Training 2024 Preseason reports and discussion

[Slainte]

There are times even last year where his game sense wasn't quite there. His skills aren't as slick as Macdonald or Mackenzie. Despite his height he doesn't really create a threat arially and can't play forward well. Which is something Hustwaite showed glimpses of doing in his first game.

But please don't take it the wrong way as a knock on him, he's been great recently. When I say limited I mean it in the same way i'd say Brad Sewell or Liam Sheils was a limited player. Sewell didn't have the damaging disposal or slickness like Lewis and Mitchell. Sheils was good defensively but when he moved up the rungs as a key cog in the midfield he was never the type to be regularly in the votes. Or even how O'meara was a limited player.

Some of our young players at this stage look like they can be stars of the comp, some might be, some might just be role players and some may not make it. But thats the exciting journey we are on. Nash and worpel absolutely could be multi premiership players for us, but they could also be passed up and take a lesser role.

All players have deficiencies and I think you have identified Nash's. However, my impression is that he is working hard to overcome the and is making steady progress.

His strengths are the cleanest and hardest tackle in the game (he almost never concedes a free on the tackle), super-quick hands, a great tank and tricks.

He stilll has upside and he also has genuine leadership potential.

Put together, that is a serious package.

 

[Steven Tyler]

As David King said “you can’t take your eyes off Wizard! He does everything at top speed!”.

What would he know, he picked the Swans in 2014!!!!!

 

[Judd2Sewell]

What would he know, he picked the Swans in 2014!!!!!

Don't you know how it works around here? We shit on commentators like King, Dwyane, Kornes, etc for all the things they say that we don't like, which is all lies, nonsense and rubbish of course, until they say one thing we do like and then that's when we take them seriously.

 

[jumpingjai]

Anyone who doubts Nash's importance to the midfield group should listen to last year's interview with Will Day on Hawks Insiders where he emphasised the vital importance of Nash to the midfield.
From memory , I believe he said he was the person who loved having in the midfield.

 

[peetoo]

The whole conversation belongs in the 2023 pre season thread

 

[Mississippi]

I can’t believe this ongoing narrative to underrate Conor Nash

11

Conor Nash

Age

26

Ht

198cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.7

2star

K

3.9

2star

HB

4.8

3star

M

2.0

2star

T

3.1

5star

CL

0.3

2star

No current season stats available

D

8.4

3star

K

4.2

2star

HB

4.2

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

4.0

5star

CL

0.2

2star

.
An elite schoolboy rugby champion who was introduced late to AFL. Played in a non-suitable position for his first few years as he learnt the game - even helping out as a 2nd ruckman for McEvoy. It’s been a learning curve with the graph going up every year.

Only started playing midfield in 2022 (thanks Sam).
Last year 3rd in the B & F.

He’s still learning his trade but each year he’s improved significantly. People keep underrating his role in the midfield. He’s doing more grunt work than any other player - his handballing out of the packs is elite and his tackles per game are close to elite. If you’re an opposition mid and you’re contesting the ball with a bloke who’s agile, strong and almost 2 metres tall, and who tackles like a Mac truck, good luck. No wonder Day and others are raving about him, because he’s the fella making them look good.

It’s pointless to compare his precision kicking skills with a Day or Newcombe because that’s not his role (you may as well criticise Day for not averaging 15 handballs out of crowded packs per game).

Every other AFL club wishes they had Nash on their list. As good as he was last year, he’ll be better this year.

 

[steezy]

I am frothing over CMac this preseason, looks awesome in drills, see what he brings in match sim today. Good to see Ward back on the track, hope his foot problems are gone

 

[steezy]

Ward started on the A team in match sim, didn’t stop Hustwaite on the B team dominating the clearance and they scored a goal in like 10seconds. Then Frenchie got the second clearance for the B team… maybe they’re the real A team?

 

[steezy]

Definitely feels like Feb training now, a lot more feeling in it, a bit of niggle from the Wiz too, getting under people's skin

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Don't you know how it works around here? We s**t on commentators like King, Dwyane, Kornes, etc for all the things they say that we don't like, which is all lies, nonsense and rubbish of course, until they say one thing we do like and then that's when we take them seriously.

