Analysis Would we be where we are today if Sammy was still captain?

[tommyk72]

Over the last few days i've been doing a bit of reminiscing - my old man sent me a few videos of Clarko speeches from the 2016 Norm Smith dinner and the 2015 Peter Crimmins medal. It's had me thinking of how awesome the last three years have been for this footy club.

At the same time, i've seen a few threads on this board talking about 1/ Sammy's 300th this weekend; and 2/ Predictions on who might be the next Hawthorn captain.

Pulling all this stuff together got me thinking about whether the switch from Sammy to Hodgey had an impact and shaped what we achieved over the last 3 years. Do people think that we still would have achieved the 3-peat with Sammy as captain? Was the switch to Hodgey for the 2011 year something that helped spur us to greater heights? Or are we just blessed to have two such different, yet amazing leaders.

I personally think it has helped. Not sure it's made all the difference, but I think it's contributed. I think Hodgey is a real on-field leader, whereas Sam is a much more professional behind-the-scenes leader, so the split in roles has really helped. I also think one of the great benefits is that Mitch has had the time and energy to keep up his fitness and keep training the professional way he does without all the outside commitments. This has probably helped to keep his career going along at such great heights. Without him in such great form in the 2015 finals series we may not have gone all the way.

That said, there are other days when I think that we have such an amazing bunch of players and support personnel that it wouldn't have made a lick of difference.

In no way do I want this to be seen as a slight on sammy. He is an amazing player and, without him in the team there is no way we would have ever gotten close to achieving what we have as a club. Just interested in people's thoughts.

 

[Pessimistic]

If what we hear from inside the club about shared leadership is true, it shouldnt have made a difference.

Not being captain would have come in handy with sammy having three one year olds to cope with though


Also remember jeff vetod shated captaincy, which was the first preferred option

 

[William Wonka]

Not being captain would have come in handy with sammy having three one year olds to cope with though

I completely understand Mitch handing off the captaincy. Three bubs under the age of one! And one poor little girl crook as well.
Im surprised he didn't try and give Hodgey little Smith as well.
As to whether we would have had the same success, its hard to say- we might have not won a flag or we might be going for six in a row.

 

[Luke_Hodgey_15]

I think it just signified the change of an era.
No slight on Mitchell, but he's just a classy star. Hodge is a classy star that will crack your ribs as fast as he'd crack his own.
We went from a really good team, to a team that wasn't going to let anything get in our way, just by changing where the "(c)" is on our playing list

 

[Hawk Dork]

We have 2 captains

 

[Baz_hawk]

I think it benefited all involved. Hodge was always seem as there on field leader because he demands so much of his teammates, Mitchell was the lead by example captain who did everything you could ask a mid to do. As a post earlier started, Mitchell had a very young family and there move to a lot of the extra commitments off his shoulders and allowed him a better work life balance. I think this has helped his longevity in the game and Hodge has thrived as the captain.

We area better side structurally when Hodge is it there, regardless of his status. The man is basically an on field coach and the coaching staff would love having this guy enforce the set ups and fix things on the go.

 

[hawksalltheway]

i think it is an understated quality of Sam's to have been able to hand over the captaincy to Hodge with such class - to continue to lead this fantastic club along with his great mate, and to establish the culture that has allowed us to strive for and achieve such greatness -

i remember hearing him talk once about handing over the captaincy - and he just said when you have someone like Hodge, such a natural and incredible leader, that he just knew it was the best thing for the club....

i think it is thanks to both Sam & Luke that we are where we are today - couldnt have done it without either of them - and i honestly think we could very well have still achieved all this glory with either one as skipper - as im sure Hodgey would have been just as great a leader with Mitchell as skipper

 

[Dixie Flatline]

We have 2 captains

One of the characteristics of Clarkson's coaching is that he's developed a set of on-field leaders to the point that Hawthorn has multiple "captains" (on-field "generals" might be a better term) playing on all the lines. Last year, for example, Roughead marshalled the forward line (I'm not certain who has taken on that role in Roughead's absence this season).

