tempting is it to move Burgers elsewhere when needed ?
c) Still worried about who is the heir apparent with outside run. If he’s already on our list I’m not sure this is the year that he will shine....my biggest concern (last year it was the half back line and wowee did Clarko give that a good shake)
d) I’m almost cocky about our fwdline - and for good reason. Even if Pops slows down I think we can replace him with a young enthusiastic type. Gunner back in the fwdline will be great and I reckon Rough and/or Schoey are up for a big year too. Sizzle back...oh yeah
e) Belief and game style - two different things entirely and yet one dies without the other. I’m getting a real sense of grit, confidence and determination in some of our younger players - Sic, Howe, Hardwick, Burton and Mitchell. Hope this continues and hope Clarko continues to inspire and innovate.

Go Hawks

 

[Pessimistic]

No shortage of options for the ends, just the midfield a work in progress

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Expecting a 2007 type season. Will at times look top 4 but won’t have the maturity across the park. Crawford likely to get suspended for whacking that Harvey twerp in the semi final when we take a bog average north side too lightly.

Sorry - analogy turned into memory.

 

[Brishawk]

Expecting a 2007 type season. Will at times look top 4 but won’t have the maturity across the park. Crawford likely to get suspended for whacking that Harvey twerp in the semi final when we take a bog average north side too lightly.

Sorry - analogy turned into memory.

As if north are going to play finals

 

[Gene Simmons]

Just looking at our first 6 rounds... we really could be 5-1 or we could be 1-5... The comp really is that even.

Realistically, a pass mark considering where we are at would be 3-3 after 6 rounds.

 

[RIOLINWITPUNCHS]

Expecting a 2007 type season. Will at times look top 4 but won’t have the maturity across the park. Crawford likely to get suspended for whacking that Harvey twerp in the semi final when we take a bog average north side too lightly.

Sorry - analogy turned into memory.

I'd be happy with a 2007 style season this year if it means next year will be a 2008 style season .

 

[Max Powers]

World Champions!!!

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

Agree with everything you said bar I think we are a sizable underdog in that game, we will have a troublesome time dealing with Danger, Ablett, Selwood & Duncan.

There going to be in strife if we get the ball inside 50 enough, they dont have the matchups down there to hold their own anymore. Our midfield is better this year. 60-40 in geelongs favour.

 

[Mitchell54]

9-14th. Will be dissapoined if we finish in the bottom half of that sector. think we're in that 8-11th range

 

[Spursfan]

I think par is about 11 wins, given this squad and the strength of the competition. A good season would 12-13 wins and bottom half of the 8

 

[kazzooka]

Just like every other year, I am 100% certain we will win the flag.

If at the end of the year we don't it will be because

1. "it's vickery's fault and jaegar missed too many games, rioli out".

2. "If we had roughy all year we would've fourthorn'd".

3. "If not for Croad's foot, Crawf shouldn't have retired; if he can run to bloody Adelaide he can play another year".

4. "We was robbed"

etc....

 

[SA HAWK]

I think if everything goes right we can make the bottom half of the 8 but i have tipped 9-14.

I think we have a very tough draw this season considering where we finished last year.

Way more excited about this year than last year.

 

[Gralin]

Just like every other year, I am 100% certain we will win the flag.

If at the end of the year we don't it will be because

1. "it's vickery's fault and jaegar missed too many games, rioli out".

2. "If we had roughy all year we would've fourthorn'd".

3. "If not for Croad's foot, Crawf shouldn't have retired; if he can run to bloody Adelaide he can play another year".

4. "We was robbed"

etc....

Fair bit of truth in #2

 

[becalm]

I'll be very disappointed if we don't make the 8.
Expect to finish 3 - 6.
The break from footy last year will do Stratton, Rioli and Birchall the world of good.
Provided we don't have excessive injuries we will have greater depth.
Allot will depend on the fitness of JOM, but if he fires I would expect to make the top 4.
The big if is can we repeat the form of the second half of last year, I,m expecting we will.

