Toast Hawks made finals in 2024! - Hawks finals discussion

[Strapping Young Lad]

We were pretty slow starters this year too. I'm putting that down to having Fergus as our key forward for the first 8 weeks though

How do you just ignore that we rebuilt the Midfield though?

The slow start was telegraphed by the Footy dept all summer.

 

[SSSSSS]

How do you just ignore that we rebuilt the Midfield though?

The slow start was telegraphed by the Footy dept all summer.

I'm not ignoring that at all. It took a while for them to gel and once they did we went from experiencing honourable losses to club defining wins in the back half of the year. Mids are set now. Next up is the forward line.

I think we will probably have to give our new look forward line sometime to gel as well.

If we can get some early wins that will be great for us as I think post-bye it should click and we will be firing on all cylinders.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I'm not ignoring that at all. It took a while for them to gel and once they did we went from experiencing honourable losses to club defining wins in the back half of the year. Mids are set now. Next up is the forward line.

I think we will probably have to give our new look forward line sometime to gel as well.

If we can get some early wins that will be great for us as I think post-bye it should click and we will be firing on all cylinders.

I agree that the forward line will build as the year progresses, but I also think it will be better than 2023 from Round 1.

 

[Alex_au]

Possible. I think we need a lot to go right though.

James Blanck could be one of our most important players next year. If he takes the next step, and can master that shutdown role, it will allow Sicily to do his thing.

We need Jiath back to his best, his run and carry from 2 years ago has been missed. Opposition teams started to work him out and would corral/block his run. Injuries didn't help.

Josh Ward. He has been good so far, but if he can take the next step, have that breakout year, I can really see him being that barometer for us.

Goals: 50 from Lewis, around 35 each from Chol, Breust and Gunston gives us more firepower.

 

[SSSSSS]

I agree that the forward line will build as the year progresses, but I also think it will be better than 2023 from Round 1.

100%. Our forward line was the laughing stock of the comp from round 1.

If Lewis stays fit I can see us at least 'shaping the eight' again. I still think making the finals is going to be a bridge too far for us but we should be lifting ourselves off the bottom 4 this year.

Will need everything to go right for finals 2024. I just want another 20+ games into CMac, Frenchy, Ward, Weddle etc.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

100%. Our forward line was the laughing stock of the comp from round 1.

If Lewis stays fit I can see us at least 'shaping the eight' again. I still think making the finals is going to be a bridge too far for us but we should be lifting ourselves off the bottom 4 this year.

Will need everything to go right for finals 2024. I just want another 20+ games into CMac, Frenchy, Ward, Weddle etc.

Worth remembering though we didn’t have it everything go right last year and still managed to win 7 games.

Started the year with a new midfield.
No Lewis for 6 games.
Jiath never got going.
Sicily suspension(s).

There’s so much upside on our list at the moment.

 

[bigmaxi]

I don’t see any blow outs next year, the lesson has been learnt and we will have learnt to fight.
Sammy will spend some time focusing on tight finishes.
The forward line will gel faster than people think, new guys Chol and Ginnivan will have a point to prove.
Internally there will be a lot of improvement in our young brigade, means a lot of pressure on list spots.
Sammy will have us ready to hit the ground running, with another pre season drilling the game plan into the players physic.
Finals bound for sure.

 

[phlogiston]

I want to know what Delecate Des thinks!

 

[TheFourPillars]

I want to know what Delecate Des thinks!

https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/3bd61df32e9f8b476629eee27d7aaef4

 

[cs61]

How do you just ignore that we rebuilt the Midfield though?

The slow start was telegraphed by the Footy dept all summer.

I was dead set concerned after watching the lack of defensive pressure and general intensity and intent from all players in pre-season games and early few rounds. Also Reeves went from looking like the most promising ruck in the league to getting absolutely slaughtered by anyone he went again, and Meek started like his namesake as well. I saw Reeves lose 7 centre bounces in a row to Ceglar and Cats' just walked it out in the first pre-season games. Alarm Bells were ringing.

It was hugely pleasing that was addressed by the time we played Crows, GWS etc. Shows we were lacking structure, but also just general cohesiveness through the middle as well, and we too focused on ourselves and not the other pressure acts and looking after each other yet. Our forward line will take time to ge this year with the faces, but I think our intensity and intent from the start will be better. I also wouldn't be surprised if this is the year we focus a bit more on the balance between attack and defence after being overly attacking last few years. I expect us to be a hard side to play against this year, win or lose.