 

[Brishawk]

One of the characteristics of Clarkson's coaching is that he's developed a set of on-field leaders to the point that Hawthorn has multiple "captains" (on-field "generals" might be a better term) playing on all the lines. Last year, for example, Roughead marshalled the forward line (I'm not certain who has taken on that role in Roughead's absence this season).

Gunston.

 

[cryptor]

To argue we wouldn't have still achieved the same things with Mitchell captain these last few years is just as insulting to Hodge as it is to Mitchell. It would basically be to suggest that Hodge wouldn't perform to the level he did without the responsibility of captain.

As others have said, we've effectively got multiple captains such is the richness of leadership quality on our list. The only thing that would have changed these last few years if Mitchell was still captain is that he'd have been standing next to Clarko hoisting the cups up into the air on GF day instead of Hodge.

 

[beta_condition]

I think it just signified the change of an era.
No slight on Mitchell, but he's just a classy star. Hodge is a classy star that will crack your ribs as fast as he'd crack his own.
We went from a really good team, to a team that wasn't going to let anything get in our way, just by changing where the "(c)" is on our playing list

Mitchell is just as tough as Hodge don't be fooled, it's exactly why he's not widely liked among his peers, toed the line of fair play his entire career.

 

[Luke_Hodgey_15]

Mitchell is just as tough as Hodge don't be fooled, it's exactly why he's not widely liked among his peers, toed the line of fair play his entire career.

Not questioning his toughness, just recognising Hodges unrelenting desire to win

 

[QuietB]

I think Hodge is more suited to being a captain, and in time Mitchell will be more suited to being a coach.

Hodge has that amazing ability to be liked by everyone which is an awesome trait for a captain, maybe not so much for a coach. Think Voss, even that slime bag Hird. And then think how they went as coaches.

 

[Gralin]

I think Hodge is more suited to being a captain, and in time Mitchell will be more suited to being a coach.

Hodge has that amazing ability to be liked by everyone which is an awesome trait for a captain, maybe not so much for a coach. Think Voss, even that slime bag Hird. And then think how they went as coaches.

Hodge at training and on the field is a coach. Whether he wants to be a head coach at the top level is the question. As an assistant coach, a development coach or a junior coach I have no doubt he would be amazing, it's whether he has the interest in being a head coach or not.

 

[QuietB]

Hodge at training and on the field is a coach. Whether he wants to be a head coach at the top level is the question. As an assistant coach, a development coach or a junior coach I have no doubt he would be amazing, it's whether he has the interest in being a head coach or not.

Head coach are total nut jobs though - at least the good ones are

 

[Overriolied]

Feels right with Hodgey as captain. He's such a natural leader. Sam is more like a lieutenant to me. The brains trust.

 

[Ordovician]

Hodge at training and on the field is a coach.

???

And Mitchell isn't ???

It is quite likely both will do time as AFL assistants. Both have the raw ability and the highly desirabl Clarko watermark embossed on their CVs, to make it as senior coaches.

However, given that those spatting histrionic queans, the Scott twins, are both senior coaches then perhaps any friggin' nuff can make the grade if they, purely by happenstance, come from a multiple premiership winning side under a master coach.

Thesis - antithesis, where is the synthesis? How friggin' Hegelian!

Hodge may be derailed form getting to the top job by media roles should he want to persue that line of work.

 

[Gralin]

???

And Mitchell isn't ???

It is quite likely both will do time as AFL assistants. Both have the raw ability and the highly desirabl Clarko watermark embossed on their CVs, to make it as senior coaches.

However, given that those spatting histrionic queans, the Scott twins, are both senior coaches then perhaps any friggin' nuff can make the grade if they, purely by happenstance, come from a multiple premiership winning side under a master coach.

Thesis - antithesis, where is the synthesis? How friggin' Hegelian!

Hodge may be derailed form getting to the top job by media roles should he want to persue that line of work.

I was replying to a comment that Hodge was more of a captain type and Mitchell a coach type, they are both extensions of the coaching group at Hawthorn

 

[LuckyHawk]

We would've done well but how well? no-one knows. Don't like this thread, sizing up an ex captain against a current captain, both
champions playing alongside each other - no point.