 

[Thaihawk]

A few things have to go right but we should be aiming for a flag. We have a very mature best 22 and a few players entering their prime who account for most of our elite talent (omeara, Mitchell, Burton, Sicily). It’s not a now or never situation but possibly it will get harder before it gets easier to win a flag with this list as the old guard get too old and other teams get their shit together (past two years the standard fell).

Same old, same old for Clarko; we aim for the finals, and then the next stage begins.

 

[threesixpio]

No shortage of options for the ends, just the midfield a work in progress

Bang. This

 

[Brishawk]

Bang. This

I think we are well positioned to leap forward here. Omeara and Mitchell are as good as any in the comp. Howe is ready to become a prime mover. If one of cousins, Lovell and O’Rourke come on this year we will then have Sheila as a fith midfielder which suits him perfectly. Smith, Morrison and Henderson to play wing. So long as Howe keeps tracking the way he is going and omeara plays most of the season we only need to find one more and we will have a very strong midfield. Add to that being able to play impey, roughy, Breust and Rioli in burst through the middle. That makes a pretty dynamic setup without even needing to put Burgoyne, Langford or even poppy or a Hanrahan type in the middle. I think we will surprise many with the strength of our midfield this year.

 

[threesixpio]

I think we are well positioned to leap forward here. Omeara and Mitchell are as good as any in the comp. Howe is ready to become a prime mover. If one of cousins, Lovell and O’Rourke come on this year we will then have Sheila as a fith midfielder which suits him perfectly. Smith, Morrison and Henderson to play wing. So long as Howe keeps tracking the way he is going and omeara plays most of the season we only need to find one more and we will have a very strong midfield. Add to that being able to play impey, roughy, Breust and Rioli in burst through the middle. That makes a pretty dynamic setup without even needing to put Burgoyne, Langford or even poppy or a Hanrahan type in the middle. I think we will surprise many with the strength of our midfield this year.

I agree BH but it is still a relative unknown. Oppo supporters will lose their shit if our midfield blossoms this year.

Still worried about outside run ...

 

[Brishawk]

I agree BH but it is still a relative unknown. Oppo supporters will lose their shit if our midfield blossoms this year.

Still worried about outside run ...

I reckon Morrison will be better than Hartung for us. And I think omeara and, to a lesser extent, impey, will straighten us up out of stoppages a bit rather than having to flick it out the back all the time.

 

[threesixpio]

I reckon Morrison will be better than Hartung for us. And I think omeara and, to a lesser extent, impey, will straighten us up out of stoppages a bit rather than having to flick it out the back all the time.

Yep - very excited about the possibility of JOM being an inside AND outside option and The Axeman gave us a sniff of that in his reports

Morrison seems to have the fitness which is good. I liked his one game last year. He’s a bit light in frame but I could have said that about plenty of outsider runners, Brad Hill included.

I also have hopes for JOR on the outside.

 

[Yuley95]

Expecting a 2007 type season. Will at times look top 4 but won’t have the maturity across the park. Crawford likely to get suspended for whacking that Harvey twerp in the semi final when we take a bog average north side too lightly.

Sorry - analogy turned into memory.

I think it’s the ‘maturity across the park’ bit that we need to spend the year working on.

I think the aim should be to finish 6-10 as long as we get more games into 4 or 5 identified as crucial to the next premiership and uncover 2 or 3 more that may very well be part of it.

The first group includes people like Sicily and o’meara And the second group could be any of glass, Morrison, Worpel etc

There is no limit on what we can achieve but our eye should be firmly on continuing to foster emerging talent

 

[RIOLINWITPUNCHS]

Yep - very excited about the possibility of JOM being an inside AND outside option and The Axeman gave us a sniff of that in his reports

Morrison seems to have the fitness which is good. I liked his one game last year. He’s a bit light in frame but I could have said that about plenty of outsider runners, Brad Hill included.

I also have hopes for JOR on the outside.

Morrisons frame doesn't stop him from putting his head over the nut or backing into packs.

Gets thrown around a lot this statement but for me he has future captain written all over him. Early call I know but im sticking to it.