Preview 2024 Preseason: Hawks v Dogs in Tassie
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CrimminsSquad
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Watching on Saturday it was the lack of effort from Chol which told, a number of times the week before he gave us an out when stuck between D50 and wing with strong leads and contest, on the weekend we go the other half of his game.
For us to score more we need the linking Chol who at least halves contest, and getting him to swing from bad to good or from no effort to effort is something Mitchell will need to unlock.
As for Ward I think it is safe to say he's not a winger and he is being played out of posiiton there. I much prefer having tall athletic types on the wing, who provide run both ways but can also provide options exiting D50 or changing the direction of an attack, we have options here with CJ and Weddle who would be nightmares in the wing.
Wards strength is he sees the ball in a pack, so he has to be a rotation into middle off the bench. His disposal is generally very good and decision making sound so I don't tend to buy the line that he has to get 30 to be effective.
As a side note i continue to look at what our players can do rather than can't do.
For us to score more we need the linking Chol who at least halves contest, and getting him to swing from bad to good or from no effort to effort is something Mitchell will need to unlock.
As for Ward I think it is safe to say he's not a winger and he is being played out of posiiton there. I much prefer having tall athletic types on the wing, who provide run both ways but can also provide options exiting D50 or changing the direction of an attack, we have options here with CJ and Weddle who would be nightmares in the wing.
Wards strength is he sees the ball in a pack, so he has to be a rotation into middle off the bench. His disposal is generally very good and decision making sound so I don't tend to buy the line that he has to get 30 to be effective.
As a side note i continue to look at what our players can do rather than can't do.
SSSSSS
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Revisit Ward's game vs the Pies last year. He went head to head with an AA wingman and shut him out. Put his body on the line in the third to win a 50/50 ball for the side in our defensive half which ended up being a massive team goal to keep momentum.
Or how about against the Bombers where he was the only midfielder that decided to turn up? Or how about against Carlton where he was able to play his preferred position as an inside midfielder and racked up close to 30 touches.
I like Hust but he hasn't shown anywhere near as much as Ward over his AFL career yet. Neither has Frenchy. Not that I expect them to have given they are in their first year.
He's 2nd year midfielder going on to his 3rd FFS. I would agree that he's behind Daicos, Callaghan and NWM but that shouldn't be used to denigrate Ward. That's pretty fine company to be a part of at 20 years of age.
Sixpence
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Exactly what is it that makes Callaghan and NWM so much better than Ward? Because he's got them covered on most stats.
I'm certainly not denigrating Ward. He's shown he's capable of playing good classy footy.
But I'm saying he has to lift significantly this year to be an intrinsic part of our midfield.
As an indication - and the AFL website is certainly not the Hawthorn selection committee (!) - in its predicted teams for round 1, Ward isn't even in the starting 22 - and that's without Day in the side. I'm sure its a dilemma for our selectors also.
Sixpence
Forget about cheap-possession stats for a moment.
Have you actually seen how Wanganeen-Milera dominates a game? That's what I'd like to see Ward do this year.
Here's one meaningful stat.
Ward came equal 17th in the Peter Crimmins last year - equal with James Blanck and behind Frosty.
And that was in a bottom 4 side.
He needs to finish top 10 this year. Surely you'd agree with that?
And Wanganeen-Milera came 5th in St Kilda's B & F - in a side that played finals footy.
Forget about cheap-possession stats for a moment.
Have you actually seen how Wanganeen-Milera dominates a game? That's what I'd like to see Ward do this year.
Here's one meaningful stat.
Ward came equal 17th in the Peter Crimmins last year - equal with James Blanck and behind Frosty.
And that was in a bottom 4 side.
He needs to finish top 10 this year. Surely you'd agree with that?
And Wanganeen-Milera came 5th in St Kilda's B & F - in a side that played finals footy.
Sixpence
Brownlow Medallist
How the **** are Contested Possessions, Tackles, Clearances, Disposal Efficiency etc. "Cheap possession stats"? If NWM was dominating games, his stats would reflect it.
How is BNF placings a meaningful stat when NWM played 24 games, Ward 16 in an injury interrupted season? How is it meaningful when NWM is played in a position that best suits his skills and Ward is not? Credit to NWM, he had a good season for sure. But Ward has shown he can play just as well when playing his preferred position, just needs a better run with injury.
No, I don't agree he needs a top 10 finish. That's far too a rigid target. We have 40-odd blokes on the list, not everyone can be top 10. Ward just needs a consistent run of games. The rest will follow. He has still shown more as an inside mid than either of Frenchie or Hustwaite. You are putting far too much stock into practice games.
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Great hawthorn teams have had 2 or 3 classy outside players. We have plenty of options, but no locks at the moment
Strapping Young Lad
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Yes and no.
The game has never been faster than it is today, but if you can step a player or find space you don’t need to have elite speed.
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What a fall from grace.
Look 2012 still annoys me but geez get over it bomber. They won in 09 when saints were the better team that year.
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Only won one quarter in both 2008 and 2009 gfs. Could have easily come up doughnuts
Funny that this is what bothers him, not turning up to work absolutely wired, talking about getting into the frozen water business on television when he was there to talk football.... not to mention having random seedy types living at his house and having the whole footy world there to watching the wheels fall off his wagon in excruciatingly painful style.
No, the real problem is that his team got pantsed by a team containing generational superstars on almost every other line.
You forgot the doping and entire side and getting 34 players suspended and setting the club he played for back 15 years.
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Alright sweet, I'll forget about NWM's 4 possessions a game (avg) from a played on kick in.
Dont_be_a_Plonka
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Preseason top ups should be busting a gut to make a statement.
Sicily should be leaning on a point post filling his nails.
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Thanks for not having Watson as your first choice bud.You’re clueless. He was never our 1st choice. It was all media driven. Get your head out of your ass and stop offering fellatio on an opposition board you clown
4 goals in an elim wasn't too bad, how did Sanders go? Didn't see him out there.
Sixpence
Brownlow Medallist
Not gonna lie, I feel a bit of smug vindication over my defence of Ward in this thread!
I got the outside word
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Get ‘em Sixpence. Ward was outstanding. I had doubts because of the ‘over thinker’ reports and thought he might be in his own head for an elimination, super happy to be super wrong.
Ward defenders for life
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