 

[SSSSSS]

Worth remembering though we didn’t have it everything go right last year and still managed to win 7 games.

Started the year with a new midfield.
No Lewis for 6 games.
Jiath never got going.
Sicily suspension(s).

There’s so much upside on our list at the moment.

We won a total of 1 game without Mitch against a pathetic North. Add Mitch (and Day) to the Crows and GWS game and we win those easily.
Lost every game without Sicily (probably would have won the GWS game at least with Sicily playing) to the most bullshit suspension.

We could have easily finished last year with 10-11 wins which would see us on the cusp of finals. Also not dropping our bundle against the Tiges would have helped. That game shit me up the wall.

I'm very bullish about our season in 2024. If we make finals great, if we don't I think as long as we get 20+ more games into our youngens it will be a great stepping stone for 2025. I'd hope the expectation for 2025 would be finals.

We should be primed in our window for the latter part of this decade. I'd be bitterly disappointed if we weren't hunting for the flag between 2026-2029.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

As others have said, next year might be a year too soon. Yes, our best was clearly good enough. But our worst was absolutely putrid - think games against Geelong, Port, Sydney.

Our inability to play 4 quarters was present for probably 19/23 rounds. That’s a long way off the mark from playing finals

Swans game was trash, the other 2 you mention we broke even in quarters, we just couldn't stop the flow of goals when it started

 

[cryptor]

Yes, and we will.

 

[madhawksfan]

We’d need another good run with injuries and for the midfield to beat the opposition consistently. Still question marks over our second tall defender and whether we can be more efficient in F50.

Weddle, CMac, Ward, Frenchie, Day and Newk will need to continue improving.

Think we’ll surprise a few teams but ultimately fall short of finals finishing between 9-13. We should be ahead of NM, WC, Rich, Ess and at least one of Freo, Geel or WB.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I was dead set concerned after watching the lack of defensive pressure and general intensity and intent from all players in pre-season games and early few rounds. Also Reeves went from looking like the most promising ruck in the league to getting absolutely slaughtered by anyone he went again, and Meek started like his namesake as well. I saw Reeves lose 7 centre bounces in a row to Ceglar and Cats' just walked it out in the first pre-season games. Alarm Bells were ringing.

It was hugely pleasing that was addressed by the time we played Crows, GWS etc. Shows we were lacking structure, but also just general cohesiveness through the middle as well, and we too focused on ourselves and not the other pressure acts and looking after each other yet. Our forward line will take time to ge this year with the faces, but I think our intensity and intent from the start will be better. I also wouldn't be surprised if this is the year we focus a bit more on the balance between attack and defence after being overly attacking last few years. I expect us to be a hard side to play against this year, win or lose.

Interesting point with Reeves, and that we can see the growth in a number of ways via the stats at the link which allows you to look at the overall season stats, but then also filter to only the last 5 rounds.

We were 2nd in the league for Ruck Win % during 2023, but in the last 5 games we were clear 1st.

For the 2023 season, we were 17th for Goals from Inside 50's, yet in our last 5 games we were above the league average(12th).

Over the 2023 season, we were 13th for Marks inside 50, yet in the last 5 Rounds we were 3rd in the comp.

Marks on a lead from 14th over the course of the year, but 8th in the last 5 games.

Shows there was improvement everywhere as the season wore on.

 

[Burtman]

Don’t know the stats on it, but how often has the youngest and least experienced list finished outside the bottom 6? Can’t imagine it would be too often. I love the direction we’re going, but we’ve shown in previous years that we can have signs of improvement and look like a great team, then come out the next year and shit the bed for the first 10 rounds. I still see us finishing bottom 4 but with a much better % and a win or two more than this year. 2025 is the year I think we make a big move up the ladder

 

[tommyk72]

We won a total of 1 game without Mitch against a pathetic North. Add Mitch (and Day) to the Crows and GWS game and we win those easily.
Lost every game without Sicily (probably would have won the GWS game at least with Sicily playing) to the most bullshit suspension.