Of course the Hawthorn board is going to be more receptive to pro-Hawthorn commentary, especially when it's informed the way Kingys tweets last week were (actually getting to training), or Gabelichs articles where he clearly has genuine insight into the club.
I don’t know why you’d have a problem with Hawthorn supporters liking positive reinforcement in the media and disliking commentators being negative. Seems like pretty standard behavior for a “supporter” group.

The quote was taken from watching the Wiz at training, and his speed is something that several other track-watchers on here have confirmed. Speed is quantifiable. Completely different context to a deliberately sensationalist opinion-based prediction a decade ago.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

The whole conversation belongs in the 2023 pre season thread

Agreed.

I have been a very strong critic of Nash but he absolutely smashed it in 2023.

I predicted that he would need to start to average 20 touches a game to keep his spot and he ended up averaging 24 (along with 4.8 tackles a game). Probably one of the biggest one year improvements in a player that I can recall in quite a while.

Hes a legit AFL standard midfielder now.

 

[wizzard400]

Bontempelli is a poor man’s Conor Nash

11

Conor Nash

Age

26

Ht

198cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.7

2star

K

3.9

2star

HB

4.8

3star

M

2.0

2star

T

3.1

5star

CL

0.3

2star

No current season stats available

D

8.4

3star

K

4.2

2star

HB

4.2

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

4.0

5star

CL

0.2

2star

 

[thehardway]

Bontempelli is a poor man’s Conor Nash

Yep. Nashy dominating match sim.

 

[matey]

Last year remember Worps did an interview and was asked who he didn’t like matching up on at training ……. without thinking twice said Nash. Made mention that being tackled by him wasn’t around the hip area it always felt higher on the body …… was more punishing.

 

[steezy]

What's the over/under on every team we play bitchin' about the free kicks Watson gets? He goes hard, reminds me of Poppie at his best

 

[Duck Knows Best]

whos out and watching trainign this morning, is there match sim?

Keep us posted.

 

[cryptor]

Bontempelli is a poor man’s Conor Nash

The Bont didn't get a single touch in our match sim. Nash however, prolific.

 

[steezy]

whos out and watching trainign this morning, is there match sim?

Keep us posted.

Match sim currently under way, to be honest it looks a little rough skills wise so there are definitely things that need to be worked on if we want to go next level this year, but I'm liking some of the young guys, I'll write a summary after it finishes with some observations

 

[Hawked Wings]

I am frothing over CMac this preseason, looks awesome in drills, see what he brings in match sim today. Good to see Ward back on the track, hope his foot problems are gone

40 senior games under his belt, could absolutely explode this year

 

[Hawked Wings]

Bontempelli is a poor man’s Conor Nash

Honestly hats off to Sammy mitch for identifying Nash as a mid, shows how good of a footy brain he has. I remember a few years ago when clarko was coaching and Nash had just got back into the side and Sammy asked where he was playing and Nash said up forward and Mitch said that’s silly because you’re a midfielder (paraphrasing).
We are in such a good spot with him at the helm

 

[Mrzohs]

Match sim currently under way, to be honest it looks a little rough skills wise so there are definitely things that need to be worked on if we want to go next level this year, but I'm liking some of the young guys, I'll write a summary after it finishes with some observations

thanks mate, very keen to hear on the defensive aspects. I reckon our midfield is stacked with depth this year and the forward line has some obvious upgrades.

• Transition from the D50 - F50.
• Key back stocks (outside Sic)
• Midfield 2 way running.

 

[HedgeFund]

The Bont didn't get a single touch in our match sim. Nash however, prolific.

Bont must be genuinely scared of Nash.

Not willing to match up against him once in the Hawthorn match sim.

 

[smish]

Honestly hats off to Sammy mitch for identifying Nash as a mid, shows how good of a footy brain he has. I remember a few years ago when clarko was coaching and Nash had just got back into the side and Sammy asked where he was playing and Nash said up forward and Mitch said that’s silly because you’re a midfielder (paraphrasing).
We are in such a good spot with him at the helm

Does anyone else remember when it surfaced that a track watcher first overheard a discussion between Sammy & Nash, along the lines of Sam saying to Nash "I know it's frustrating but I've been trying to get Clarko to play you in the midfield but he's reluctant, I'm going to persist with this" or words to that effect.

I thought that the experiment was a waste of time admittedly, how wrong I was.

 

[TylerDurden]

Sam said to Nash: "why aren't you training with the mids?"

 

[thehardway]

Wardy started slowly but is now looking good and getting plenty of the footy.