We could have easily finished last year with 10-11 wins which would see us on the cusp of finals. Also not dropping our bundle against the Tiges would have helped. That game s**t me up the wall.

I'm very bullish about our season in 2024. If we make finals great, if we don't I think as long as we get 20+ more games into our youngens it will be a great stepping stone for 2025. I'd hope the expectation for 2025 would be finals.

We should be primed in our window for the latter part of this decade. I'd be bitterly disappointed if we weren't hunting for the flag between 2026-2029.

Love your analysis. You have me wanting to move back to Australia in 2026 just to watch the Hawks!

 

[Dewwwww]

Anything less than a premiership is underachieving

 

[KermitJagger]

Don’t know the stats on it, but how often has the youngest and least experienced list finished outside the bottom 6? Can’t imagine it would be too often. I love the direction we’re going, but we’ve shown in previous years that we can have signs of improvement and look like a great team, then come out the next year and s**t the bed for the first 10 rounds. I still see us finishing bottom 4 but with a much better % and a win or two more than this year. 2025 is the year I think we make a big move up the ladder

Brisbane were the 2nd youngest in 2019, finished 2nd. Only Gold Coast were younger but they hardly count as they were a basket case.

Before that, GWS 2nd youngest in 2016 and finished 4th. Can't really count the years between 2010 and 2016 because GWS and Gold Coast had artificially young lists. 2008 we were 3rd youngest and won a flag, 2007 we were the youngest and made finals, 2005 West Coast were 2nd youngest, 2004 Geelong were 2nd youngest and made a prelim, 2002 + 2003 Collingwood were the youngest and third youngest respectively and made the GF.

Happens almost every year that one of the youngest teams in the comp makes finals, some going as far as the grand final.

 

[Delecate Des]

I want to know what Delecate Des thinks!

I was just thinking is it too soon for Clarko to present the premiership cup to Sam

 

[Delecate Des]

https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/3bd61df32e9f8b476629eee27d7aaef4

Got a good feeling about this my friend

 

[burger09]

Our ladder position is uncertain

What is certain, is that if we are to contend for finals we will need injury free pre seasons from Lewis, Sicily, Newcomb, Day, Bruest and Reeves and the majority of best 22's.
We will also need a bunch of kids to have career best years along with our off season recruits stepping in and performing their roles well.

Still too much uncertainty for me to be expecting a finals berth. I'll be happy if our season isn't a write off by round 6 like it has been in recent times. An Adelaide 2023 style jump up the ladder would be a terrific outcome for us.

 

[Slainte]

Brisbane were the 2nd youngest in 2019, finished 2nd. Only Gold Coast were younger but they hardly count as they were a basket case.

Before that, GWS 2nd youngest in 2016 and finished 4th. Can't really count the years between 2010 and 2016 because GWS and Gold Coast had artificially young lists. 2008 we were 3rd youngest and won a flag, 2007 we were the youngest and made finals, 2005 West Coast were 2nd youngest, 2004 Geelong were 2nd youngest and made a prelim, 2002 + 2003 Collingwood were the youngest and third youngest respectively and made the GF.

Happens almost every year that one of the youngest teams in the comp makes finals, some going as far as the grand final.

We went OK in 2008 with a pretty young team.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Honestly the number one factor that will determine if we can make finals next year will be how many games Sicily can play.

Without him we looked like a rudderless ship this season. I've never in all my years seen an AFL team as dependent on one player as we were with Sic in 2023.

If he can escape the Chook Lotto / Kangaroo Court that is the AFL tribunal and stay healthy we are not without a punchers chance of scraping into the finals.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Brisbane were the 2nd youngest in 2019, finished 2nd. Only Gold Coast were younger but they hardly count as they were a basket case.

Before that, GWS 2nd youngest in 2016 and finished 4th. Can't really count the years between 2010 and 2016 because GWS and Gold Coast had artificially young lists. 2008 we were 3rd youngest and won a flag, 2007 we were the youngest and made finals, 2005 West Coast were 2nd youngest, 2004 Geelong were 2nd youngest and made a prelim, 2002 + 2003 Collingwood were the youngest and third youngest respectively and made the GF.

Happens almost every year that one of the youngest teams in the comp makes finals, some going as far as the grand final.

Also Freo were the 4th youngest list, expected to play finals in 2023.